FROM THE ALTOONA CURVE:
Castro and Davis Ride The Skyliner to Tuesday Night Win
Altoona rallied from a 6-4 deficit after six innings
CURVE, PA – The Curve hit a pair of late home runs off The Skyliner rollercoaster in right field to snag a 7-6 win over the Akron RubberDucks on Tuesday night at Peoples Natural Gas Field.
After Akron grabbed a 6-4 lead with a five-run sixth inning, the Curve began their rally in the bottom half of the inning. Brendt Citta and Cal Mitchell each recorded one out singles forcing the ‘Ducks to go to their bullpen and Canaan Smith-Njigba followed with an RBI single to bring the Curve within a 6-4 deficit. Smith-Njigba finished the game 2-for-4 with three runs batted in.
Altoona drew even in the seventh inning when Rodolfo Castro hit a game-tying two-run home run off of Kyle Marman. Castro’s fifth home run of the campaign went off The Skyliner rollercoaster beyond the right field wall and he joined Oneil Cruz as the only Curve players with 20 runs batted in on the season.
In the eighth inning with two outs, Jonah Davis swatted his third home run of the season to take a 7-6 lead. Davis’ home run to right-center off the rollercoaster came off Aaron Pinto and marked his second extra base hit of the night after he doubled in the third inning.
Roansy Contreras started for the Curve and allowed three runs on six hits and two walks in 5.1 innings pitched. Contreras recorded each of his five strikeouts in his first three innings on the mound and threw 87 pitches.
Right-hander John O’Reilly earned the win with two scoreless innings of relief for the Curve, allowing one hit and striking out one. Cristofer Melendez earned his first save with a scoreless ninth inning, navigating around a leadoff walk to Alex Call. Melendez struck out a pair in his second outing at Double-A.
Oneil Cruz saw his 10-game hit streak come to an end on Tuesday night, going 0-for-3 with a walk and two runs scored. Mitchell, Smith-Njigba, Davis and Castro each had two-hit days in the win.
The Curve continue their six-game series at Peoples Natural Gas Field on Wednesday night at 6:35 p.m. RHP Travis MacGregor (1-1, 2.89) will make his sixth start of the season for Altoona, Richmond will start RHP Thomas Ponticelli (2-1, 1.53).
