The Result
Curve - 12 runs to 7

The Curve - Year-to-Date
31 wins and 30 losses

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

Brett's at-bats
First plate appearance
Righthanded pitcher
Runner at second base - one down
Ball - curve ball - high and outside
Called strike - change up - "that under 70mph pitch drops through the strike zone"
Ball - fast ball - downstairs
Swing and a miss
"Here comes the 2ball-2strike pitch ... and Roneberg swings and misses at another change up ... those pitches are well under 70mph and Brett couldn't hold himself up and swung at a ball that ended up low and outside"
Strike out
Second plate appearance
Righthanded pitcher
Runner at second base - two down
Ball
Ball
Called strike
Ball - "That pitch is wild and in the dirt and the runner is able to advance to third base"
Foul ball - "Brett smoked that ball through the first base coaches box"
"The count is full and here comes the pitch ... and Brett is able to poke it out into right-centrefield and it drops safely in between two Rock Cats' fielders ... the pitch was another change up and Brett did not make solid contact but got enough of it to drive in the Curve's first run of the game"
Single to centrefield - 1 x RBI
Out at second base on a fielder's choice hit/play by the next Curve hitter
Third plate appearance
NOTE - did not hear this plate appearance due to internet radio problems
Righthanded pitcher
Runners at second and third base - one down
----Neil Walker doubles on a fly ball to leftfielder Garrett Guzman
----Adam Boeve hit by pitch
----Brian Peterson singles on a ground ball to centerfielder Rashad Eldridge
--------Neil Walker to third
--------Adam Boeve to second
----Alex Fernandez pops out to third baseman David Winfree in foul territory
----Brandon Chaves singles on a ground ball to centerfielder Rashad Eldridge
--------Neil Walker scores
--------Adam Boeve to third
--------Brian Peterson to second
----Jason Bowers walks
--------Adam Boeve scores
--------Brian Peterson to third
--------Brandon Chaves to second
----Andrew McCutchen singles on a ground ball to leftfielder Garrett Guzman
--------Brian Peterson scores
--------Brandon Chaves scores
--------Jason Bowers to second
----With Brett Roneberg batting, Jason Bowers steals third base - Andrew McCutchen steals second base
----Brett Roneberg singles on a ground ball to rightfielder Matthew Allegra
--------Jason Bowers scores
--------Andrew McCutchen to third
----Steven Pearce out on a sacrifice fly to centerfielder Rashad Eldridge
--------Andrew McCutchen scores
----Neil Walker grounds out - first baseman Brock Peterson to pitcher Brad Baker
Single to rightfield - 1 x RBI
Left stranded at the end of the innings
Fourth plate appearance
Lefthanded pitcher
Runners at first and third base - none down
Ball - low and outside
Ball - outside
Foul ball - back to the screen
Ball - off the plate
Called strike
"The pitcher delivers the 3ball-2strike pitch ... and the runner is going ... and Brett chases one outside and swings and misses to strike out!!! ... and as Brett swung his body went out over the plate and interfered with the catcher who was trying to throw the runner out at second base ... the umpire has ruled that the runner is out on an interference call ... so the play results in a 'strike-em-out-throw-em-out' and the Curve now have a runner at third base with two down"
Strike out
Fifth plate appearance
Lefthanded pitcher
The bases are loaded!!!
One down!!!
Called strike - clips the outside corner
Foul ball - deep down the leftfield line and into the corner
Ball - "That breaking ball is in the dirt and gets passed the catcher ... the runner from third base comes in to score and the other runners each advance ninety feet"
Ball - breaking ball - just misses outside
Foul ball - "That pitch bounces off Brett's ankle"
Ball - "Brett successfully checks his swing on a pitch that was outside"
Foul ball - breaking ball - back to the screen
Ball - down and away
Walk
Scored on a Grand Slam

At the end of the Game
2 hits from 4 at-bats - 2 x singles, 2 x runs batted in, 1 x run scored, 1 x walk, 2 x strike outs

Heard during the game

Email from Brett

Game Reports

Steven Pearce clubbed the first grand slam of the year for Altoona to put away New Britain as the Curve erased an early deficit and rolled to a 12-7 win at Blair County Ballpark

Pearce has hit three home runs in the series after belting two on Tuesday night
He has also accumulated 21 RBI over his last 11 games and is now tied with Neil Walker for the team lead with 34

The Curve got a later start then they did in the series opener, but ultimatedly got to double-digits in runs for a third consecutive game against the Rock Cats

The Rock Cats did strike first in the ballgame and built a 3-1 lead after a Rashad Eldridge solo home run off of Curve starter Josh Shortslef in the fourth inning

However, the Curve bats ignited in the bottom of the inning against Rock Cats' starter Brad Baker
Walker doubled to start the inning
Adam Boeve was hit by a pitch to put two men aboard and the bases were loaded after a Brian Peterson single
Brandon Chaves delivered a run-scoring single to cut the lead to 3-2
Jason Bowers walked with the bases still loaded to force home Boeve to tie the game, 3-3
Andrew McCutchen gave the Curve the lead for good by chopping a two-run single over the head of third baseman David Winfree
Brett Roneberg followed with an RBI-single to score Bowers and then McCutchen came in on a Pearce sacrfice fly to center field
All told, the Curve scored six times to lead 7-3 after four innings

The six runs eclipsed the season-high of five runs in an inning for Altoona

Trevor Plouffe led off the fifth inning with his second homer of the series as the Rock Cats scored twice to cut the Curve lead to 7-5 and chase Shortslef from the ballgame
Despite leaving with the lead, Shortslef didn't stick around long enough to earn the win

Instead, Jason Roach (3-1) claimed the win for Altoona after turning in 2-2/3 scoreless innings of relief

Pearce delivered the knock out blow in the bottom of the eighth inning
After Brian Forystek had loaded the bases by plunking Bowers and walking McCutchen and Roneberg, Pearce belted the first pitch from his replacement, Tim Lahey, over the wall in left field to give the Curve a 12-5 lead

Chris Hernandez surrendered a pair of runs in the top of the ninth to cap the scoring, but Dave Davidson came on to secure the victory for the Curve, which also gives them the three-game series as well as the season-series with New Britain

The Curve have now scored 38 runs in their last three meetings with New Britain while amassing 48 hits

The two teams will meet for the final time on Thursday night at 7.05pm
RHP Kip Bouknight (6-2, 3.39) will make the start for the Curve against RHP Jesse Floyd (4-4, 3.68) for New Britain

Steven Pearce slugged a grand slam and matched a season high with five RBIs to power Altoona over visiting New Britain, 12-7, on Wednesday

Pearce plated Andrew McCutchen with a sacrifice fly to cap a six-run fourth inning

He has 16 RBIs in five games against New Britain, including a seventh-inning grand slam off Tim Lahey on Wednesday
The 24-year-old first baseman has 21 RBIs in his last 11 games and is tied with Neil Walker for the team lead with 34

McCutchen and Brett Roneberg each drove in two runs for the Curve (31-30)

Jason Roach (3-1) picked up with win with 2-2/3 scoreless innings

Starter Josh Shortslef was reached for five runs on nine hits and two walks over 4-1/3 frames

New Britain starter Brad Baker (2-4) gave up seven runs on seven hits and three walks, striking out four in four innings

Brian Forystek was charged with four runs on three hits and four walks over 3-1/3 frames

Rashad Eldridge and Trevor Plouffe hit solo homers while Dave Winfree and Garrett Guzman plated two runs apiece for the Rock Cats (31-28)