BOWIE, MD.– Shawn Ross knocked a grand slam for his seventh home run of the season on Sunday afternoon as the Curve secured a series split with a 9-3 win over the Chesapeake Baysox at Prince Georges Stadium.
Ross finished the day with five runs batted in, a new career-high that matches Altoona’s season mark set by Keiner Delgado. He came to the plate with the bases loaded and one away in the sixth inning against Zane Barnhart, who entered the game to face Ross and gave up the blast. It was the second grand slam hit this season by Altoona. Ross’s seven home runs lead the team. He later added a sacrifice fly to add to the Curve lead.
Curve pitching locked in after a big second inning for the Baysox. Chesapeake scored three runs on three hits, all doubles, off Curve starter Peyton Stumbo in the second to take a 3-1 lead. Altoona’s arms responded by retiring 20 consecutive batters from the 2nd inning through the 9th inning, when Alessandro Ercolani walked Ethan Anderson with one out in the frame.
Jake Shirk earned the win, tossing two perfect innings in relief of Stumbo with two strikeouts. Jaden Woods followed with three perfect frames, striking out three before Ercolani closed out the ninth inning with a scoreless inning, allowing one hit and one walk. It was the second straight game that the Curve bullpen combined to toss at least five scoreless innings (five on Saturday night, six on Sunday afternoon.)
Altoona jumped out to an early 1-0 lead thanks to a Titus Dumitru RBI-single in the top of the first inning, scoring Jack Brannigan. The Curve added three runs in the ninth when P.J. Hilson and Delgado knocked back-to-back RBI singles. Hilson scored on a passed ball later in the frame.
Delgado finished with two hits in the win, while Will Taylor reached base four times.
With the nine runs scored in the game, Curve fans can get 50% off a regular menu priced pizza at Papa John’s on Monday with the promo code CURVE50.
Altoona returns home on Tuesday night to begin a seven-game series with the Harrisburg Senators, Double-A affiliate of the Washington Nationals. Starters are yet to be announced.
For tickets and more information on the Altoona Curve, visit AltoonaCurve.com, call 877.99.CURVE or stop by the PNG Field box office. Additionally, the Stockyard Team Store is open Monday-Friday from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m., during every home game and online 24/7/365.