Double-A Report: 2008 5th rounder Justin Wilson wins 4th straight

CURVE, Pa. – Justin Wilson (5-4) received plenty of run support from the Curve offense to win his fourth-straight game in Altoona’s, 7-3, win over Harrisburg on Tuesday night at Blair County Ballpark. Curve outfielder Anthony Norman, who was making his Double-A debut, went 2-for-4 with a home run and a double.

Wilson worked through the first three frames unscathed before he’d help himself out in the bottom of the third. The southpaw led off the inning with his first professional hit, a single off the third-base bag and into left field, and was the first of eight Curve batters to bat in the inning. After Chase d’Arnaud grounded out, Gorkys Hernandez singled and Josh Harrison reached on an error to load the bases for Matt Hague.

Hague drew a walk from Senators starter Jason Jones (1-2) to bring in the first run of the game. With the bases still loaded, Jordy Mercer singled to right to bring around two more runs to run the lead to, 3-0. Later in the inning, Mercer stole second to draw a throw down before Hague broke for home and slid around the tag to score the fourth run of the frame. After three, Altoona led, 4-0.

That would be more than enough for Wilson, who went on to pitch six innings and allow two unearned runs while striking out six. The win is the fourth in as many starts for Wilson and his fourth quality start of the season. His season ERA now stands at 2.70.

With the game at, 4-0, Norman clubbed his first Double-A home run over the fence in right field to make it, 5-0 Altoona. In the fifth, Hector Gimenez drove in Harrison for the Curve’s sixth run of the ballgame to make it, 6-0. Harrisburg scored its two unearned runs off Wilson in the sixth but Altoona answered in the bottom half with an RBI single from Harrison to make it, 7-2.

The Senators added a run off reliever Dustin Molleken in the eighth but that would end the scoring.

With a win under its belt, Altoona (38-20) hosts Harrisburg (28-30) at 7 p.m. on Wednesday at Blair County Ballpark. RHP Tim Alderson (4-2, 4.42), who was last week’s E.L. Pitcher of the Week, takes the slab in search of his fifth win for Altoona while former Major League lefty Chuck James (2-0, 0.00) starts for the Senators.