From the Altoona Curve:
Scott’s Sacrifice Grounds the Squirrels in Curve Saturday Walk-Off Win
Connor Scott breaks scoreless game in the ninth as Curve pitchers combine for third shutout win of the season.
CURVE, Pa. – With the bases loaded and one out in the bottom of the ninth, Connor Scott broke a scoreless game with a sacrifice fly to center field as the Curve won their third game in a row, 1-0, over the Flying Squirrels in front of 6,877 fans at PNG Field on Saturday night.
It was a pitcher’s duel all night, as Quinn Priester took the mound for the Curve (11-6, 44-42) against Wil Jensen, who made his Double-A debut for the Flying Squirrels (6-11, 46-40). Priester allowed just two hits over 5.1 scoreless innings, striking out three and walking just two. It was the longest outing of the season for Priester in both length and pitches as the right-handed prospect fired 84 pitches in the outing.
Enmanuel Mejia recorded the final outs of the sixth before Brad Case (W, 1-1) tossed three perfect innings to close out the contest for the Curve, striking out three batters. The three combined for the third shutout win of the year for Altoona, holding Richmond to just two hits.
The game remained scoreless into the bottom of the ninth, when Fabricio Macias and Matt Fraizer combined for back-to-back singles off reliever Blake Rivera (L, 4-3) to put runners on second and third. Brendt Citta was then intentionally walked to bring Scott to the plate, who lifted the first pitch into deep left-center field for the sacrifice fly. It was the fourth walk-off win of the season for the Curve and first for Scott.
Jensen tossed five scoreless innings for Richmond, holding Altoona to just three hits and striking out five. Chris Wright and Taylor Rashi each followed with scoreless innings before Rivera entered in the eighth, allowing the walk-off in the ninth.
It is the third-straight win for the Curve after dropping the first two games of the series to Richmond. Citta and Macias each finished with two hits for the Curve.
Altoona concludes its six-game series with the Richmond Flying Squirrels, Double-A affiliate of the San Francisco Giants, on Sunday afternoon at 1:00 p.m. RHP Carmen Mlodzinski takes the ball for Altoona, with RHP Kai-Wei Teng on the mound for the Flying Squirrels.
