Make it two walk-off wins in three days for the Curve.
Altoona split a doubleheader with Portland on Saturday night, winning the second game, 3-2, on a two-run walk-off single by Jarek Cunningham.
The Curve dropped the first game of the twinbill, 5-3, and it looked like they were on their way to being swept entering the seventh inning of game two as they trailed, 2-1.
Quincy Latimore led off the inning with a walk, which was followed by a bunt single from Kelson Brown. Two batters later, Brock Holt drew a walk, setting the stage for Cunningham.
Cunningham shot a grounder down the third-base line with the bases loaded and one out, scoring Latimore and Brown. The hit came against Josh Fields (1-2), who blew a save opportunity and got the loss for Portland.
The second baseman becomes the second Curve player this week to record a walk-off hit, joining Robbie Grossman, whose 11th-inning base hit lifted the Curve over Richmond on Thursday.
Fact Box
Next stop
Tonight: Portland at Altoona, 6 p.m.
Pitchers: Curve RHP Brandon Cumpton (6-4, 3.52) vs. Sea Dogs LHP Chris Hernandez (2-4, 3.21)
Record: 25-29
Even with the walk-off win, doubleheaders have not been kind to Altoona this season.
The Curve are now 2-8 in games played as part of a twinbill and the team is actually above .500 at 23-21 in games that are not part of a doubleheader.
Both of Saturday's games went seven innings and 4,713 fans took in "Buccomania" at Peoples Natural Gas Field, and the Pirate Parrot as well as PNC Park's racing pierogies were at the ballpark.
Nathan Baker started game one for the Curve and Phil Irwin got the nod in the second game.
Baker (3-6) went 4 2/3 innings and gave up four runs on six hits in a losing effort. Irwin had a better outing than Baker, going five innings while surrendering two runs on four hits. Vic Black (1-1) threw a scoreless seventh in game two to earn a win.
Latimore was back in the lineup after missing four games with a leg infection, and he was 1-for-2 at the plate in each game of the doubleheader. Latimore also made the play of the night in the fourth inning of the first game, reaching over the wall in left field to make a catch and steal a home run away from Portland's Jeremy Hazelbaker.
In other injury news, first baseman Matt Curry did not play in either game of the doubleheader. Curry - who leads the team with 26 RBIs - has not appeared in a game since being pulled with a cramp in his right hamstring in the eighth inning of Wednesday's contest against Richmond.
Doubleheader recap
Key player: Portland OF Shannon Wilkerson was a combined 4-for-7 with an RBI on Saturday.
Key play: 2B Jarek Cunningham had a game-winning, two-RBI single in the bottom of the seventh in game two.
Key stat: The Curve are 2-8 in doubleheader games this season.
How they scored
First game
Top 1st: Hazelbaker singled, Wilkerson singled, both scored on Butler single (0-2).
Bottom 1st: Grossman tripled, scored on Holt single (1-2).
Bottom 2nd: Farrell singled, scored on Grossman single (2-2); Latimore singled, scored on Holt sacrifice fly (3-2).
Top 3rd: Rodriguez walked, scored on Brentz two-run homer (3-4).
Top 7th: Rodriguez singled, scored on Butler double (3-5)
Second game
Top 1st: Hazelbaker solo homer (0-1).
Bottom 2nd: Cutler solo homer (1-1).
Top 5th: Gentile reached on fielder's choice, scored on Wilkerson single (1-2).
Bottom 7th: Latimore walked, Brown singled, both scored on Cunningham single (3-2).
