From the Altoona Curve web site
PALMA, RONEBERG LEAD CURVE PAST BOWIE 4-2
Rick Palma tossed five strong innings in a spot start and Brett Roneberg homered, tripled and knocked in two runs as the Altoona Curve defeated the visiting Bowie Baysox 5-3 Thursday night before 6,405 fans at Blair County Ballpark.
The Curve's win clinched a three games-to-one series victory and increased the club's lead over the third place Baysox to eight games in the race for the Southern Division's final playoff spot.
Altoona's magic number was also reduced to 11.
For the third time this season, Palma was asked to make a spot start - and for the third time he produced a solid outing and a victory for the Curve.
In his five innings of work, the left-hander allowed just two runs (one earned) on four hits, walked two and struck out four.
In his three starts this season, Palma is now 3-0 with a 1.20 ERA (15 IP/2 ER).
Meanwhile, the Curve offense managed just six hits against Bowie starter Mike Paradis and two relievers, but got two loud blows off the bat of Roneberg.
In the second inning, the Australian broke a scoreless tie with his seventh home run of the season - a long drive over the right-field wall.
Then, after Bowie held a 2-1 lead heading into the bottom of the fourth, Roneberg came through with an RBI triple to left-center that plated Jose Castillo and evened the score at 2-2.
One batter later, he trotted home with the go-ahead run when Chris Shelton chopped a ball over the drawn in infield.
Altoona added an insurance run in the sixth when J.R. House grounded into a double play.
Shawn Camp and Todd Ozias closed out the win by each tossing two scoreless frames.
Ozias was perfect in his two innings and earned his 19th save of the season - moving him within one of the club record set last season by current Detroit Tiger Chris Spurling.
Paradis gave up four runs (three earned) on six hits in his six innings to suffer his ninth loss of the season.
The 13th overall selection by the Orioles in the 1999 draft now falls to 21-35 in three seasons in a Bowie uniform.
Roneberg and Shelton each had two-hit games, while Castillo improved his team-high hitting streak to 10 games.
No Baysox player collected more than one hit.

From the USA Today Minor League Baseball web site
Brett Roneberg homered and drove in two runs to back a combined five-hitter as the Altoona Curve doubled up the Bowie Baysox, 4-2.
Roneberg hit a solo homer to start the scoring in the bottom of the second inning and tripled in the go-ahead run in the fourth before scoring on a single by Chris Shelton to account for the final margin.
Rick Palma allowed two runs - one earned - and four hits in five innings to grab the win for Altoona, which has won four of its last five.
Todd Ozias recorded his 19th save for the Curve, hurling a pair of perfect innings.
Juan Diaz doubled and scored for Bowie, which fell for the seventh time in its last nine road affairs.
Mike Paradis gave up four runs - three earned - and six hits in six innings, striking out five and walking two in a losing effort.

From other web sites and newspapers
(1) Brett Roneberg homered and tripled to drive in a pair of runs to lead the Altoona Curve to a 4-2 win over the Bowie Baysox on Thursday in the Eastern League.
After Roneberg's solo homer in the second, Bowie took a 2-1 lead, helped by back-to-back errors by second baseman Jose Castillo in third and first baseman Chan Perry an inning later.
Roneberg tied the game in the fourth, tripling home Castillo
and scored the go-ahead run on Chris Shelton's bouncing single over a drawn-in infield.
Shelton scored Altoona's final run in the sixth on a double play groundout by J.R. House.
Rick Palma four-hit Bowie to get the win, while Todd Ozias tossed two perfect frames for his 19th save, one shy of Altoona's club record.
Mike Paradis suffered the loss for Bowie, allowing four runs, three earned, on six hits over six innings.

(2) Brett Roneberg went deep for the first time since his two-homer game at Erie on July 19th and hit his first longball at Blair County Ballpark since April 20th vs. Bowie.

......and from the Altoona Mirror newspaper
Click here - and the page contains a game report, a photo of Brett arriving at home plate, and a quote from Brett

A look at Brett's plate appearances
Playing leftfield - batting at #5
Had 4 plate appearances - 4 at bats
#01 - RHP - bases empty/one down - ball/ball/called-91mph fastball!!!/ball - and then the broadcast dropped out!!! - by the time it reconnected, the commentator was saying "and the Curve take a 1-0 lead on the home run by Roneberg" - and I didn't hear it!!! - (and there was much loud swearing by the way!!!) - the commentator then mentioned that it was "a solo blast over the rightfield wall"!!! - HOME RUN and 1 x RBI
#02 - RHP - runner at second base/one down - foul/ball/foul, and then "drove that pitch into the gap at left-centrefield and into the wall" - SLIDING INTO THIRD BASE FOR A TRIPLE and 1 x RBI - and that RBI was the tying run - and then scored on a hit by the next Curve batter, and he was the go-ahead run
#03 - RHP - runners at first and third base/two down - called/swing&miss/foul, followed by a fly ball into short rightfield - out "F9"
#04 - RHP - bases empty/one down - "Roneberg smoked that first pitch to the Baysox shortstop who couldn't handle it" - safe at first, but the play was ruled an error, so 'no hit' to Brett!!! - reached second base on another error by the Baysox infield - caught stealing trying to reach third, and the details are below in the "Base-running" section

I mentioned in the above notes that the broadcast dropped out at a "very crucial time"!!!
But we heard the homer!!!
At the end of each game, there is a program called "Rewind" during which all the pitching and batting highlights are replayed
......and we heard it then!!!

Heard during the Game
Jason Dambach was doing the game commentary as Brett came in for his second at bat - also in the booth was Chuck Greenberg, the Curve President and Managing Partner - they discussed Brett's home run, and Chuck said that he was downstairs watching as Brett hit the ball - he said "Brett turned on that pitch and it got out of here in a hurry, and it was great to see Brett do that"

Base-running
Brett was on second base during his fourth at bat, with another baserunner at first base - it was one down, and the next Curve batter had a 3-2 count - both runners took of on the next pitch, and the batter struck out - the catcher threw to third for a "strike'em out/throw'em out" play to end the innings!!! - the commentator said that he thought "Roney was there in time" - along with Brett arguing the call, the Curve Manager, Dale Sveum, charged out of the dugout to "have a go at the third base umpire, and he is very animated, even removing his cap during the arguement!!!" - but the call stood!!!

A couple of notes from Brett on the game - his fourth at bat and the 'caught stealing'
(1) Make sure you keep checking my stats also.
The Coach talked to the score-keeper after the game,
and then I saw him when we were out having dinner and he said he was going to change my last one from an error to a hit.
Let me know if he does and you see it.
Thanks.
(2) ...and that 'caught stealing' almost got me ejected!!
I was as safe as a house!!
I hate umpires!!

At the end of each game, the Curve radio announcer Rob Egan (left), announces various Awards
He announced Brett as the "Curve Player of the Game" which is sponsored by CRACKER BARREL
plus
"Hit of the Game" - sponsored by NEXTEL - for the home run
and
"On the Money Play of the Game" - sponsored by 1st AMERICAN BANK - for the RBI triple to tie the game

Email from Geoff to Tanya after the home run
Brett's name will soon appear on the USA Today page - innings-by-innings update.
Show Sharon when she comes in.
And tell her to hurry home so she can listen to the replay at the end of the game.
......and a reply from Tanya
This email was here when I got back from seeing her so she missed it.
SORRY!
......and a "smart one" from Tanya
Why, is he the starting pitcher?

Email from Geoff to 'lots of people' after his triple
Thurday's Game.
Brett's First At Bat.
A solo blast to rightfield.
Brett's Second At Bat.
Runner at second base.
An RBI triple to left-centrefield.
WOW!!!
Brett will not read this until after the game, so by saying this I am not putting "a curse" on him ------ but
WE ARE TALKING "HITTING FOR THE CYCLE" IN THIS GAME!!!
GOOD LUCK, #17
At the moment, the game is in the top of the 5th innings
......and a reply from Matt Bolton
Go mate Go.....
He's done the hard part, now just for the "easy" single and double.
Hopefully they bring on a lefty to face him and he crushes that poor buggar as well.
"Snaky"
......plus a note from Tanya
I reckon we are all going to get emails later today saying that he was jinxed and it was all out fault!
Although I agree with "Snaky" - I reckon the triple is the hardest to get...single and double he can get in his sleep!
Another "smart one" from Tanya - (Brett 'aka' Ricky Hendersen!!!)
It seems that Ricky has lost a bit of speed.
There is a 'CS' in the box score today!

Email from Geoff
Congrats!!!
Sharon and I heard everything!!!
She was home to hear both your hits replayed in the Post-Game Show!!!
IT WAS GREAT TO HEAR "ALL THE STUFF" AND WE ARE SO HAPPY FOR YOU!!!
Email from Sharon
Hey Brett
I was spitting chips when I got home from dropping your dam tax off to the accountant when I heard you had hit a home run.
I only just found out that Dad didn't hear it either,
but as you know we both got to hear it on the post game show!.
How come I didn't know you have to sit in a rocking chair if you hit a home run? (refer to email from Stephanie Gelletta below)
You never tell me any of that good stuff!
Do all the pretty girls get to sit on your knee?
Love
Mum

Email from Stephanie Gelletta, a Curve fan who was at the game
Hello.
Brett had a great game tonight!
He was named the MVP of the game!
Brett's first time at bat he hit a homerun!
Probably was trying to knock it the whole way to Australia, & his second at bat he got a triple.
I don't know if you know this but when a Curve player is named the "Player of the Game", the player sits in a rocking chair after the game.
I took 1 or 2 pictures of him sitting in the chair.
I hope they come out because when I first took it players were walking by,
and I forgot my mom gave me a camera you have to wind to the next picture yourself - because we have another camera that auto-winds for you - and I forgot to wind it so it wasn't taking pictures well.
I took another one after I realized I had to rewind it!
Also, I think it was Rick Palma that went and sat on Brett's lap and I'm pretty sure I got a picture of it.
I just hope they come out great!
So I can send them onto you!
Hope you heard the game!
I know it was one of the best games that I've seen Brett play!!!
Stephanie.
Email from Lindsey Billotte, another Curve fan who was at the game
Hello,
I was at the Curve game last night when Brett hit his home-run & triple.
It was amazing.
He hit that ball pretty hard - man he got the crowd pumped up!!
His next at-bat he rips a triple to the wall.
You could see he was definately going to get two, and then he rounded second & got to third easily with a slide.
There's a good picture of him in the paper today of him coming home after his homerun.
Ill try to scan it - if it doesn't work too well, I'll give it to Brett.
Well, hope everythings going well over in Australia.
Hope you were able to hear the whole game.
Talk to you later.
Lindsey.
Email from Ed Leipold - the Founder and Captain of the "Psychos", die-hard Curve fans!!!
Absolutely right, Geoff.
It was a great game last night.
It was also a game we needed badly, especially after the one the night before.
Brett got us off and winging with his shot over the wall in right in the 2nd inning,
and kept us on track with his 3-bagger in the 4th.
He was named the Curve player of the game by both the Curve, and the Altoona Mirror, our morning paper.
Can't explain it, but despite the errors on both sides, it was an interesting and well-played game.
Very satisfying conclusion that left Curve fans feeling good.
My buddy and I just sat in our seats for 20 minutes or so after the end of the game and talked about it.
Excitement is building as playoff tickets go on sale today to the general public.
I got mine last week.
Have a good feeling about our chances in the playoffs, and I'm sure all the guys, including Brett, are getting primed.
Of course they still have some other business to take care of first, but I'm sure they're up to it.
Later, Geoff.
Ed
GO CURVE!!!
Email from Ashley Wertz, another Curve fan who watched the game
Dear Geoff,
Thursday's game was the best!
I had just told some fan off for underestimating Brett,
and then he hit the home run!
Then he got a triple!
Ashley!