Curve No-Hit in Akron

AKRON, Ohio - The Altoona Curve were no-hit on Sunday afternoon by Giovanni Soto (6-6) as the southpaw used 104 pitches to baffle Curve hitters in a 2-1 Akron victory.  It's the first time this season that the Curve have been no hit and the first time since 2010 when Harrisburg combined on a seven-inning no-no in the second game of a doubleheader on June 10, 2010.  Phil Irwin (1-7) took the tough-luck loss as he pitched a stellar eight innings while allowing one earned run.

Despite being no-hit on Sunday afternoon the Curve were able to manage a run off Soto in a strange sequence of events in the sixth inning.  Jarek Cunningham started the inning with a walk off Soto, one of his three on the day, and proceeded to first.  Ramon Cabrera followed next and hit a sharp liner to left-center that Tyler Holt snared out of the air.

Cunningham was off the bag at first when Holt caught the fly ball so Holt threw back towards first to try and double him up.  His throw instead went past the first baseman Adam Abraham and landed in the Curve dugout.  As a result, Cunningham was awarded third base and he trotted home during the next at bat as Kelson Brown grounded out to second.

Irwin continued his string of strong starts on Sunday with is eight innings of two-run (one earned) ball while striking out six.  It was the third time this season a Curve pitcher lasted eight innings and it was the first time in Irwin's career that he pitched through the eighth.  The Germantown, Tenn. native has now thrown a total of 28 innings in his past four starts while permitting just four earned runs.

Robbie Grossman was 0-for-4 on Sunday afternoon and had his 26 game on-base streak halted in the process.  Altoona is now finished with the Aeros in Akron for 2012 and winds up going 1-9 in Canal Park with seven of the nine losses coming by one run.

--Curve Media Relations--