The Result
Curve - 4 runs to 3

The Curve - Year-to-Date
15 wins and 13 losses

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

Brett's at-bats
First plate appearance
Righthanded pitcher
Runner at first base - one down
Ball - inside
Ball - high and outside
Ball - low
Called strike
Foul ball - "The runner is off on a hit and run play ... but Roneberg taps it foul"
"Here comes the full count pitch ... and the runner is off again ... and Roneberg swings and misses and strikes out ... but the runner is safe at second base"
Strike out
Second plate appearance
Righthanded pitcher
Bases empty - none down
Foul ball
Foul ball - breaking ball - back to the screen
"Here is the 0ball-2strike pitch ... and it's a breaking ball in the dirt ... but Roneberg is going to be called out on that pitch with the umpire saying he offered and went around ... and he has not waited for an appeal ... this is not going to make Brett happy ... from up here it did not look anything like a check swing with the bat basically still being on Brett's shoulder ... he is trying to plead his case, and he is definately justified in this case ... the Curve Manager Tim Leiper is also saying a few words ... but the result is the same, and to Brett's credit he has maintained his poise and control ... so Roneberg goes down on strikes for the second time tonight"
Strike out
Third plate appearance
Righthanded pitcher
Led off the innings
Called strike
Ball - low
Ball
"That pitch is hit sharply by Brett but it's straight at the SeaWolves' third-baseman who reaches to his right and makes the grab"
Line out to third base - F5
Fourth plate appearance
Righthanded pitcher
Led off the innings
Ball - low
Ball - low
Ball - inside
Called strike - "Roneberg was taking all the way there ... Curve are looking for a baserunner here in the bottom of the eighth innings with the score all tied up at three apiece"
Called strike - "Brett takes another strike that was right down the middle"
"And now the full count pitch ... and it is low and inside and ball four!!! ... and the Curve have the lead off runner on here in a 'three-three' ballgame!!!"
Walk
Out at second base on a fielder's choice hit by the next Curve hitter

At the end of the Game
0 hit from 3 at-bats - 1 x walk, 2 x strike outs

Heard during the game

(01) As Brett came in for his first plate appearance, the commentator said - "Brett Roneberg now steps to the plate and he is been on a real tear lately ... in his last thirteen plate appearances he has reached base ten times"

(02) Following Brett's fourth plate appearance, the commentator said - "By picking that walk, Brett has now reached base eleven times in his seventeen plate appearances during this home stand"

He then continued - "Brett had a modest four game hitting streak on the line tonight ... with that walk here in the eighth innings it looks like that might come to and end ... during those four games he has gone 7-from-10 which is a 0.700 average with a triple and two doubles"

Email from Brett

Game Reports

Brandon Chaves had two doubles on Tuesday night, but it was his walk in the eighth inning that did the most damage
The Curve plated the game-winner in a 4-3 victory over Erie in the eighth inning as Andrew Kown walked Chaves with the bases loaded to force home Taber Lee

The odd fashion in which the Curve scored the game-winner was foreshadowed by their first run which also was created by a peculiar play in the first inning
With one out, SeaWolves' starter Jair Jurrjens appeared to have struck out Adam Boeve, but Boeve was awarded first base on catcher's interference and later came around to score on a Randy Ruiz single through the left-side of the Erie infield which gave Altoona a 1-0 lead

Wildness was also a key contributor to Erie's lone run-scoring inning, which came in the third
With one away, Curve starter Josh Shortslef gave up a single to Joel Roa and a batter later issued back-to-back walks to Clete Thomas and Mike Hollimon
That opened the door for the most prolific run-producer in the Eastern League thus far this year, Jeff Larish
Larish promptly doubled to the gap in left-field clearing the bases and giving Erie a 3-1 lead

The Curve cut right back into the lead in the bottom of the third, when Boeve belted his first home run of the year over the left-field wall to trim the lead to 3-2

Altoona tied the game in the fourth as Andrew McCutchen bounced into a fielder's choice that scored Jason Bowers from third

Shortlef settled in to keep the game the tied through the seventh inning, but received a no decision as he departed in favor of Dave Davidson following the seventh inning

Davidson (1-0) kept the SeaWolves at bay in the top of the eighth and the Curve made a winner out of him in the bottom of the inning
Kown walked Brett Roneberg to lead off the inning and Roneberg was forced at second on a ground out by Randy Ruiz
A batter later Steven Pearce singled Ruiz to second where he was replaced by pinch-runner Taber Lee
Bowers singled on the infield to load the bases and lead to Chaves
Chaves walked on five pitches to plate the game-winning run

Matt Peterson recorded his second save of the series and sixth of the season by working a scoreless ninth inning

The win gives the Curve the series by virtue of having won the first two games

They will go for the sweep on Wednesday morning on the first School Kid's Day of the season at Blair County Ballpark
First pitch is scheduled for 10.35am as RHP Wardell Starling (1-2, 5.92) will make the start for Altoona against RHP Eulogio De La Cruz (3-2, 3.94)

Brandon Chaves went 2-for-3 and drew a bases-loaded walk in the bottom of the eighth inning to lift Altoona over Erie, 4-3, on Tuesday

Chaves doubled in the second and ripped his sixth two-base hit of the season in the fourth, but was stranded both times
The Curve (14-13) loaded the bases with two outs in the eighth before Chaves worked a five-pitch walk from Andrew Kown (0-2) to snap a 3-3 tie

Adam Boeve led off the third with his first homer of the year as Altoona pulled out its third straight win

Dave Davidson (1-0) picked up the victory in relief after striking out two in a hitless eighth and Matt Peterson tossed a scoreless ninth for his sixth save

Jeff Larish delivered a three-run double in the third and Jackson Melian had two hits for the SeaWolves (15-12)

The SeaWolves dropped their second-straight game on Tuesday night, falling to the Altoona Curve by a score of 4-3

Altoona got on the scoreboard in the bottom of the first inning off of Erie starter Jair Jurrjens
With one out in the inning, Adam Boeve reached on a catchers interference to give Altoona a man on first
Boeve stole second base and scored on a Randy Ruiz base hit to left for a 1-0 Altoona lead
The run was unearned

The score remained 1-0 until the top of the third inning
Joel Roa singled with one out to get things started for Erie
Then with two outs, Clete Thomas and Mike Hollimon drew back-to-back walks, loading the bases for Jeff Larish
Larish fell behind in the count but eventually slammed a two-out, three-run double to left-center, putting Erie ahead 3-1
The three RBI for Larish puts his Eastern League leading total to 32 on the season

Altoona came right back in the bottom of the third when Adam Boeve led off with his first home run of the season to left field
The solo-shot cut the Erie lead down to a run at 3-2

The Curve would tie the ballgame in the bottom of the fourth
Jason Bowers singled with one out and Brandon Chaves doubled to put runners on second and third for Milver Reyes
Reyes would draw a walk, loading the bases for the top of the lineup and Andrew McCutchen
McCutchen hit into a fielder’s choice as Kody Kirkland threw out Reyes at second
The ‘Wolves could not turn the double play and Bowers scored from third, tying the game at 3-3

The score would remain tied until the bottom of the eighth inning
Brett Roneberg led off the inning against Andrew Kown and drew a walk
Roneberg would be retired as Ruiz followed by hitting into a fielder’s choice
The SeaWolves failed to turn two and Ruiz would be safe on the play at first
Kown struck out Neil Walker for the second out but then gave up back-to-back singles to Steven Pearce and Bowers, loading the bases for Chaves
Chaves drew a bases loaded walk, scoring Ruiz from third, putting Altoona head 4-3

In the top of the ninth, the ‘Wolves got Jackson Melian aboard with a one-out single to put the tying run on base against Matt Peterson
Peterson would go on to retire the final two batters of the inning en route to picking up his sixth save in six opportunities

Erie starter Jurrjens (1-1) went six innings, allowing three runs, two earned off of seven hits
Jurrjens walked one and equaled his season-high in strikeouts with five and got a no-decision

The SeaWolves and Curve wrap up their three-game series Wednesday morning at Blair County Ballpark with 10.30am marking the first pitch
Rightie Eulogio De La Cruz (3-2, 3.94 ERA) takes the mound for Erie
De La Cruz is coming off of a complete game, two-hit shutout win over Harrisburg
RHP Wardell Starling (1-2, 5.92 ERA) is on the bump for Altoona

The woman sitting in section 114 with a bird’s-eye view has seen more impressive game-winning at-bats from her son, Brandon Chaves
“It felt good” Karen Chaves said before laughing
“I’d rather see him hit, though”

Chaves, playing before his mom and other family members from Hilo, Hawaii, drew a bases-loaded walk in the eighth inning to give the Curve a 4-3 win over Erie before 3,106 fans Tuesday night at Blair County Ballpark

“It’s not a home run” Karen Chaves, seconds after congratulating her son, said before adding “but it is a game winner”

Chaves came to the plate with two outs looking for something to drive off Erie reliever Andrew Kown (0-2), but with nothing in his wheelhouse, patiently watched a 3-1 pitch sail wide

“A lot of pitches taken are a result of looking for the one pitch in the one spot you wanna hit” Curve manager Tim Leiper said
“It wasn’t in his spot, so he laid off”

The walk capped a fine night for Altoona’s shortstop
He doubled in his first two plate appearances, initiated two double plays and made a sparking play up the middle in the fourth inning

“I didn’t know his mom was here” Leiper said
“That’s awesome
He played an outstanding game today
He did everything right”

Chaves’ versatility has earned Leiper’s respect, as he also has drawn starts in left field and center field
“He is the backbone of our team” the manager said
“The game always finds him at the right time”

Dave Davidson (1-0) won in relief for Altoona, and Matt Peterson closed it out in the ninth for his sixth save

Curve starter Josh Shortslef allowed three runs in the third inning, during which he was visibly frustrated
Erie loaded the bases on three walks, and after the third one, Shortslef briefly stewed around, kicked the dirt in front of the rubber and slapped at the ball when catcher Milver Reyes threw it back to him
One batter latter, Jeff Larish’s opposite-field double cleared the bases on a hanging slider, giving the SeaWolves a 3-1 lead

“Mentally, I wasn’t there” Shortslef said
“I had a little slip-up and really got mad at myself”

Shortslef rebounded admirably, allowing only a single over his last four frames
He finished with a line of seven innings, five hits, three runs, three walks and four strikeouts

Leiper said Shortslef “became a different pitcher” after the third inning, with the lefty adding he altered his approach to attack the strike zone instead of trying to finesse the SeaWolves by hitting the corners
“That’s not who I am” Shortslef said

He finished his sixth start of the year strong
His last pitch, a fastball on the outside corner, caught Joel Roa looking for one of Shortslef’s two strikeouts in his final inning
“I just said the heck with it, I’m gonna go right after guys” Shortslef said

“That’s exactly what you want to see” Leiper said
“You want to see a guy finish strong”

Shortslef’s turnaround was typical of his season
He gave up eight runs - six earned - in nine innings his first two starts, but he has responded by allowing just nine earned runs over his last 25 innings (3.24 ERA)

“He needs to build his confidence back up, and I think Tuesday was a nice step in that direction” Leiper said
The Curve had been 0-5 in Shortslef’s starts prior to Tuesday

Shortslef’s strong start followed quality outings from Kip Bouknight and Luis Munoz, and Shortslef turning the corner would be a shot in the arm at the front end of the Curve’s rotation
The Curve’s first three starters - Shortslef, Wardell Starling and Yoslan Herrera - are a combined 1-8, with Starling accounting for the only win
Starling, who starts today, will be looking to help get the Curve a win that would finish off a 5-1 homestand

“All the pieces are working together” Leiper said
“Every little time we need something, all the pieces are working in sync, and that’s why we’re having success right now”