Curve Fall to Senators, 12-6
By: Mike Mueller
Updated: July 20, 2007
HARRISBURG- The Harrisburg Senators scored all 12 of their runs over their first five at-bats and cruised to a 12-6 win over the Curve in the second game of a four-game series Friday night at Commerce Bank Park in Harrisburg.
Highlighting the Senators' 12-run outburst were three home runs, including a pair from center fielder Frank Diaz. Diaz got the Harrisburg offense started by drilling a long three-run home run in the bottom of the first inning off Curve starter Josh Shortslef. Diaz added his second longball in the third inning -- a leadoff solo homer. Marcos Yepez drilled a two-run shot later in the frame to cap the Senators' second four-run frame against Shortslef (2-10), who took the loss after allowing eight runs in only three innings of work.
The Senators added three runs in the fourth and one more in the fifth against reliever Wardell Starling to build a 12-5 lead.
Harrisburg (35-65) evened the series with the victory and won for the fourth time in six games. Altoona (49-47) lost for only the second time in seven games.
Lefty Mike Hinckley (9-8) earned the win for Harrisburg, allowing five runs and eight hits over six innings.
Despite the loss, the Curve continued their recent offensive tear, posting double digit hits (12) for the fifth time in six games. Jason Bowers, Neil Walker, Steven Pearce and Jason Delaney all had two-hit games, while Delaney was the only Altoona hitter to produce two RBI's in the contest.
Bowers extended his current team-high hitting streak to 12 straight games and Pearce reached base safely for the 31st consecutive game, moving him to within two games of the franchise record of 33 games set by Ronny Paulino in 2004. Delaney's 2-for-4 effort gives him 15 hits in 21 at-bats (.714) over his last five games.
The Curve and Senators will play the third game of their four-game weekend series Saturday evening at 6:05 p.m. at Commerce Bank Park in Harrisburg. Right-hander Yoslan Herrera (4-5, 4.74) will get the starting nod for Altoona against Senators' righty Beltran Perez (5-3, 5.11).
-Altoona Curve
