The Altoona Curve will begin a seven-game, six-day homestand on Tuesday, July 31st at 7.05pm
The homestand will open with a four-game series against Southern Division rival Reading and conclude with a three-game series against the New Hampshire Fisher Cats
The series against the Fisher Cats marks New Hampshire's only visit to Blair County Ballpark in 2007

---The homestand will open on Tuesday, July 31st at 7.05pm with the Curve's nationally renowned Awful Night
Awful Night V "Stick a Spork in it" will feature an awful giveaway to the first 555 fans and will highlight all things awful throughout the evening
The Curve have received recognition throughout minor league baseball for their innovation and creativity in the creation of Awful Nights I-IV

On Tuesday morning, the Curve will hold Breakfast at the Ballpark from 6.00am to 9.00am on the main ticket plaza at BCB
The breakfast, which will feature Uncle Charley's Sausage, is free and open to the public
Donations will be accepted to benefit the Mike Coolbaugh Memorial Fund, which has been established to benefit the family of former Tulsa Drillers coach Mike Coolbaugh, who was killed in a tragic on-field accident earlier this week

The Curve will also be accepting donations throughout the week at the Kinetico Customer Service Booth to benefit the Mike Coolbaugh Memorial Fund
Coolbaugh, 35, died last Sunday after he was struck in the head by a line-drive during the Drillers' game against the Arkansas Travelers
The Mike Coolbaugh Memorial Fund will benefit his surviving family, wife, Mandy, and two young sons, Joseph and Jacob
Mandy Coolbaugh is expecting a third child in early October

---On Wednesday, August 1st, the Curve will play a doubleheader against the Reading Phillies beginning at 6.05pm
The Curve will present the Curve Football Giveaway, with the first 2,000 fans of all ages receiving a Curve football
Fans will also have the chance to win great prizes by participating in Blair Candy Baseball Bingo

On Thursday, August 2nd, the Curve Idol Series presented by the New AT&T continues with an appearance by former "American Idol" star Kimberly Caldwell
Caldwell will be on hand to sing the national anthem, mingle with fans and sign autographs

The BCB gates will open early at 5.00pm as the Hotel Belmar presents Curve Happy Hour featuring live music and food specials on the Toyota Party Deck

---The three-game series against the New Hampshire Fisher Cats will feature two post-game Fireworks Spectaculars

The Tribune-Democrat will present post-game fireworks following the series opener on Friday, August 3rd
Friday's game will begin at 7.05pm

On Sunday, August 5th, the series and homestand will conclude with a 6.05pm start time
The Galliker Dairy Company will present post-game fireworks and all kids will also be invited to run the bases following the ballgame

---The middle game of the three-games series will be played Saturday, August 4th, at 7.05pm
One of the most popular traveling entertainment acts in minor league baseball, The Amazing Christopher, will entertain fans throughout the game
It will also be 70's Disco Night at BCB with themes from the 70's throughout the night

A note from Brett on Wednesday 18th July 2007
Is all good!
Every scan I have had has said that it's all okay and that I am okay to resume activity
I will start small and slow and hope to progress to swinging in about a week or so
The doctor said it is going to hurt - probably a lot - but it's not doing further damage
so try to swing through it
He is going to give me some painkillers and I am going to go from there
If after two to three weeks of trying to play and it's still being sore,
I will go to Pittsburgh to see another hand specialist for a second opinion
But as for today, I am starting to do things!!
About bloody time, huh!!

A note from Brett on Monday 23rd July 2007
Well, today went really good
A lot better than I thought it was going to be
I had fifteen dry swings with a fungo bat
and surprisingly had zero pain or discomfort
I also got to play catch as well
It all went really well!!
I am not sure of my plans tomorrow
but I am sure it will be a little more than today
Not bad for a start!!

A note from Brett on Thursday 26th July 2007
Tuesday I swung a fungo twenty times - with no problems
Wednesday I swung the fungo fifteen times and then a timber bat also fifteen times
and again, no worries at all
Today I am a little achy but I have to deal with a few niggles for a little while
I am not sure what my plan is for today but tomorrow I am hitting off the tee

A note from Brett on Saturday 28th July 2007
The last few days have been good for my hand
But my return to the roster has been pushed back to the first game in Portland,
which is on Tuesday 7th August
So I hope if all goes well, I will be in there then
Swinging a lot lately and it feels good - a lot better than I thought it was going to be

A note from Brett on Tuesday 31st July 2007
Coming off the Disabled List
I was pushed up to be activated on Wednesday 1st August
But then we got another player that they weren't sure if they were getting
Hopefully they will activate me soon!!
I am not sure what is going to happen - but I hope I get in there asap!!

Curve Game Day Notes on Tuesday 31st July 2007

The Result
Curve - 3 runs to 2

The Curve - Year-to-Date
56 wins and 50 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

Email from Brett

Game Reports

Vic Buttler drove home Brandon Chaves with the winning run in the bottom of the ninth inning as the Curve beat the Reading Phillies, 3-2, in game one of a four-game series at Blair County Ballpark on Tuesday night

The Curve were in position to win thanks to a strong performance from starter Josh Shortslef
Shortslef, the least supported pitcher in the Curve's starting rotation, didn't factor in the decision despite turning in seven innings of one-run ball
Shortslef permitted Reading just four hits in that span

The run Reading did score came early as they got to Shortslef in the first inning
Michael Spidale led off the game with a triple to the allery in right-center field
He scored a batter later as Michael Costanzo bounced out and Reading led, 1-0

Shortslef answered on his own behalf in the bottom of the fifth
Shortslef's sacrifice fly to left field plated Brian Peterson who had led off the inning with a single off of R-Phils starter Zack Segovia

Segovia also didn't factor in the decision despite a solid outing
Segovia allowed just two runs on six Curve hits over seven innings

The second run charged to Segovia gave the Curve the lead in the seventh
Peterson opened the inning with a double to the left field corner and scored two batters later as Jason Bowers squeezed a single back up the middle with two outs

Reading drew even off of reliever Chris Hernandez in the eighth
Greg Golson started the rally, laying down a bunt single with one out
He scored on a Costanzo double to even the game heading to the ninth

Hernandez (3-1) earned the win by rebounding to turn in a scoreless ninth inning

The Curve got him the win in the bottom of the inning
Chaves pinch-hit for Hernandez and singled
Chaves stole second base to put himself in scoring position and Buttler took care of the rest, singling to right field to win the game

Julio De La Cruz (1-3) allowed the run in the ninth and was saddled with his third loss of the year

With the win, the Curve (56-50) equaled their high-water mark for the season at six games over .500

The two teams will play a doubleheader on Wednesday night at BCB
RHP Yoslan Herrera (6-5, 4.53) will start game one for the Curve against RHP Patrick Overholt (3-5, 6.33) for the R-Phils
Game two will pit Curve LHP Kyle Bloom (0-0, 0.00) against Reading RHP Chris Rojas (5-3, 5.22)

---Mike Costanzo - double and two runs batted in

Vic Buttler's two-out single in the bottom of the ninth inning scored Brandon Chaves from second base to give the Altoona Curve a 3-2 Eastern League win over the Reading Phillies Tuesday night at Blair County Ballpark

With one out, Chaves lined a pinch-hit single to right off Julio De La Cruz (1-3)
After Jason Bowers struck out, Chaves stole second
Buttler fouled off several two-strike pitches before lining a single down the right-field line for the game winner

The Phillies (55-54) took a 1-0 lead in the first
Michael Spidale started the game with a triple to extend his hitting streak to 11 games
He would score on a grounder by Mike Costanzo

The Curve (56-50) tied the game in the fifth on a sacrifice fly by pitcher Josh Shortslef

Altoona took the lead in the seventh on a two-out RBI infield single by Bowers

Reading tied the game in the eighth on a bunt single by Greg Golson and a double into the left-field corner by Costanzo

Chris Hernandez (2-2) allowed the tying run in the eighth but tossed a 1-2-3 ninth to get the win

Shortslef, second in the league with 11 losses, allowed just four hits and one run in seven innings

Reading starter Zack Sregovia gave up six hits and two runs in his seven innings of work

Jason Hill had two hits for the Phillies

The Curve no longer have Steven Pearce, but there is a strapping 6-foot-4, 250 pound right-handed hitter named Josh Sloth who helped fill Pearce’s void offensively
Sloth - make that Shortslef - and Vic Buttler combined for a dramatic 3-2 win over Reading before 4,007 fans at Blair County Ballpark on Tuesday night

Buttler’s flare with two outs in the bottom of the ninth inning scored Brandon Chaves for the winning run, and Shortslef got the team on the board with a sacrifice fly in the fifth

As for Shortslef’s efforts on the mound?
He allowed just four hits and one run in seven masterful innings

‘‘It was past due, I’ll tell you that’’ said Shortslef, who entered with a 5.06 ERA
‘‘It’s a lot of hard work I’ve been doing between starts trying to figure out my mechanics’’

The Curve put on their fifth Awful Night, a night full of gags
One added dimension was changing all of the Curve players’ last names to reflect animals when they came to bat, and Shortslef was displayed as Josh Sloth on the scoreboard
‘‘They had some fun with that’’ Shortslef said
‘‘It’s a good night
Everybody had a good time’’

Two of the hits Shortslef allowed were cheap ones, as Peeter Ramos’ pop-up behind first base fell between Jason Delaney and Jason Bowers
Bowers later lost a ball in the lights for another hit

‘‘It’s been tough on Shorty all year’’ Buttler said
‘‘We haven’t gotten him a lot of run support
I went up to him and told him ’Hey, thanks for giving us a chance’’’

Shortslef, who has received three runs or fewer in 12 of his 20 starts, created his own run support in the fifth inning
His sacrifice fly to left field brought home Brian Peterson to tie the game at 1-1

‘‘It was good BP’’ a smiling Shortslef said
‘‘B-Mo (hitting coach Brandon Moore) threw me good batting practice Tuesday’’

Shortslef’s only blemish on the mound came in the first inning when he allowed a leadoff triple to Mike Spidale, who later scored
‘‘Once I get into a groove, it’s pretty hard to get me out’’ Shortslef said
‘‘You have to get me early, and they got me early with that triple’’

Buttler, who fought off several two-strike pitches, slapped a 2-2 fastball down the right-field line to produce the game-winner
Chaves came through with a pinch-hit single and stole second base on his own
Buttler fouled off a handful of borderline pitches up in the zone that home plate umpire Derek Crabill later told him would have been balls
‘‘With two strikes, you can’t be too careful’’ Buttler said before adding ‘‘they’re too close for me to take
I battled, got me a pitch and did something with it’’

Chris Hernandez relieved Shortslef in the eighth, and Reading’s Mike Costanzo doubled to knot the score at 2-2

Buttler’s single brought the Curve victory in their first game after Pearce’s promotion Sunday night
Pearce was the cornerstone of the lineup, hitting .334 with 14 homers and 72 RBIs in 81 games

‘‘We’ll make the adjustment’’ Curve manager Tim Leiper said
‘‘The important thing is everyone stay within themselves
We’re definitely capable enough offensively to score runs
We may have to play more small ball’’

Delaney started the year with Pearce at Single-A Lynchburg
Pearce was promoted May 1, and Delaney joined Pearce in Altoona on June 27
‘‘Steve Pearce is not going to win you games every single night, taking nothing away from him’’ Delaney said
‘‘We’ve still got to hit well, play good defensively and get timely hits’’

Delaney played first and hit fourth Tuesday, filling Pearce’s old roles in the Curve lineup
‘‘Him being gone takes a little bit of bang away from our offense’’ he said
‘‘That means somebody always is going to step up
We’ll see who it is, keep playing good, fundamental baseball and see where we are’’

Hernandez (3-1) allowed an earned run on two hits in two innings

Reading’s Julio De La Cruz (1-3) yielded two hits and one earned run in 2/3 of an inning

Altoona improved to 5-16 in Shortslef’s starts and equaled its high-water mark at six games over .500