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By Jarrod Prugar
For the Mirror
A three-run seventh inning pushed Altoona to a 3-1 Eastern League win -- its seventh straight -- over the Bowie Baysox in front of 3,579 fans at PNG Field Thursday night.
The inning was set up by Curve starter Po-Yu Chen getting out of the top half of the frame by allowing only one run.
"We were in trouble there and it was a great job by Po-Yu to get out of that inning with only one run," Altoona manager Robby Hammock said. "We got the big double play there and were able to capitalize on their baserunning mistake and get out of that inning only giving up one run."
Altoona's Sammy Siani got the inning started with a single before Joe Perez hit a line-drive single to put runners on first and third with no outs.
Carter Bins scored Siani on a dribbler back to the pitcher to tie the game at one apiece. Jase Bowen lined a single to left, but Perez was thrown out at the plate for the second out of the inning.
Up stepped Tres Gonzales who helped put the game away for good with his two-run single.
"Sammy got on. Joe got on, Jase got on, but I just happened to put a swing on it, placed it well and got two RBIs out of it so I was happy about it," Gonzalez said.
That clutch hitting, coupled with the spectacular pitching by Chen and the rest of the pitching staff, has led to winning streak which was unheard of earlier in the season.
"It's great to see all the guys kind of coming together now because at the beginning of the season, we were struggling a little bit," Gonzalez said. "Nothing's really changed. We've all just kind of become better teammates and better friends in the clubhouse."
The camaraderie the team has shown has paid off not only in the clubhouse, but also on the field as the Curve have continued to believe in each other.
"There's more trust from the offensive side with the guys coming out of the pen and there's more trust on the pitching side with the guys stepping up the plate," Hammock said. "Each side now believes that the other one's going to be able to step up and get it done."
Strong start
Chen tossed seven strong innings for the third game in a row. He allowed one run on four hits while striking out seven Baysox hitters.
He's 2-1 over that span and has proven to be a reliable starter for Altoona in the rotation. For what has helped him turn it around, Hammock kept it simple.
"His command mix of pitches, understanding hitters, and good preparation and execution," Hammock said.
Twice as nice
Southpaw Luis Peralta has been dominant this season across time spent in Greensboro and Altoona, having yet to yield a run.
He's appeared in five games, including Thursday night's contest, where he notched his first Double-A save. Peralta worked the ninth inning and struck out two.
"His ability to throw strikes has been impressive," Hammock said. "He's got a tough fastball. It's tough to hit him, he spins the ball up there pretty well. It's all based on him throwing strikes and that's what he's done this year."
Next up
The Curve will send southpaw Jaden Woods to the mound tonight to face Bowie. Woods has appeared in four games for Altoona this season and has a 7.20 ERA in five innings.