MANCHESTER, N.H – On Tuesday, the Altoona Curve began their three-game set with the New Hampshire Fisher Cats with a 5-0 victory, only the second time this year that the Fisher Cats have been shut out. .
Neither team could post a run through the first five innings, with the game’s first run coming in the top of the sixth.
There, the Curve capitalized on what looked like a benign foul tip strikeout by Cole Tucker. Shortly after Tucker’s strikeout, Alfredo Reyes began to head toward second, and a throwing error by Fisher Cats Catcher Max Pentecost followed by another throwing error from Fisher Cats Centerfielder Forrest Wall allowed Reyes to cross the plate.
Logan Hill added a first pitch three-run homer for the Curve in the seventh. Will Craig added another home run to complete the scoreline, a solo shot in the eighth.
The two teams combined for 21 hits, with Gunnar Heidt’s three hits leading the way for New Hampshire, followed by the two-hit days put in by Pentecost and Harold Ramirez.
Craig also submitted a three-hit day for Altoona, with Hill ending the contest 2-for-4.
New Hampshire Starting Pitcher Jordan Romano completed six innings, facing three batters in the seventh without recording an out, with Hill’s dinger concluding his day. He left allowing eight hits and a walk, striking out three in the loss.
On the other side, Dario Agrazal also recorded six innings of work, scattering seven hits and a walk over his outing.
Romano falls to 10-7, Agrazal climbs to 4-3.
The second game of the series is set to start at 7:05 on Wednesday night, with Altoona’s James Marvel (0-1, 2.70 ERA) facing off against New Hampshire’s Hector Perez (0-2, 3.51 ERA).