From the Altoona Curve:
Jared Jones struck out five in 4.1 scoreless innings, but Hartford scored six times in the top of the ninth to take a second straight win over Altoona, 6-0, on Saturday night in front of 5,553 fans at Peoples Natural Gas Field.
Jones worked around three walks and four hits to deliver his first scoreless start at Double-A, he lowered his season ERA to 2.54. With his five strikeouts on Saturday night, he has struck out at least five batters in 5-of-7 starts this season.
Altoona’s offense managed just nine total baserunners in nine innings at the plate, stranding the bases loaded in both the fourth and sixth innings. Matt Fraizer paced the Curve offense with his eighth multi-hit game of the season, however, he was stranded at second after a leadoff double in the eighth inning.
The Curve bullpen combination of Travis MacGregor and Tyler Samaniego combined to toss 3.2 scoreless innings with three strikeouts in relief of Jones, holding the Goats off the scoreboard into the ninth.
Hartford secured the win with six runs in the top of the ninth off Oliver Garcia and Nick Dombkowski. Bret Boswell doubled home the Goats’ first run and then scored on a wild pitch with the bases loaded. After Kyle Datres was intentionally walked with one out to re-load the bases, Dombkowski entered and had his first pitch driven over the right field wall by Zac Veen for a Grand Slam to take the commanding 6-0 lead. Dombkowski would strike out a pair to finish his relief outing.
Liover Peguero had his season-best 14-game on-base streak come to an end in the defeat. Henry Davis went 1-for-4 with a single on Saturday night, he’s reached base safely in 32-of-35 games this season.
The Curve wrap up their series with the Hartford Yard Goats, Double-A affiliate of the Colorado Rockies, on Sunday night with a 6:00 p.m. first pitch. RHP Sean Sullivan will start for the Curve while LHP Joe Rock is slated to start for Hartford.
