EASTERN LEAGUE CHAMPIONS DIVISION CHAMPIONS PLAYOFF APPEARANCES PLAYERS TO MLB 2010, 2017 2004, 2010, 2017 2003, 2004, 2005, 2006, 145 2010, 2015, 2016, 2017 BATTING AVG.: .230 (8th) April 29, 2018 -- Game #20, Road Game #9 BATTING AVG.: .229 (9th) TEAM HR: 8 (11th) TEAM HR: 14 (T-5th) WALKS: 62 (11th) Altoona Curve (9-10) vs. Harrisburg Senators (9-11) WALKS: 85 (1st) STRIKEOUTS: 141 (11th) LHP Taylor Hearn (0-2, 3.45) vs. RHP Jefry Rodriguez (1-2, 3.00) STRIKEOUTS: 187 (3rd) TEAM ERA: 3.23 (4th) TEAM ERA: 3.82 (8th) WALKS: 68 (8th) 1:30 p.m. | FNB Field | Harrisburg, Pa. WALKS: 56 (11th) STRIKEOUTS: 159 (10th) STRIKEOUTS: 166 (6th) () -- EL Rank Radio -- WKMC 1370 & Curve Radio Network | TV -- MiLB.TV () -- EL Rank UPCOMING GAMES & PITCHING PROBABLES Mon., April 30 at Richmond 6:35 p.m. RHP J.T. Brubaker (1-1, 1.57) vs. RHP Jordan Johnson (2-2, 3.22) Tues., May 1 at Richmond 6:35 p.m. RHP Dario Agrazal (1-0, 1.46) vs. LHP Matt Gage (0-2, 3.18) Wed., May 2 at Richmond 10:35 a.m. LHP Brandon Waddell (0-0, 1.88) vs. LHP Garrett Williams (1-0, 4.96) Thurs., May 3 Erie 6 p.m. TBD vs. RHP Mitch Keller (2-1, 2.78) YESTERDAY: The Curve put one runner on base all game and lost to the Harrisburg Senators, 7-1. Yadiel Hernandez opened the scoring with a two-run homer in the first and the Senators added one more run in the second inning. The Curve broke a perfect game bid by Harrisburg starter Brady Dragmire with a single to lead off the sixth by Stephen Alemais. He 2018 E.L. WESTERN STANDINGS scored later in the inning on an RBI by K'Bryan Hayes. Curve starter Mitch Keller allowed three runs on five walks over four Team W-L PCT GB Today innings. Richmond 13-8 .619 -- vs. HFD TONIGHT: The 20th Season of Altoona Curve Baseball, presented by Stuckey Subaru, continues at FNB Field on City Island Bowie 11-9 .550 1.5 @ AKR as the Curve face the Harrisburg Senators, Double-A affiliate of the Harrisburg Senators in the finale of three games. The Akron 11-10 .524 2.0 vs. BOW Curve and Senators split a rain-shortened, two-game series in Altoona on April 10 and 11. Altoona 9-10 .474 3.0 @ HAR THE CURVE: After opening the season with a 6-2 record, Altoona has lost eight of the last 11 games. The Curve dropped Harrisburg 9-11 .450 3.5 vs. ALT three of four at Akron, lost two of three at home against Richmond and split a rain-shortened, two-game series at home against Erie. Erie 7-13 .350 5.5 vs. BIN THE SENATORS: Harrisburg ended a five-game losing streak with a 4-2 win against Trenton on Wednesday. The Senators 2018 E.L. EASTERN STANDINGS entered the series tied for last in the Western Division but have pushed ahead by two games in fifth place. The team has lost Team W-L PCT GB Today nine of its last 13 games overall. New Hamp. 13-7 .650 -- vs. TRN FOR ALTOONA: Left-hander Taylor Hearn takes the mound for his fourth Double-A start and second against Harrisburg. Trenton 12-9 .571 1.5 @ NH Last time out last Sunday, he allowed five earned runs over 4.2 innings in a loss against Richmond. Prior to that start, he had the best ERA in the Altoona rotation at 0.82 through his first two Double-A starts. He made his Double-A debut at PNG Field Binghamton 10-9 .526 2.5 @ ERI against Harrisburg on April 10 and did not allow an earned run over five one-hit innings. He spent last season with A-Adv. Hartford 11-10 .524 2.5 @ RIC Bradenton, where he averaged 11 strikeouts per nine innings and held opponents to a .207 batting average over 17 starts Reading 8-12 .400 5.0 @ POR and one relief outing. He was placed on the disabled list in July with a left oblique strain and missed the remainder of the Florida State League schedule. He did return to make one scoreless, two-inning outing in the Gulf Coast League on Septem- Portland 6-12 .333 6.0 vs. REA ber 2. After the season, he pitched for the Glendale Desert Dogs of the Arizona Fall League, where he went 2-0 with a 3.06 ERA and struck out 14 in eight outings (four starts). Hearn was picked up by the Pirates along with current major league closer 2018 CURVE AT A GLANCE Felipe Vasquez on July 30, 2016 in the trade that sent RHP Mark Melancon to the Nationals. Overall Record .........................................9-10 FOR HARRISBURG: Right-hander Jefry Rodriguez makes his fifth start of the season and his first against the Curve. Last time Home ................................................... 6-5 out, he allowed three earned runs over six innings in a loss against Trenton on Monday. Rodriguez is ranked as the Nationals' Road .................................................... 3-5 No. 16 prospect by MLB.com. He made 10 starts and two relief outings for A-Adv. Potomac in 2017, going 4-3 with a 3.32 ERA. He missed half of the season with a suspension. 2018 is the first season at Double-A for Rodriguez. Place (E.L. Western) ...................................4th LATE LOSSES: The Curve have lost eight of the last 11 games, with the losses coming by an average final score of 4.9 to 2.3 Games Ahead/Behind ........................... -3.0 (18-39 total runs). The go-ahead runs have scored against the Curve in the seventh inning or later in five of the eight losses. The Curve have held a lead at some point in five of those eight games lost. For the season, the Curve have allowed the go- ahead run to score in the seventh inning or later in six of ten total losses. Streak ...............................................................L3 HITTING A WALL: The Curve hit .319 (46/144) as a team with 14 extra-base hits over four games from April 21-25 and Last 5 ............................................................. 1-4 averaged 5.8 runs per game (23 total runs). Over the last two games, the Curve offense has hit .069 (4/58) with a double Last 10 ........................................................... 3-7 and a homer, scoring one single run in each game. The offensive struggles have come against Harrisburg, who entered the series with a league-worst 4.19 team ERA. 2018 vs. Harrisburg .................................. 1-3 THE STARTING LINE: Curve starting pitchers have combined to go 4-4 with a 2.13 ERA (26 ER/110.0 IP) over the first at Altoona ......................................... 1-1 19 games of the 2018 season. Over the last 34 regular-season games dating back to August 20, 2017, Curve starters have at Harrisburg ................................... 0-2 combined to go 11-7 with a 2.18 ERA (50 ER/206.1 IP). Including the Curve's six postseason games in 2017, Curve starters are 17-7 with a 2.09 ERA (58 ER/249.2 IP) over the last 40 games. All-time vs. Harrisburg ....................186-161 at Altoona ................................... 104-65 WORKING DEEP: Altoona was the only team in Double-A to have its starting pitchers work at least five innings in every game this year prior to Sunday's outing by Taylor Hearn. Through the first 18 games of the season, Curve starters have com- at Harrisburg ................................82-96 bined for 110.0 innings, averaging 5.9 innings per game. The starters have worked 7.0 innings three times, 6.2 innings once, 6.1 innings once, 6.0 innings six times, 5.2 innings twice, 5.0 innings four times, 4.2 innings once and 4.0 innings once. ‘18 Home Attendance .........................37, 518 MARTIN MAKING STRIDES: OutfielderJason Martin was activated on April 10 and went 0-for-8 with five strikeouts in Home Openings ...........................................11 his first two games with Altoona. Since then, he has hit .362 (17/47) over 13 games with a homer, five doubles, three triples, Average Attendance ............................. 3 , 411 five RBIs, six walks and 11 runs scored. Last Saturday, he hit his first Double-A homer and finished a triple shy of the cycle. He was walked seven times in the last seven games. Martin is ranked fifth with a .574 slugging percentag and tied for first with three triples. Martin was picked up by the Pirates along with 3B Colin Moran, RHP Joe Musgrove and RHP Michael Feliz in a trade that sent RHP Gerrit Cole to the Astros on January 13. BROADCAST INFORMATION COLE TRAIN: Over his last 35 games dating back to August 17, 2017, Cole Tucker is hitting .308 (41/133) with nine doubles, three triples, two homers, 18 RBIs and 22 walks. However, he is hitless in his last 13 at-bats. WY NOT: InfielderWyatt Mathisen is hitting .438 through his nine games played this season, has worked nine walks and been hit by a pitch twice, posting a .655 on-base percentage. He has added three doubles and one triple in his 16 at-bats. Over his last three games since April 21, he has reached base in nine consecutive plate appearances (3-for-3, two singles, triple, three walks, three HBP). Mathisen was the starting third baseman in the 2017 Eastern League All-Star Game for the Trey Wilson, Nate Bowen and Garett Mansfield Western Division, but has played exclusively at first base and second base this season.