The Result
Defenders - 4 runs to 1

The Curve - Year-to-Date
61 won and 44 lost

Brett's Position and the Batting Order
Playing - First base
Batting - #4

At the end of the Game
0 hit from 4 at-bats - 1 x strike out, 1 x grounded-into-a-double-play

Brett's at-bats
First at-bat
Righthanded pitcher
Led off the innings
Ball - upstairs
"Brett hits that to the opposite field and into shallow leftfield and the fielder is able to take the catch for the first out here in the top of the second innings"
Fly out to leftfield - F7
Second at-bat
Righthanded pitcher
Runner at first base - none down
Ball
"There's a roller towards shortstop and it should be two!!! ...... the throw goes to second base and the relay to first base is in time to get Roneberg and complete the double play"
Ground out to shortstop and into a double play - 6 to 4 to 3
Third at-bat
Righthanded pitcher
Runner at first base - none down
Foul ball - off to the left side
"That is hit across the diamond towards the Defenders' second-baseman ...... the runner was going on the pitch so there is no chance to turn the double play, so the throw goes to first base for the out ...... that does the same job as a bunt, putting the tying run in scoring position here in the top of the seventh innings in a '1-0' ball game"
Ground out to second base - 4 to 3
Fourth at-bat----------and see the note below in the "Heard during the Game" section
Righthanded pitcher
Runners at first and second base - one down
Foul ball - back to the screen - "and Roneberg loves to swing at the first pitch"
Ball
Foul ball - off the catcher's mask
"Here comes the '1ball-2strike' pitch ...... and Roneberg swings and misses for the second out of the innings here in the top of the ninth innings ...... that was a beautiful pitch, right on the outside corner"
Strike out

Heard during the Game

(#01) As Brett came in for his first at-bat, the commentator mentioned - "Brett had a great game last night ...... he drove in all six of the Curve runs with a Grand Slam and a bases loaded single ...... and he becomes the fifth player in Curve history to hit two or more Grand Slams in a season!!!" ------ and click here if you want to have a look at all the details of the game!!!

(#02) During Brett's third at-bat, the commentator said - "Coming in to tonight's game, Brett has batted extremely well over his last ten games ...... during that span he is 15-from-35 for an average of 0.429"

(#03) Brett's fourth at-bat was in the top of the ninth innings, and the Curve were trailing four runs to one with runners on first and second base with one down ...... the commentator said - "And now Roneberg steps into the box and he represents the tying run!!! ...... and he always seems to find the opportunity to be the hero, and he can be here again in this game!!!" ------ unfortunately Brett struck out!!!

Email from Brett

To tell you the truth I should not have even played today - but I did - and I sucked!!
I am 'sick as a dog' and thank God we have an off day now or I wouldn't even go to the field!!
It was a crap bus trip to Harrisburg- seven hours and it was supposed to be four - no sleep
And last night wasn't the best night sleep ever
Hopefully today I can get some rest and some soup and we'll see what happens

Monday 31st July 2007 - Off Day
Well, it's been a long, long boring day here in the hotel room in Harrisburg!!
I am feeling a little better - but not much
I just got a 'flu thing'
I would have to say at this point in time I will not be playing tomorrow (Tuesday)
Things may change after a night's sleep but we'll have to wait and see
I am drinking a lot of fluids and taking some 'good' pills!!
But I am not sure if just one day off will be enough
I am the only one sick on the team
Now have about eighteen hours to get ready!!

Game Reports

The Connecticut Defenders plated three runs in the bottom of the eighth inning to break a 1-1 deadlock and claimed a 4-1 win over the Curve Sunday afternoon in the deciding game of a rain-shortened three-game series at Dodd Stadium

Connecticut (48-60), which entered Thursday's series opener having lost a franchise-record eleven consecutive games, took two of three games from the Curve (61-44), who missed a chance on Sunday to improve to a season-high nineteen games above the .500 mark

Altoona will enjoy an off day on Monday before opening a three-game set Tuesday night in Harrisburg

Brandon Knight (2-6), one of the league's top relievers this season, gave up all three Connecticut runs in the eighth to the suffer the loss
The 30-year old right-hander, who is tied for the league lead with twenty saves, lost for the sixth time in his past seventeen appearances, with all six losses coming in games which were tied when he entered

After loading the bases with no outs, the Defenders scored the go-ahead run after one out when Jake Wald blooped a single down the right-field line, bringing home Brian Buscher with the eventual winning run
Todd Jennings' two-run single one batter later increased the Connecticut advantage to 4-1

Defenders' starter Chris Begg (9-10) pitched a gem to earn the victory
The Canadian-born right-hander allowed just one run on four hits over eight innings to earn his team-high ninth victory

Closer Billy Sadler, an Eastern League All-Star Game selection, earned his fourteenth save with a scoreless ninth

Altoona's offense managed just four hits in the loss, with two of the four coming off the bat of Dave Parrish, who called Dodd Stadium home during the 2002 season as a member of the Norwich Navigators in the New York Yankees' organization

Vic Buttler and Ray Sadler accounted for the Curve's other two hits

Curve starter Jason Roach yielded just one run on four hits in six innings
The right-hander walked three and struck out two in receiving a no-decision

When Altoona resumes action Tuesday night in Harrisburg, right-hander Ron Chiavacci (1-2, 2.35) will get the start
Chiavacci, a three-year member of the Senators from 2001-03, will be opposed by left-hander David Maust (5-8, 4.84)

First pitch from Commerce Bank Park in Harrisburg is set for 6.35pm

Chris Begg tossed a four-hitter over eight innings as Connecticut beat visiting Altoona, 4-1, on Sunday

Begg (9-10) allowed only two runners into scoring position during the first six frames, striking out six without issuing a walk
The 26-year-old right-hander lowered his ERA to 3.77

Billy Sadler fanned three and worked around a walk in the ninth inning to pick up his fourteenth save for the Defenders (48-60

Aaron Sisk launched a two-out solo home run in the sixth to give Connecticut a 1-0 lead

Brian Buscher doubled to lead off the eighth and scored on Jake Wald's single, and Todd Jennings ripped a two-run single to cap the scoring

Curve starter Jason Roach gave up one run on four hits over six innings, striking out two and issuing three walks

Chris Hernandez worked around a single in the seventh before Brandon Knight (2-6) surrendered three runs on four hits in the eighth

Vic Buttler singled to lead off the seventh and scored on David Parrish's base hit to provide the offense for Altoona (61-44)

The Connecticut Defenders took the rubber match in a rain shortened four game set with the Altoona Curve thanks to timely hitting in the bottom of the eighth inning by a final score of 4-1

Chris Begg looked solid early on, keeping Altoona off the board through six innings

In the bottom half of the sixth in a scoreless game, Aaron Sisk hit a solo home run, his eighth of the year, to put the Defenders out in front, 1-0

The lead would not stand as Begg surrendered the tying run in the top of the seventh inning

This time the Defenders would not let a lack of run support get Begg down

With closer Brandon Knight on in the bottom of the eighth inning the Defenders loaded the bases for Jake Wald with one out, and he came through with a go ahead one run single
The next batter Todd Jennings added the insurance with a two run single to right field, making the score 4-1, which would be the final

The Connecticut Defenders had run-scoring singles by Jake Wald and Todd Jennings in the eighth inning to break a tie Sunday en route to a 4-1 win over the Altoona Curve

Wald hit his single with the bases loaded to make it 2-1 and Jennings followed with a single of his own to right field that scored two more

Chris Begg (9-10) won for the fourth time in his last five starts, allowing a run on four hits in eight innings with a walk and six strikeouts

It wasn’t extra innings, but everything else about the eighth inning of Sunday afternoon’s game looked eerily familiar
For the sixth time in less than two months, Curve closer Brandon Knight entered a tied game and left a loser
Four of those were walk-off defeats in the tenth inning

This time, Knight allowed the go-ahead runs in the eighth inning of Altoona’s 4-1 loss to Connecticut at Dodd Stadium

Knight has otherwise been untouchable when pitching with the lead
He has pinned down twenty of twenty-one save opportunities and has not blown a save in the final scheduled inning of a game

Knight (2-6) trotted in from the bullpen on Sunday with the score level at one, however, and ran into trouble immediately
The right-hander surrendered a leadoff double and a single to put runners on the corners
Knight then walked Travis Ishikawa intentionally to load the bases
Knight got the first out on a shallow fly ball to center, but then allowed two consecutive singles to right field that drove home three runners

Defenders starter Chris Begg (9-10) pitched eight strong innings, allowing just one run on four hits and no walks
The right-hander struck out six

Billy Sadler picked up his fourteenth save with a scoreless ninth inning

Connecticut jumped ahead to a 1-0 lead in the sixth inning when Aaron Sisk homered with two outs

The Curve tied the game in the next inning when Vic Buttler led off with a bunt single and Dave Parrish chased him home with a line drive that fell in just beyond the reach of the diving center fielder

Around the Curve
The Curve activated OF Ray Sadler from the disabled list before the game and placed OF Rafael Alvarez on the DL with an unspecified injury
Sadler landed on the DL on July 19 with an injury to his left hand
IF Brant Ust rejoined Altoona from Triple-A last week and was placed on the Curve DL

It was getaway day at Dodd Stadium, and the Connecticut Defenders hope to ride the momentum of Sunday's 4-1 win over Altoona as they head on the road for nine games beginning Tuesday

Defenders starter Chris Begg (9-10) was nothing short of dominant, throwing eight sterling innings and surrendering just four hits and no walks while striking out six

Billy Sadler worked a scoreless ninth for his fourteenth save of the year

"We needed that" Defenders manager Dave Machemer
"He's been very consistent
Typical Begg performance"

The win was much-needed for Connecticut, which had lost twelve of its last thirteen games coming into the play Sunday

"I want to be the go-to guy" Begg said
"I don't think I have done it as much this year"

Begg and Curve starter Jason Roach battled back and forth throughout, but it was the Curve bullpen which could not stop a Defenders rally that decided the game

Tied at 1-1 going into the bottom of the eighth, the first three Connecticut batters reached base against Brandon Knight (2-6)
With the bases loaded and one out, shortstop Jake Wald blooped a single down the right field line, scoring Brian Buscher
After pinch hitter Tyler Von Schell struck out, Todd Jennings - who entered the game in the top half of the inning - slapped a two-run single into centerfield
Dan Ortmeier and Travis Ishikawa scored to give the Defenders a three-run advantage

"Those were the biggest clutch hits we had in a while" Machemer said
"Hopefully that will carry us over into the road trip"

"I was rushing up to my at-bat" Jennings said
"I didn't have time to think and just reacted
Knight threw two balls and threw a fastball at my shoes
He gave me a 2-1 curveball off the plate and I tried to put it into play"

Begg contributed with his glove and bat, as well
He caught a line drive which nearly hit his leg and started a double play in the fifth, keeping the game scoreless

Twice Begg laid down sacrifice bunts
"The San Francisco Giants teach bunting to us in spring training" he said
"The better you are at bunting, the longer you can stay in the game"

Connecticut (48-60) got on the board first when Ishikawa launched a pitch from Roach over the left field wall

The lead was short-lived, as Altoona (61-44) answered with a run in the top half of the seventh
Centerfielder Vic Butler reached on an infield single and moved to second when Brett Roneberg grounded out
Catcher David Parrish, son of former major leaguer Lance Parrish, drove home Butler with a single to center

Sunday was "National Guard Day" at Dodd Stadium
Prior to the start of the game, the Defenders paid tribute to the state's National Guard soldiers
The event included a flyover by a CH-47 Chinook helicopter

Also honored before the game was the Montville High School baseball team
Montville won the state's Division M championship in June