Losses still piling up for Curve

The Altoona Curve fell for the ninth straight game courtesy of a 6-5 loss to the Akron RubberDucks in front of 5,097 fans at PNG Field Sunday afternoon.

The loss provided Altoona with the organization’s first ever winless six-game series.

A four-run second inning put the RubberDucks ahead early, but the Curve offense chipped away at the deficit throughout the game, trimming the lead to two in the fourth inning.

“We went through a tough stretch there,” Altoona manager Robby Hammock said. “We’ve kind of rerouted and got back on simplifying the message and the bats have started to change a little bit so it’s good to see.”

Center fielder Jase Bowen scored on a wild pitch before first baseman Aaron Shackleford scored on a sacrifice fly by right fielder Matt Fraizer later in the inning.

Altoona allowed a run in the fifth inning before Seth Beer hit a game-tying two-run double in the seventh.

The game remained tied into the ninth inning when Bowen and left fielder Joe Perez collided in the outfield. The ball fell to the ground and resulted in Akron’s Yordys Perez scoring from first base with the go-ahead run.

“That’s just miscommunication out there,” Hammock said. “That’s part of what happens as well when guys are pressing.”

With each loss, the pressure to finally break through continues to mount, and it’s evident in some of the mental mistakes the Curve are having at the plate or in the field.

“That’s not us. I had these guys last year. They were really good at those things,” Hammock said. “It’s mental mistakes that cost us there and that’s not us. That’s not who we are and those things will be corrected.”

In the home half of the ninth, Fraizer walked to lead off the inning before pinch-hitter Tres Gonzales sacrificed Fraizer to second with a bunt.

Second baseman Jackson Glenn notched the second walk of the inning, but shortstop Kervin Pichardo grounded into a game-ending double play.

Seeing double

The Curve roped four doubles against the RubberDucks Sunday afternoon.

Two of those were hit by second baseman Glenn, who finished the game with three hits and scored two of Altoona’s five runs.

Beer and Perez chipped in the remaining doubles for the Curve offense.

Gutierrez heads to IL

Prior to Sunday’s game, Altoona catcher Abraham Gutierrez was placed on the injured list.

Gutierrez was hitting .300 with five doubles and eight runs batted in prior to being injured.

“He was an important part and bat in the middle of the lineup,” Hammock said “He’s got some things going on with a hamstring. We’re not sure exactly how long yet, but he ended up going on the Injured. I think he’s gonna take a few days off before he starts baseball activities again.”

Outfielder Connor Scott was elevated from the development list to take Gutierrez’s vacant roster spot.

Saturday’s loss

Altoona lost the fifth game of the series to Akron despite a late rally for the home team. The Curve tied the game in the bottom of the eighth inning on a Bowen home run but gave the run right back in the top of the ninth.

It marked the eighth straight loss for Altoona.

Next up

Altoona heads to Harrisburg for a six-game series starting Tuesday at 6 p.m. RHP Bubba Chandler will get the nod for the series opener.

Chandler is 1-1 with a 4.15 ERA. He was unable to make it out of the first inning in his last outing after throwing 35 pitches and allowing two runs.