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The Altoona Curve fell 11-7 to the Akron RubberDucks in the final game of the 2026 season Sunday afternoon at PNG Field.
There were 5,028 were on hand to see a game that was a microcosm of the entire season for Altoona.
It featured timely hitting when it mattered, some solid pitching at times, but also was highlighted by an inconsistent bullpen and some poor defensive play.
"The biggest thing for me, the last couple days, you reflect a little bit on things, and like the one thing that I'm proud of this group is they kept playing, and even though we were down early. We didn't quit," Curve manager Andy Fox said.
Shortstop Keiner Delgado led off the game with a home run on the first pitch. Third baseman Murf Gray doubled and scored on a ground out by catcher Easton Carmichael.
Starting early
The lead was short lived as Akron scored two in the second off starting pitcher Connor Oliver. The RubberDucks scored another in the third off Oliver on a home run by left fielder Jace Laviolette.
Oliver was replaced by Dariel Francia in the fourth inning and promptly gave up two runs and another in the fifth.
Jake Shirk and Sean Sullivan each threw scoreless innings in the sixth and seventh innings respectively.
The Curve offense came alive in the sixth inning after a two-RBI double by Carmichael made it 6-4. A single by Will Taylor brought home Carmichael to make it a 6-5 game.
Second baseman Matt King singled to start the seventh inning. He advanced to second on a wild pitch and moved to third on a ground out by Delgado.
King tied the game at six after scoring on a wild pitch.
"We've played really well the last seven eight days of the season," Fox said. "You see the confidence when you're swinging the bats well and are putting together good at bats. We just couldn't put any more crooked numbers up."
The lead was short-lived as Tyler Owens gave up four runs in the top of the eighth inning.
"We were really thin today, pitching-wise," Fox said. "A couple guys went down here in the last couple days, and it's just one of those things."
With a 10-6 cushion, Welbin Francisca deposited a pitch from Altoona's Claudio Estelie off the base of the rollercoaster with two outs in the ninth inning.
Altoona didn't go down without a fight with three consecutive singles to start the home half of the ninth inning, but would only score one run to make it 11-7.
We were able to tie it, then gave it up," Fox said. "And even in the ninth, there we put some pressure on them, and that's what that group has done. I mean, I know the record's the record, but it was enjoyable to watch them get better, work, and you know really learn a lot."
The Curve finished 30-39 in the second half of the season and 61-77 overall.
Saturday night
A rain-shortened 3-2 loss Saturday night ended Altoona's six-game win streak.
The RubberDucks scored three runs in the fifth inning before Akron thwarted a late rally to earn the win before the rain washed out the remainder of the game.
Yonleg Gaetano hurled four scoreless innings in his Double-A debut for the Curve.
Awards season
Prior to Sunday's game, the Curve honored their annual award winners. Taking home the Most Valuable Player Award for the 2026 season was Lonnie White, Jr.
White led the team with 19 home runs and had a career-high 67 RBI for Altoona this season.
Connor Wietgrefe took home Pitcher of the Year honors while Callan Moss was named Iron Man of the Year for playing in 123 games for the Curve. Titus Dumitru was named the Unsung Hero for his daily presence in the lineup this season.