The Curve lost a key bat in their lineup Friday with the trade of Randy Ruiz to the Philadelphia Phillies organization for future considerations

Ruiz, who hit .290 with seven home runs and a team-leading 30 RBI in 47 games with Altoona, was assigned to the Reading Phillies, who just happened to be in town to open a series Friday night at Blair County Ballpark

After moving the contents of his locker just 50 feet down the hall to the visitor's clubhouse at Blair County Ballpark, Ruiz suited up for the R-Phils and started in left field
Inspired by facing his former club, the 29-year old turned in his best performance of the season at the plate, recording four hits in Altoona's 10-9 win, including a mammoth solo home run off Curve reliever Mike Nannini

Ruiz returns for his second stint in the Phillies' organization
In 2005, Ruiz won the Eastern League batting title with Reading, posting a .349 average with 27 home runs and 89 RBI in 89 games

He spent most of his 2006 campaign with the Trenton Thunder, where he batted .286 wtih 26 homers and a league-leading 87 RBI

One of the Curve’s best hitters suited up and played Friday night at Blair County Ballpark, though he was wearing a Reading uniform

In a bizarre and unprecedented trade for the Curve, the Pirates dealt Randy Ruiz from Altoona to the Phillies’ organization for future considerations
It just so happens Reading is in town this weekend, so for Ruiz to join the R-Phils, he merely had to move from the home to visitor’s clubhouse

‘‘It’s cool; I didn’t have to go far’’ said Ruiz, who had a big game for the R-Phils on Friday, going 4-for-6 with a homer but struck out with the tying run at third base to end the game
‘‘It’s just funny
I was just in the Curve clubhouse Thursday, and then after the game they told me I was traded
They said I was going to Reading, and I said ’Oh, really’
I didn’t even know they were in town this weekend’’

The Ruiz move was one of two major transactions for the Curve on Friday

The other saw the addition of a pitcher who was once the No. 3 overall pick in baseball’s amateur draft
The Pirates signed 26-year-old right-hander Dewon Brazelton to a minor league contract and sent him to the Curve
Brazelton hasn’t pitched in more than a month after getting released from the Royals’ Triple-A affiliate, but he’s expected to join Altoona’s starting rotation in seven to 10 days

‘‘He’s trying to work out the kinks’’ Curve pitching coach Ray Searage said
‘‘We’re just trying to get him to where he feels comfortable and gets the feel of a mound again’’

The first two picks of the 2001 draft were catcher Joe Mauer (Twins) and pitcher Mark Prior (Cubs), then Brazelton went third to the Devil Rays
When he’s activated, he’ll become the highest-drafted player ever to be a full-time member of the Curve
(Former No. 1 overall pick Kris Benson made a rehab start for Altoona in 2002)

‘‘I’m happy to be here’’ Brazelton said

Brazelton, who received a $4.2 million signing bonus from the D-Rays, has gone 8-25 with a 6.38 ERA in 63 big league games for Tampa Bay and the Padres

The Ruiz trade came out of nowhere and cost the Curve their cleanup hitter
He batted .290 with seven homers and a team-high 30 RBIs in 47 games for Altoona

Trades for future considerations occur all the time in the minors, usually for lower-tier players rather than productive guys like Ruiz

Pirates farm director Brian Graham did not return a phone message to explain the trade Friday

Curve manager Tim Leiper had little to say about the move
‘‘I don’t know anything about it; he just got traded’’ Leiper said
The manager declined to comment when asked if he was disappointed one of his best hitters was dealt
‘‘He got traded
That’s it’’ was all Leiper would say

‘‘I don’t know how it worked out’’ Ruiz said of the deal

Ruiz played for Reading in 2005 and makes his home there
He’s looking forward to being able to spend more time with his 7-1/2-month old son, Randy Jr

‘‘I don’t know if surprised is the word’’ Curve third baseman Neil Walker said of the trade
‘‘You’re not sure exactly what went on with the whole situation, and I’m not aware of why he got traded
He’s going to be missed in our lineup, but you hope you can move on and somebody can step in and take his place seamlessly’’

Walker added ‘‘it’s going to be strange’’ playing against Ruiz this weekend
‘‘To have a guy move from your locker room one day to the other locker room and going from playing with you to playing against you, it’s definitely strange’’

Ruiz, a 29-year-old Eastern League veteran, was to be counted on as the Curve’s primary run producer this season
Now he’ll be a dangerous opponent every time Altoona plays Reading

‘‘Those are good guys over there’’ Ruiz said of the Curve
‘‘Neil, Cutch [Andrew McCutchen], [Adam] Boeve, they’re all nice people
I think they’re going to be all right
These guys are a good bunch, and they’re going to find a way to win games’’

The Curve also received right-handed pitcher Chris Hernandez back from Triple-A Indianapolis on Friday

The Altoona Curve will welcome the 3 millionth fan to Blair County Ballpark tonight, and one lucky person in attendance will win two season tickets for life

‘‘It’s yet another wonderful feat by everybody and something that we should all stop and really enjoy’’ Curve general manager Todd Parnell said of the milestone

The franchise’s all-time home attendance stands at 2,996,662, and the presale for tonight’s game against the Reading Phillies already is above the 3,338 needed for the 3 million milestone
Everyone in attendance tonight will be eligible for a drawing to determine the 3 millionth fan, who will receive a prize package that includes:
Two season tickets for life
A VIP parking spot for life
A Curve jersey and hat, plus other assorted items and on-field recognition

The Curve’s 1 millionth and 2 millionth fans also received two season tickets for life, and the franchise plans to continue that giveaway for each million milestone

‘‘It’s a significant accomplishment, and you’ve got to attach that with a prize that means something to people’’ Parnell said

The two season tickets will be for the Diamond Club level, which cost $607.05 apiece
Parking in the VIP lot costs $3 per game
Based on current dollar figures, if the winner were to use both tickets for every home game over 30 years, it would amount to a prize value of $42,813

It took the Curve 201 games over three full seasons to reach 1 million fans at the ballpark
They’ve picked up the pace since then and been steady as well, getting the next million in 181 games and the third million in 182 games

The franchise has had to average 5,495 fans over 182 games since 2004 to reach tonight’s milestone

‘‘It just shows how a small town like Altoona can really back a team’’ Curve third baseman Neil Walker said

The team’s average attendance this season is 4,460, slightly ahead of last year’s pace but about 200 behind the pace in 2005
Curve officials have expressed some concern over the numbers this season, but they chalk much of it up to the poor weather conditions throughout April
The franchise traditionally has had a much tougher time drawing fans in April and May, only to see attendance surge from June through August

‘‘In April and May, every year, I go home and rack my brain” Parnell said about how to attract more fans
‘‘But in June, when school lets out, people show up
So I’ve got to have faith that that’s going to be the case again this year’’

The Altoona Curve eclipsed the three million mark in all-time regular season attendance during Friday night's game at Blair County Ballpark

The Curve, who are only in their ninth Eastern League season, welcomed 5,770 fans to the ballpark for the game against the Reading Phillies, pushing the franchise past the milestone
A ceremony was held following the Curve's thrilling 10-9 win over Reading and nine-year old Seana Powell of Clearfield was randomly selected as the franchise's official three-millionth fan

Taking part in the ceremony were the Curve's one and two millionth fans, Dave Kibblehouse of Altoona and John Scott of Tyrone

Among the perks Seana will receive for being selected as the three-millionth fan in franchise history include two season tickets for life, a designated space in Blair County Ballpark's VIP Parking Lot and assorted team memorabilia and merchandise

The Curve's passionate fan base from throughout Central and Western Pennsylvania is one of the main reasons why the club became one of the fastest franchises in Minor League Baseball to win all three major awards given annually to member clubs, the John H. Johnson President's Trophy (2006), Baseball America's Freitas Award and the Larry MacPhail Promotional Trophy

The franchise has averaged over 5,300 fans per game in club history, meaning that, on average, over one-tenth of the population of the city of Altoona attends each Curve home game

The Result
Curve - 10 runs to 9

The Curve - Year-to-Date
24 wins and 27 losses

Brett's Position and the Batting Order
Did Not Play
Playing
Batting - #

Brett's at-bats
First plate appearance

Second plate appearance

Third plate appearance

Fourth plate appearance

At the end of the Game
0 hit from 0 at-bats

Heard during the game

(01) During the 'Starting Lineups' section of the Curve Pre-Game Show, the commentator said - "I was talking to the Curve Manager Tim Leiper earlier, and he said that Brett Roneberg is eligible for 'pinch hit' duties tonight if needed, and should be back in the lineup within a couple of days"

(02) Later, during the bottom of the sixth innings, the commentator was discussing the Curve bench players during this series against the Reading Phillies in which the designated hitter is not used ... he said - "With the trade of Randy Ruiz earlier today, the Curve bench has been depleted ... also, the Curve do not really want to use Roneberg off the bench ... the options for Manager Tim Leiper are very limited"
Does this mean that Brett's hand is not okay??? ... or what???

Email from Brett

Game Reports

The Curve trailed by five runs on two separate occasions, but used a four-run seventh inning to complete a wild come-from-behind victory, 10-9, over the Reading Phillies in game one of a three-game series

Altoona also overcame a big night by Randy Ruiz, who was in Reading's starting lineup on the same day he was traded by the Pittsburgh Pirates to the Philadelphia Phillies
Ruiz went 4-for-6 in his R-Phils debut, including a solo homerun off of Altoona reliever Mike Nannini in the sixth inning which put Reading in front 8-6

Trailing by that margin to begin the seventh, the Curve jumped on R-Phils reliever Allan Simpson
Jason Bowers doubled to begin the frame and Andrew McCutchen followed with an infield-single
Alex Fernandez tied the game, scoring both runners with a double to the right field corner
Simpson then walked Steven Pearce and was removed from the ballgame in favor of Fabio Castro
Castro struck out Neil Walker but Adam Boeve singled home Fernandez for a 9-8 Curve lead
Brandon Chaves capped the scoring for Altoona with a single scoring Pearce

Reading looked as though they would run away with the ballgame in the early going

Reading scored two runs off of Curve starter Yoslan Herrera in the first inning

Ruiz singled to lead off the second inning and later scored the first of three runs to give Reading a 5-0 lead
Boeve robbed Reading's Jason Hill of an extra-base hit with a diving catch in right-center field to strand the bases loaded

All told, Reading stranded 15 runners on base in the ballgame

The Curve picked up two runs off of Reading starter Tim McClaskey in the bottom of the second
Boeve's triple scored Walker and Boeve came in on Brian Peterson's single

Michael Garciaparra's two-run single put Reading back in front by five, 7-2, in the top of the fourth inning

In the bottom of the inning, Pearce singled with one out and advanced to third on a double from Walker
Three consecutive singles followed from Peterson, Chaves and Dave Davidson and the game stood at 7-5

Altoona added an unearned in the fifth inning to trim Reading's lead to one, 7-6

Neither starter factored in the decision

Mike Nannini (2-1) claimed the win for the Curve despite allowing the home run to Ruiz
Nannini worked two innings allowing just that lone run on two hits

Simpson (0-2) was charged with all four runs in the seventh inning and was saddled with his second loss of the season

Romulo Sanchez permitted a two-out run in the ninth inning and was removed in favor of Chris Hernandez
Hernadez gave up a single to Hill, but struck out Ruiz to end the ballgame and earn his second save of the season

The two teams will play a doubleheader to make up for a postponed game at Blair County Ballpark on April 15th
First pitch for game one is scheduled for 6.05pm
RHP Kip Bouknight (4-2, 3.60) will make the start for Altoona against former Curve pitcher RHP Landon Jacobsen (5-2, 4.31)
RHP Alay Soler (1-1, 3.58) will start game two against RHP Ryan Cameron (0-0, 4.32) for Reading

On most nights, nine runs would be enough for a win
Not for the Reading Phillies Friday night as the Altoona Curve rallied for a 10-9 Eastern League win at Blair County Ballpark in the opener of a four-game series

The Phillies (25-28) lost leads of 5-0, 7-2 and 8-6
They stranded a season-high 15 runners, nine in scoring position

The R-Phils have lost seven of their last nine games

The Curve (24-27) have won five of their last six after a 10-game losing streak

Altoona scored four runs in the seventh to take the lead for the first time

After scoring two runs in the first, the Phillies added three more in the second on RBI hits by Greg Jacobs, Peeter Ramos and Chris Coste
Adam Boeve prevented further damage when he made a diving catch on Jason Hill's fly ball to deep right-center with the bases loaded to end the inning

The Curve cut it to 5-2 in the bottom of the second but Michael Garciaparra's two-run single in the fourth made it 7-2 Phillies

Altoona came back with three in the fourth after the Phillies misplayed a fly ball to left-center field

An unearned run in the fifth cut the Reading lead to 7-6

Randy Ruiz, traded from Altoona to Reading earlier in the day, led-off the sixth with a homer to give Reading a two-run lead
Ruiz was 4-for-6 with three runs scored in his return to Reading

Alex Fernandez delivered a two-run double off Allan Simpson (0-2) to tie the game in the bottom of the seventh
Boeve put the Curve in front with an RBI single
Brandon Chaves made it 10-8 with his second RBI single of the game

The Phillies rallied with two outs in the ninth
Chris Coste (3-for-6, 3 RBI) singled home Mike Costanzo to cut the deficit to one
After Jason Hill singled Coste to third, Chris Hernandez struck out Ruiz on three pitches to end the game and pick up his second save of the season

Mike Nannini (1-1) allowed a run in two innings to get the win

Adam Boeve saved the game twice with his glove
Then he helped win it with his bat

Boeve made two sensational catches in right field and came through with a clutch seventh-inning single
His efforts helped the Curve rally for a 10-9 win over Reading on Friday before 5,770 fans at overcast Blair County Ballpark

Boeve’s first defensive gem came in the second inning with starter Yoslan Herrera struggling
Herrera had given up five runs up to that point, and if not for Boeve’s spectacular diving catch in the right-center field gap with the bases loaded, the R-Phils would have taken an 8-0 lead

‘‘Great play’’ Curve manager Tim Leiper said
‘‘That play in the gap was unbelievable’’

Boeve, not known as a great defensive outfielder, wasn’t finished
He made another diving catch, this one in the fourth off a flare down the right-field line that ended the inning and prevented another run
Reading led, 7-2, at the time

‘‘I’ll find some money in my locker tomorrow, hopefully’’ Boeve laughed before adding ‘‘the pitchers don’t owe me anything
They expect the ball to be caught when there’s an opportunity to catch it’’

Later, for good measure, Boeve’s run-scoring single gave Altoona a 9-8 lead in a four-run seventh inning
‘‘I fouled off a pitch before that I probably should have handled’’ he said
‘‘To come through and fight that ball through the center felt good’’

The Curve batted around during the seventh and tied the game at 8-8 on Alex Fernandez’s two-run double
Brandon Chaves capped off the rally with an RBI single, one of five hits from the bottom third of the order
Brian Peterson, Chaves and Dave Davidson - a reliever - combined for five RBIs

Davidson’s first-career RBI in the fourth inning cut the deficit to 7-5 and gave him some redemption
He allowed two runs to score in the top half after retiring the first two Reading hitters and threw his glove against the dugout wall as he yelled at himself coming off the field
Davidson’s hit, coincidentally, came with two outs
‘‘That was gigantic’’ Leiper said
‘‘We don’t really have too many bullets on the bench to spend’’

In an unusual bit of irony, Chris Hernandez retired Randy Ruiz with the tying run at third base to earn a save the same day he rejoined the squad from Triple-A Indianapolis
Ruiz was traded to Philadelphia earlier in the day and assigned to the R-Phils, and Hernandez took his roster spot
Ruiz whiffed on all three of Hernandez’s off-speed pitches, striking out on a weak check swing to end the game

Leiper didn’t intend to call on Hernandez
‘‘Once we got down to that spot right there’’ the manager said ‘‘we were pretty lucky to have him back’’

Ruiz struck out his last two at-bats and went 4-for-6 with three runs and a towering homer

Mike Nannini (1-1) won in relief for the Curve, who stranded 15 Reading runners

The Curve’s offensive exploits bailed out Herrera, who labored through three innings and gave up five runs

He struggled early in the season, put together three consecutive strong outings and is now on another downward spiral
He’s been torched for 14 earned runs in his past three starts after giving up only four in his previous three

Pitching coach Ray Searage said he would recommend skipping Herrera’s next turn to rest his arm
‘‘He doesn’t have much coming out of his hand’’ Searage said
‘‘To put in a pretty hefty workload the past two months, we were prepared for this’’