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
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The audio file opposite/below
includes NOTE - Tim Leiper speaks 'a little fast' and is
a bit |
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The audio file opposite/below
includes a segment from the Game Day Show x x x x x During the Curve Injury Report, the commentator mentions that Brett is still on the Disabled List and has been there for over a month but, hopefully, he should be returning to the roster next week |
Windows Media Player required This audio file runs for approx 1 minute
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The Result
Curve - 5 runs
to 1
The Curve - Year-to-Date
57 wins and 52
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
Kip Bouknight allowed only
one run over a season-high 8-1/3 innings to earn his tenth win
of the season and help the Curve earn a series split against the
Reading Phillies with a 5-1 win Thursday night at Blair County
Ballpark
Bouknight (10-3) became just the second Altoona starter this season
to work into the ninth inning and went on to earn his third consecutive
win since returning to the Curve from Triple-A Indianapolis on
July 21
Luis Munoz's 8-2/3 inning effort against Bowie on April 25th is
the only longer outing turned in by a Curve starter this season
The 28-year old Bouknight gave up a run in the top of the first
inning before settling in the rest of the night
He scattered seven hits and gave up his only two walks in the
ninth before leaving the game in favor of closer Matt Peterson
Peterson earned his 21st save of the season after enducing Hector
Made into a game-ending double play
Offensively, a three-run bottom of the first provided plenty of
early run support for Bouknight
With the bases loaded and two outs against Reading starter Gary
Knotts, Alex Fernandez delivered a two-run single to left to give
Altoona a 2-1 lead
Brian Peterson followed with an RBI single to make it a 3-1 game
Peterson later added his second RBI of the night and capped the
Curve scoring with a solo home run in the bottom of the eighth
- his second longball of the season
Knotts (0-1) took the loss in his debut with the Phillies, allowing
four unearned runs over six innings
Knotts was making his return to affiliated baseball after opening
the season with Newark of the independent Atlantic League
In addition to a two-hit game from Peterson, Fernandez, Taber
Lee and Brandon Chaves also added a pair of hits for Altoona
Andrew McCutchen went hitless in four plate appearances to end
his season-high seven-game hitting streak
The Curve will continue their homestand Friday night with the
opener of a three-game series against the New Hampshire Fisher
Cats (Toronto Blue Jays)
Friday's first pitch is set for 7.05pm
The pitching matchup for the series opener will feature Altoona
right-hander Dewon Brazelton (3-3, 3.83) against New Hampshire
lefty Eric Fowler (3-4, 7.39)
---Jason Hill hit a two-out RBI single in the first inningsThe Altoona Curve defeated
the Reading Phillies 5-1 Thursday night at Blair County Ballpark
to split a four-game Eastern League series
The Phillies (57-55) took a 1-0 lead in the first on a two-out
RBI single by Jason Hill
The Curve (57-52) answered with three unearned runs in the bottom
of the first
Alex Fernandez put Altoona in the lead with a two-out, two-run
single and Brian Peterson followed with an RBI hit
Taber Lee added a run-scoring single in the seventh for the Curve
and Peterson slammed a solo homer in the eighth
Kip Bouknight (10-3) allowed the lone run in 8-1/3 innings to
get the win
He walked two in the ninth and gave way to Matt Peterson who recorded
the final two outs for his 21st save
Former big-leaguer Gary Knotts (0-1) took the loss in his Reading
debut
In six innings, Knotts was charged with four runs, all of them
unearned
The Phillies made two errors in the game
As Curve manager Tim Leiper
walked out to the mound to pull Kip Bouknight, he wondered what
kind of ovation his starter would get
The 3,721 fans on hand responded in kind, giving Bouknight a well-deserved
warm reception as he came off the field to applause and several
hundred standing fans
Bouknight pitched into the ninth inning, and Altoona received
significant contributions from role players Taber Lee and Alex
Fernandez, in a 5-1 win over Reading on Thursday at Blair County
Ballpark
‘‘He sure as heck earned it’’ Leiper said
of the reaction Bouknight received
Bouknight threw 8-1/3 innings and held the R-Phils to just seven
hits and one run
The crowd’s gesture wasn’t lost on him, as he acknowledged
the fans twice heading back to the dugout
‘‘It’s very nice’’ Bouknight said
‘‘Obviously, they appreciate good baseball’’
Lee and Fernandez each did their part
The duo combined to go 4-for-7 and drove in three runs
‘‘We’re in the lineup to give guys days off’’
said Lee, who went 2-for-4 with an RBI
‘‘We’ve got guys that play every day
When we’ve got our chance, we’ve got to do something
about it’’
Fernandez set the tone early with a clutch two-out single in the
first inning, which looked ominous after a promising start
Altoona loaded the bases with no outs, but consecutive strikeouts
by Jason Delaney and Andrew McCutchen left it up to Fernandez
He didn’t disappoint, lining Gary Knotts’ first-pitch
fastball to left-center for a vital 2-0 lead
‘‘Gigantic’’ Leiper said of the hit
‘‘Thursday was my chance’’ Fernandez said
‘‘Bases loaded, thank God I came through’’
Brian Peterson, who later homered, followed with another RBI single
as the Curve took a 3-0 lead after the first inning
‘‘We took the momentum right back’’ Leiper
said
‘‘It really could have went back in Reading’s favor
Not only did we grab it right back, it also deflated them a little
bit’’
Lee, who spelled Jason Bowers, added an RBI single in the seventh
for a 4-1 lead
Fernandez has been playing more lately with Delaney’s move
to first
‘‘These guys all need to play down the stretch’’
Leiper said
‘‘I’ve probably been guilty of running these guys
down a little bit
We’re going to need all 24 of us to win this thing’’
Knotts (0-1), a lefty making his debut after being signed out
of Newark in the independent Atlantic League, gave up four unearned
runs on eight hits in six innings
‘‘We didn’t know much about him’’ Fernandez
said
‘‘When you don’t know much about a pitcher, you
just look for something and swing the bat’’
Lee called the approach ‘‘see ball, hit ball’’
Reading wasn’t able to do much swinging the bats against
an aggressive Bouknight
Bouknight (10-3) didn’t walk a hitter until the ninth inning,
and the R-Phils had only one runner in scoring position through
the first eight innings
McCutchen led a Curve defense that shined
The center fielder ran down five fly balls, but his gem came in
the sixth inning
He sprinted in to make a diving catch on Jason Hill’s sinking
liner
If McCutchen hadn’t made the catch, Reading would have drawn
within 3-2
‘‘We had some amazing plays Thursday defensively’’
Bouknight said before rattling off the contributors
‘‘McCutchen was amazing in center, the infield made
every single groundball play there was, Peterson called a great
game’’
Bouknight and closer Matt Peterson combined to induce three double
plays, none more important than Hector Made’s game-ender
with the bases loaded
Peterson got the final two outs for his 21st save
Altoona managed to split the four-game series after being swept
in Wednesday’s doubleheader
Akron and Erie both won on Thursday, leaving the Curve six games
out of a playoff spot
‘‘We’ve got to win every game we can’’
Leiper said
‘‘It doesn’t matter when, how, why, whatever
We just need to win
This is August
This is where men are made’’