Behind Cole, Curve Take Down Thunder
By: K.C. Kantz
Updated: August 10, 2012
CURVE, Pa. - Pirates top prospect Gerrit Cole blanked the Trenton Thunder into the sixth inning, and Altoona's offense continued its resurgence as the Curve knocked off Trenton 6-1 on Friday night at Peoples Natural Gas Field.
Cole (3-4) dazzled in his third home start of his Double-A stay, touching 100 miles per hour in his final inning of work while keeping the Thunder's powerful offense off-balance all night. Cole surrendered just three hits in his ninth overall start with Altoona, striking out six batters while working around three walks, as well.
Like Thursday night's finale against the Bowie Baysox, the second time through the order provided Altoona more than enough offense in this win. In the fourth inning, Oscar Tejeda and Jarek Cunningham each launched two-run homers to stake the Curve to a 4-0 lead against Trenton starter Shaeffer Hall.
Hall (8-8), like Cole, pitched through one out in the sixth inning but was charged with five Curve tallies, four earned, in the loss. He surrendered his unearned tally in the sixth when Stefan Welch, aboard on an error, scored on Jeremy Farrell's RBI single. Altoona added its sixth and final run on Tejeda's RBI single in the seventh against reliever Craig Heyer.
After Cole's departure, relievers Kyle Kaminska and Hunter Strickland held the Thunder at bay the rest of the evening. Trenton scratched across a run in the ninth to avoid the shutout as Altoona picked up its third straight win.
--Curve Media Relations--
