HARRISBURG — The Altoona Curve’s solid start to the second half of the Eastern League schedule reached a snag over the weekend.

The Harrisburg Senators beat the Curve, 4-1, on Saturday night and then held Altoona to just three hits in posting a 2-0 win Sunday afternoon at FNB Field.

Altoona wrapped up the home-and-home series with Harrisburg after winning four of six games played.

On Sunday, Blake Townsend pitched well as he started a bullpen day again for the Curve, his sixth of the season. Townsend permitted an unearned run in the third and another run in the fourth on a pair of singles.

Townsend allowed four hits and suffered the loss. Emmanuel Chapman tossed 2 2/3 scoreless innings of relief.

Brandon Bidois covered the seventh and eighth innings on the mound. Bidois last allowed a run on June 14 and has tossed eight scoreless innings with eight strikeouts since arriving with Altoona.

Kervin Pichardo picked up a double to lead off the second inning but was stranded at third. Esmerlyn Valdez singled with one out in the fifth inning and then Duce Gourson drew a walk, but Gomez retired the next two hitters to keep the Curve off the board.

Harrisburg’s five pitchers combined for the 13th shutout of the Curve this season. It was the first time the Curve were held without a run in a game since June 10.

Saturday’s game

Omar Alfonzo slugged a solo homer in the seventh inning for the Curve’s only run Saturday.

The loss snapped a six-game winning streak for Altoona.

Altoona’s bats were held to just one hit and three walks in the first six innings of the game before Alfonzo blasted his second Double-A homer off righty Thomas Schultz in the seventh. The Curve could only manage three hits and three walks.

Up next

The Curve continue their road trip on Tuesday night at 6:07 p.m. at Binghamton’s Mirabito Park.