Jacobsen Promoted To Triple-A

Curve starter Landon Jacobsen certainly couldn't have imagined that the Kansas City Royals' need for a pitcher would give him the opportunity he's been waiting for during his four seasons in an Altoona uniform
The Pirates traded Triple-A pitcher Brandon Duckworth to Kansas City for cash considerations on Saturday, opening a spot in the starting rotation at Indianapolis
That spot was taken by Jacobsen, who left the Curve following Saturday's win in New Hampshire to travel to Indy, where he made his Triple-A debut Sunday against Louisville
The 27-year old right-hander, who has spent all or parts of the past four seasons with the Curve, making 52 starts for the club, was originally scheduled to start Altoona's series finale against the Fisher Cats Sunday afternoon
He was 6-5 with a 3.50 ERA in 12 games (11 starts) for Altoona, after becoming the first pitcher in franchise history to win each of his first four starts to open a regular season
Jacobsen, a South Dakota native and the Pirates' 50th round selection in the 1999 June draft, first pitched for the Curve in 2003 and set a club-record by working 162-2/3 innings, while finishing second in the Eastern League in ERA at 2.93
However, the 6-foot-3, 233 pounder battled shoulder problems in 2004 and 2005 before returning to Altoona with a clean bill of health to start this season
Right-hander Matt Lorenzo, who had his start in the Portland series scratched because of back-to-back rainouts, started Sunday's game in place of Jacobsen

Two Pitchers Added

Jacobsen's departure, coupled with right-handed reliever Jonathan Albaladejo being placed on the Disabled List earlier in the week, left the Curve in need of two pitchers
The Pirates filled those slots by adding veteran right-handers Ron Chiavacci and Franklin Perez to Altoona's roster
Chiavacci (pronounced key-ah-VAH-chee) had been pitching at Triple-A Indianapolis, where he posted a 2-3 record and 5.34 ERA in 12 games (4 starts)
He will be inserted into the starting rotation and will be the Curve's starting pitcher for Monday night's game against the Reading Phillies at Citizens Bank Park in Philadelphia
The 28-year old was the Eastern League's strikeout leader with Harrisburg in 2001, while the right-hander was working his way through the Montreal Expos' organization
Perez, who was released by the St. Louis Cardinals' organization on May 26, was signed by the Pirates as a minor league free agent
The 28-year old Dominican native was 0-4 with one save and a 5.82 ERA in 17 relief appearances with the Cardinals' Triple-A affiliate in Memphis
Perez was a member of the Philadelphia Phillies' 40-man roster in each of the previous three seasons and played in the Eastern League with Reading in both 2002 and '04

Major League 2

The Curve will take on the Reading Phillies in a single-game Monday night at Citizens Bank Park in Philadelphia
Monday's contest will be the second played by the Curve in a major league ballpark
On June 26, 2004, Altoona lost to the Erie SeaWolves, 2-0, at PNC Park in Pittsburgh
Among players on the Curve's active roster, five have previous major league experience
Reliever Blaine Neal leads the way, having appeared in 113 games between the Marlins (2001-03), Padres (2004), Red Sox (2005) and Rockies (2005)
Pitchers Brandon Knight (Yankees, 2001-02) and Jorge Vasquez (Royals, 2004; Braves, 2005), infielder Simon Pond (Blue Jays, 2004) and outfielder Ray Sadler (Pirates, 2005) also have spent time in the big leagues
Additionally, catcher Dave Parrish has four days of major league service time with the 2004 Yankees, but did not appear in a game

The Result
Fisher Cats - 11 runs to 5

The Curve - Year-to-Date
36 won and 25 lost

Brett's Position and the Batting Order
Playing - Designated hitter
Batting - #3

At the end of the Game
1 hit from 3 at-bats - single, 1 x run-batted-in, 1 x run scored, 2 x walks

Brett's at-bats
First at-bat
Righthanded pitcher
Runner at second base - one down
Ball
Ball
Ball
Ball
Walk
Left stranded at the end of the innings
Second at-bat
Righthanded pitcher
Runner at third base - none down
Ball
Ball - outside
"Roneberg gets that ball in the air into leftfield and the fielder is coming in but it drops in front of him and the runner is coming home for the Curve's first run of the ballgame"
Single to leftfield - 1 x RBI
Advanced to third base on a hit
Scored on a sacrifice fly
Third at-bat
Righthanded pitcher
Runner at second base - two down
Called strike/foul ball - ??? - not broadcasted
Foul ball - away to the left side
Ball - outside
Ball
"There's a roller towards second base and the fielder makes the play and gets Roneberg for the final out of the innings"
Ground out to second base - 4 to 3
Fourth at-bat
Lefthanded pitcher
Runner at first base - two down
Ball - outside
Called strike/foul ball - ??? - not broadcasted
Swing and a miss - "that pitch was down and away"
Ball - inside
Foul ball
Ball - down low
"Tapper at the plate and the pitcher comes in and picks it up and throws to first base for the final out of the innings"
Ground out to the pitcher - 1 to 3
Fifth at-bat
Righthanded pitcher
Bases empty - two down
Foul ball
Ball - outside
Ball - low
Ball - outside
Foul ball
Ball
Walk
Advanced to second base on a walk
Left stranded at the end of the innings

Heard during the game

Email from Brett

Well, as you know I went okay today
Squeezed out one hit
During my last at-bat, the walk, I had some of my best swings in a week or two
We have just spent seven hours on a bus and I am beat - going to bed
Tomorrow we play in the 'big league stadium'
Wish me luck
And I have been waiting and waiting for the "stay back" - where is it??

Game Reports

Chip Cannon and David Smith combined for six hits - including three home runs - and were responsible for eight of New Hampshire's eleven runs in the Fisher Cats' 11-5 win over the Altoona Curve Sunday afternoon at Merchants Auto.com Stadium in Manchester, NH

Cannon, the Fisher Cats' first baseman, clubbed two home runs in the contest, including the first of back-to-back home runs with Smith in the seventh inning as New Hampshire avoided being swept by the Curve on their home field

Despite the loss, Altoona (36-25) took two of three games in New Hampshire and will conclude its seven-day road trip with a single game against the Reading Phillies Monday night in Philadelphia

Curve starter Matt Lorenzo, who filled in for previously scheduled starter Landon Jacobsen was roughed up for three runs in the first inning and two more in the fourth to suffer the loss in his Altoona debut
Lorenzo (0-1), who came to the Pirates' organization last week after being outrighted by the Atlanta Braves, made the start for the Curve after Jacobsen was promoted to Triple-A Indianapolis on Saturday night
He was tagged for five runs in four innings, walking four batters and striking out one

After the Fisher Cats jumped on Lorenzo for three runs in the bottom of the first, Altoona evened the game briefly with three runs of their own in the top of the fourth
Brett Roneberg singled home Vic Buttler with the first Curve run, then scored two batters later on a sacrifice fly by Ray Sadler
Altoona tied the game later in the frame when Simon Pond came home on a throwing error by shortstop Manny Mayorson

However, New Hampshire would answer with a pair of runs in the bottom of the fourth and held onto the lead the rest of the game

Cannon's first longball in the fifth inning built the advantage to 7-3

Fisher Cats' starter Mike McDonald (6-3) went six innings to pick up the win
The right-hander allowed four runs - three earned - on nine hits, walking two and fanning two

Pond paced the Altoona offense with three hits, including his team-leading eighth home run - a solo shot in the sixth inning

Vic Buttler added to his minor league lead with his 11th triple of the season, moving within just one of the club record set by Tike Redman in 1999

Buttler and Brandon Chaves each posted two hits

Altoona will send newcomer Ron Chiavacci to the mound for Monday's game against Reading, which will be played at Citizens Bank Park, the home of the Philadelphia Phillies
Chiavacci, who made twelve appearances, including four starts, for Triple-A Indianapolis this season, was added to the Curve roster on Sunday to take the place of Jacobsen

Reading will counter with lefty Daniel Haigwood (1-5, 3.97) for the 7.05pm contest

The Curve will return to Blair County Ballpark Tuesday night to open a six-game homestand with the first of three games against the Harrisburg Senators
The homestand will continue thru next Sunday and include three games against the R-Phils

Chip Cannon and David Smith both homered and had four RBI's as New Hampshire beat visiting Altoona, 11-5, on Sunday

Cannon went long twice and singled in a run, going 3-for-5 with three runs scored for the Fisher Cats (27-33)

Smith hit a solo shot, doubled in two and plated another with a base hit to raise his average to .268

Manuel Mayorson went 3-for-5 with two RBI's as part of New Hampshire's 14-hit attack, while Curtis Thigpen doubled, singled and scored three runs

Fisher Cats starter Michael MacDonald (6-3) yielded four runs on nine hits in six innings to notch the win, fanning two and issuing two walks

Jim Bullard gave up a run over two innings, and Tracy Thorpe blanked the Curve in the ninth

Altoona starter Matt Lorenzo (0-1) surrendered five runs on four hits in three innings, striking out one and issuing four walks

Simon Pond homered, doubled twice and scored three times for the Curve (36-25), who had won two straight

Strike Over

Qualified minor league umpires will return to work on Monday after settling a season-long strike and ratifying a six-year contract
Double-A umpires received a $2,000 raise to $12,000 for the season

Home Run?

Replacements have had their share of problems in Manchester
The first base umpire blew a call on Saturday, resulting in a home run awarded to Brant Ust
The ball appeared to hit the bricks on the right-field wall, missing a homer by a few feet

Ejection

Altoona manager Tim Leiper was ejected in the fourth inning yesterday after arguing balls and strikes