Disappointing Road Trip Ends With Another Curve Loss
By: K.C. Kantz
Updated: August 6, 2012
NEW BRITAIN, Conn. - Altoona's troubles on the road continued in New Britain on Sunday afternoon with the Rock Cats sending the Curve to a sixth straight loss with a, 13-4, win at New Britain Stadium. Curve RHP Gerrit Cole tossed 4.2 innings and gave up two runs on three hits while striking out five in a no decision.
Altoona actually led in the game thanks to a Quincy Latimore two-run homer in the bottom of the third. The homer was the 13th of the year for Latimore and it staked Cole to a two-run lead.
The first-overall pick in the 2011 draft walked two in the first but stranded both runners and actually went on to settle into a groove, retiring eight in a row heading toward the bottom of the fourth. It was there that a 22-minute rain delay interrupted Cole's rhythm and forced both teams to wait. Once play resumed, Cole gave up his first hit of the game and eventually his first run on a Deibinson Romero two-out single. The California native was able to wiggle out of the frame though with a lead at 2-1.
Cole retired the first two men he faced in the fifth and seemed to be back on track before Aaron Hicks singled. That single marked the end of the road for Cole as he turned it over to Mike Colla with Hicks at first. Hicks proceeded to steal second on the very first pitch from Colla and moved to third on the same play due to a throwing error by Charlie Cutler. Colla wound up walking Chris Herrmann to place runners at the corners with two down before facing Oswaldo Arcia.
Arcia singled into right to bring Hicks in and even the tilt at two and also put the go ahead runs on. Colla then issued his second walk of the inning to Chris Colabello to load the bases before Joe Benson smashed a grand slam over the wall in center that put the Rock Cats in front for good, 6-2.
New Britain's offense didn't quit after the fifth, scoring four times in the seventh and three more times in the eighth. Altoona's final two runs of the game came thanks to a Matt Curry RBI single in the sixth and a solo homer by Jarek Cunningham in the ninth for the 13-4 final.
Brock Holt had three hits in the loss to lead the offense while Latimore's homer extended his hitting streak to six games.
--Curve Media Relations--
