Curve Fall to Bay Sox
By: Mike Mueller
Updated: July 7, 2007
BOWIE- The Curve committed three errors that aided a five-run Bowie first inning and Altoona lost its fourth straight game, 8-5, Saturday night at Prince George's Stadium in Bowie, MD.
Shortstop Brandon Chaves was charged with two miscues in the frame, including an error on a grounder off the bat off Baysox' leadoff man Ruddy Yan. Yan later scored on the inning's key hit, a two-run single by Oscar Salazar. Second baseman Javier Guzman, who was appearing in his first game for the Curve since April 17th after being activated off the Disabled List earlier day, also committed a miscue which led to one of the five Bowie runs.
Starter Justin Vaclavik faced only two batters in the first inning and had to leave the game with a hyperextended left knee. Both runners reached base and scored in the frame, thus tagging the loss on Vaclavik (2-6).
Jason Roach entered the game in the first inning and pitched through the third. The right-hander was charged with five runs -- three earned -- on four hits.
Trailing 7-1 after two innings, the Curve scored single tallies in the fourth and fifth innings courtesy of Jason Delaney. Delaney, who was playing in his 11th game since being added to the Curve roster from Class-A Lynchburg, hit a solo home run in the fourth and knocked in Jason Bowers with a double in the fifth.
Guzman connected for a two-run home run in the ninth inning to close out the scoring in the loss.
Beau Hale (6-3) won for the third time this season against Altoona, allowing three runs on five hits in five innings.
With the loss, the Curve (42-43) fell below the .500 mark and dropped behind the Baysox (44-44) into fifth place in the E.L. South. Altoona entered Saturday's game coming off a three-game series sweep at the hands of Northern Division-leading Trenton.
The Curve and Baysox will play the middle game of their three-game, pre-All-Star Break series Sunday night at 6:05 p.m. Dewon Brazelton (1-1, 2.84) will take the mound for Altoona against Bowie lefty Oscar Alvarez (6-2, 4.91)
-Atloona Curve
