Despite a ninth-inning rally to force extra innings, the Altoona Curve fell to the Hartford Yard Goats 3-2 in 10 innings Friday night in front of 5,256 fans at PNG Field.

Hartford scored a run in the third on a sacrifice fly by Jared Thomas to give the Yard Goats a 1-0 lead. They carried that 1-0 lead into the ninth when they scored a run on a Brayden Wimmer double.

The Curve then struck back in the bottom of the ninth with back-to-back home runs by Esmerlyn Valdez and Duce Gourson to tie the game and force extra innings.

“You’re hoping to get a couple guys on and you don’t ever expect a couple homers,” Altoona manager Andy Fox said. “It’s a credit to our guys for continuing to play after being shut down for eight innings and being able to come back.”

08/08/25 Mirror photo by Patrick Waksmunski / Curve catcher Aaron McKeithan put the tag on Hartford's Dyan Jorge on a fielder's choice.

In the 10th inning, Hartford’s Zack Kokoska scored on a wild pitch to give the Yard Goats a 3-2 lead.

For the home half of the inning, the issues in coming through with runners on base made a return as the Curve were unable to deliver. Altoona’s P.J. Hilson started the inning at second but was thrown out trying to advance to third on a ball hit to the shortstop.

His decision making there was certainly suspect, but it was just one mistake on an 0-for-8 night with runners in scoring position, including twice in the 10th inning.

“We got to do a better job with decision making there and intent as far as that’s definitely not a move-up ball,” Fox said. “We got to be better there, but we gave it a run. We just couldn’t get a knock, or even tie it up. We left 12 guys on base today. It’s hard to win when you do that.”

Samaniego shines

Relief pitcher Tyler Samaniego came on in the seventh and promptly dispatched all three hitters Hartford sent to the plate with strikeouts to retire the side in order.

Samaniego struck out two more Yard Goats in the eighth to finish with five on the night.

“He’s been throwing the ball well,” Fox said. “This is kind of like his May after being hurt most of the year and kind of getting his feet wet back in affiliated baseball, and he’s throwing the ball well his last three outings. It was a good confidence builder for him throughout the game.”

The pitching staff fared far better Friday night than it did Thursday as it allowed only three runs over 10 innings of play.

Starter Wilber Dotel went six strong innings and allowed one run. He struck out two and walked two.

“Dotel’s start was the big thing for us today,” Fox said. “I mean, you want to win, but him being able to go six saves our bullpen and sets us up for the weekend. The bullpen did a great job to keep it in check, but it all started with Dotel.”

Ryan Harbin took over in the ninth and allowed a run a piece in each of the ninth and 10th innings.

Up next

Altoona will put RHP Alessandro Ercolani to the mound for Saturday night’s game while it will be RHP Po-Yu Chen who gets the nod Sunday afternoon for the Curve.