Curve victory all part of festive world with team’s mascots
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By Jarrod Prugar
For the Mirror
There's a saying around PNG Field expressed nightly throughout the Altoona Curve's season, everybody loves Curve baseball. On Tuesday night, in front of 3,547 fans, Al Tuna and Altoona delivered with an 8-7 win over the Richmond Flying Squirrels.
Certainly the product on the field hasn't been much to love at times this summer, but there are many reasons to still love Curve baseball despite on the field performances.
One of those is the beloved rally fish, Al Tuna. To see Al means good fortunes are coming to Altoona as he dances his way out of his hut in right-center field every time the Curve scores a run or needs a rally.
"Al Tuna is a legendary, one-of-a-kind mascot," Altoona general manager Nate Bowen said. "He generates excitement at the ballpark every game and has led to a number of rallies and walk-off wins over the years."
Al arrived in 2009 and fans instantly fell in love with the rally fish. He's got eyes all over the ballpark and many nights he's at the top of the list for what Curve fans want other than a delicious Curve burger or cold drink.
To see Al is to know Al, but to know Al is to be Al which is why this writer wanted to see what it was like to be around Al for a game.
Al was called to duty at Stuckey Automotive for a surprise visit which featured two employees who've been with the company for years being surprised with a ride to the game as well as throwing out the first pitch.
Of course, Al got to ride in style in the back of a brand-new Ford Bronco. He was excited to the gills being able to ride down Plank Road and Convention Center Boulevard with the top of the Bronco down and the breeze flowing steadily.
Upon arriving at the stadium, the fans were clamoring for him. They sought autographs and pictures and Curve runs.
Boy, did they ever get those. Altoona scored four in the first inning alone. They notch five straight hits, starting with Endy Rodriguez's double and ending with Jase Bowen's double that would give the Curve a 3-0 lead.
Brenden Dixon would hit a sacrifice fly to score Tsing-Che Cheng who plated Rodriguez and Sammy Siani with his single.
Al nearly ran out of moves it seemed, running through old favorites like the sprinkler and casting a reel.
The scoring continued in the sixth when Cheng roped a single past right fielder Jairo Pomeres who misplayed the ball, allowing both Kervin Pichardo and Cheng to score, pushing the Altoona lead to 6-2.
Al was needed again in the seventh as the Curve trailed, 7-6, before Cheng notched a double, which was followed up by back-to-back singles by Bowen and Dixon to score Cheng and Bowen to give Altoona an 8-7 lead.
On this night, the Curve didn't need a rally, but Al was able to celebrate accordingly after the win.
GETTING OFFENSIVE
Altoona rattled off eight runs on 12 hits against the Flying Squirrels, which was quite the response after mustering only two runs Tuesday night.
"We needed a response," Curve manager Robby Hammock said. "It was nice to see. We did a lot of good things on the offensive side. We extended innings, passed the torch to the next guy, came up with some nice big two out hits, and then we took extra backside 90s on throws home. It was awesome. It was a good job by the offense all the way around."
It was the offensive night Altoona desperately needed as it looks to finish the season on a strong note.
Showing poise
Southpaw Dominic Perachi might not have gotten the win against Richmond, but he did hurl a phenomenal five innings for the Curve.
Perachi allowed only two earned runs while he struck out seven and walked one. Of those seven strikeouts, four of them were the first four hitters he faced.
"He came out on fire," Hammock said. "He was being aggressive, trusting his stuff in the zone. Sometimes, he'll try to get a little fine and lose the batter, but then he was able to correct himself and then finish strong that last inning as well."
NEXT UP
Altoona sends RHP Emmanuel Chapman to the mound Thursday night to take on the Flying Squirrels.
Jarrod Prugar covers the Altoona Curve throughout the season for the Mirror.