The Result
Rock Cats - 8 runs to 2

The Curve - Year-to-Date
27 wins and 28 losses

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

Brett's at-bats
First plate appearance
Righthanded pitcher
Bases empty - two down
Called strike
Ball
"There's a little roller on the rightside and it's picked up by the first-baseman who flips it onto the pitcher covering first base and that's the final out of the innings"
Ground out to first base - 3 to 1
Second plate appearance
Righthanded pitcher
Bases empty - one down
Foul ball - on the left side
"That pitch is hit into rightfield and Roneberg has his first hit of the ballgame and his first hit in this series against the Rock Cats"
Single to rightfield
Out at second base on a double play hit by the next Curve hitter
Third plate appearance
Righthanded pitcher
Bases empty - two down
Called strike
Foul ball
"And here comes the 0ball-2strike pitch ... and Roneberg swings and misses for the final out of the innings"
Strike out
Fourth plate appearance
Righthanded pitcher
Bases empty - one down
Ball - high and outside
Called strike
Ball - fast ball - outside
Foul ball - on the left side
Ball - low
Ball - low
Walk
Advanced to second base on a hit
Advanced to third base on an infield hit...
...and then scored on an error by the Rock Cats' third-baseman on the same hit/play

At the end of the Game
1 hit from 3 at-bats - single, 1 x run scored, 1 x walk, 1 x strike out

Heard during the game

(01) During Brett's second plate appearance, the commentator said - "Brett has been on the Disabled List with an injured hand ... he played last night for the first time since the 18th May ... it is good to have him back in the lineup and swinging that red toned bat"
......and straight after he said this, Brett got his hit to rightfield!!!

Email from Brett

Game Reports

The Curve's season-high six-game winning streak came to an end Wednesday night as the New Britain Rock Cats scored seven first-inning runs and cruised to an 8-2 win over Altoona at New Britain Stadium

In addition to their six-game streak, Altoona (27-28) entered Wednesday's contest having won eight of nine games since a 10-game losing streak from May 17-26

Curve starter Wardell Starling (2-5) retired the first two batters in the bottom of the first before the Rock Cats' offense started their big inning
New Britain put the next 10 batters on base against Starling thanks to five hits, three walks and two hit batsmen
The right-hander was charged with all seven runs in the frame and failed to finish the inning

Meanwhile, Rock Cats' starter Tristan Crawford cruised to his sixth win of the season, limiting the Curve to just one run and four hits over seven innings
Crawford (6-3) gave up his only run in the top of the second inning when Steven Pearce clocked a solo home run to left field
The blast was Pearce's fourth with Altoona and 15th overall, including his time at Class-A Lynchburg

Despite the loss, third baseman Neil Walker continued to build upon his outstanding season at the plate by going 3-for-3 with a walk
The 21-year old Walker, who was converted from catcher to third base by the Pirates in spring training, is now batting .305 on the season and ranks among the Eastern League's leaders in home runs, hits, extra base hits and slugging percentage
Pearce added a ninth-inning single to his earlier homer to record the Curve's only other multiple hit game

New Britain was led offensively by third baseman Brian Buscher, who went 3-for-3 and walked twice

Second baseman Luke Hughes also added three hits (3-for-4) in the win for the Rock Cats

The Curve and Rock Cats will play the deciding game of their three-game series Thursday morning at 10.35am at New Britain Stadium
Altoona will send lefty Josh Shortslef (0-6, 3.81) to the mound for the series finale against New Britain righty Brad Baker (2-2, 3.74)

Kyle Geiger's two-run double highlighted a seven-run first inning as New Britain dropped visiting Altoona, 8-2, on Wednesday

After the first two Rock Cats were retired in the opening frame, Brian Buscher singled to right field and was the first of 10 straight batters to reach base
Along with Geiger's double, Garrett Guzman smacked an RBI single, Matt Allegra ripped a two-run single and Luke Hughes added an RBI double
Buscher capped the rally with a bases-loaded walk for New Britain, which had five hits, three walks and two hit batters in the inning
The 26-year-old third baseman added an RBI single in the third and finished 3-for-3 with two walks

Hughes also chipped in three hits for the Rock Cats (29-24), who snapped the Curve's six-game winning streak

New Britain starter Tristan Crawford (6-3) yielded one run on four hits over seven innings
He struck out four, walked two and lowered his ERA to 3.59
In his last two starts, the 24-year-old right-hander has given up just one run on five hits over 14 frames

Steven Pearce went 2-for-4 with a solo homer, his fourth, and Neil Walker was 3-for-3 with a walk for the Curve (27-28)

Altoona starter Wardell Starling (2-5) didn't make it out of the first, allowing seven runs on five hits and three walks while retiring two batters

The Curve never really had a chance to extend their six-game winning streak thanks to a disastrous first inning Wednesday night
Altoona starter Wardell Starling retired the first two batters he faced in the opening inning before New Britain blasted him for seven runs
The Curve had trailed before rallying to win each of their previous five games, but there was no comeback this time as the Rock Cats cruised to an 8-2 victory

The loss snapped a season-long win streak for Altoona, which also had captured eight of nine contests to rebound from a 10-game losing skid

Brian Buscher’s two-out single started the onslaught in the first against Starling, who allowed 10 consecutive batters to reach base
Starling gave up five hits and compounded his problems by hitting two batters and walking three
Garrett Guzman’s RBI single scored Buscher with New Britain’s first run
Matthew Allegra delivered a two-run single, and Kyle Geiger doubled home a pair to make it 5-0
Luke Hughes had a run-scoring double, and Starling walked Buscher with the bases loaded to force in the seventh run

Starling (2-5) departed after that, and the Curve bullpen held New Britain to one run the rest of the way

Justin Vaclavik turned in 4-1/3 solid innings of relief, giving up a run on four hits while striking out four

Altoona’s offense couldn’t catch up, though, as Rock Cats starter Tristan Crawford (6-3) allowed just one run on four hits over seven innings

Steven Pearce homered leading off the second inning for the Curve, who also scored a run in the ninth with the help of an error
Pearce went 2-for-4 and Neil Walker 3-for-3 to account for five of Altoona’s seven hits

Buscher and Hughes had three hits apiece for New Britain

New Britain used a seven-run first inning and another superb outing by Tristan Crawford to down Altoona 8-2

The Rock Cats jumped out to an early lead by putting seven runs on the board in the bottom of the first inning
Altoona’s Wardell Starling retired the first two batters before things quickly got out of control
Brian Buscher singled and Brock Peterson was hit by a pitch
Garrett Guzman’s single to right field knocked in Buscher for the 1-0 lead
David Winfree then reached base on another hit by pitch
Matthew Allegra then lined a two-run single to center field and Kyle Geiger followed with a two-run double
Luke Hughes added an RBI double before Starling walked the next three batters, including walking in Hughes for another Rock Cats’ run for a 7-0 advantage

Altoona’s Justin Vaclavik came on relief and retired Brock Peterson on a ground out for the final out of the inning

Buscher added an RBI single in the third inning
He finished the night with three hits and two walks

Hughes also had three hits, including two doubles

Tristan Crawford (6-3) limited the Curve to one run on four hits through seven innings
The lone run he surrendered was a solo homer by Steven Pearce in the top of the second

Danny Powers added one inning of shutout relief and J.P. Martinez allowed one unearned run in the ninth

For Altoona, Vaclavik tossed 4-1/3 innings in relief, allowing one run on four hits
He struck out four

Starling (2-5) finished the night with a line of five hits, three walks, and seven runs in 2/3 innings