LEADING OFF
Make it 14 straight road losses for the Harrisburg Senators, who again went limp at the plate Sunday afternoon in an 8-2 loss to the Akron Aeros at Canal Park. A day after managing just three hits in a shutout loss to the Aeros (22-5), the Senators (6-21) churned out just four in this Eastern League contest. Nick Weglarz, a .164 hitter entering the game, went 2-for-4 and drove in five of Akron's runs. TURNING POINT At this point, the turning point is proving to be the first time any opponent scores against the Senators. Akron produced a pair in the first inning when a consecutive two-out singles and a hit batsman loaded 'em for Weglarz, who lined a two-run single. NOTES & NUMBERS
Weglarz added a three-run double in the eighth to blow it open, only a half-inning after the Senators failed to score despite the first two runners reaching via walk. ... Harrisburg was 1-for-9 with runners in scoring position and 1-for-15 in the three-game series. The lone hit was Michael Daniel's two-out RBI single to pull the Senators within 5-2 in the seventh inning. ... LHP Chuck Lofgren (2-0) limited Harrisburg to a run on two hits and two walks in six innings. RHP Josh Judy worked the final two innings for a save. ... RHP Zack Segovia, making his first start of the season, was saddled with the loss after allowing four runs (three earned) on five hits and three walks in three frames. TEAM MVP RACE
1. CF Michael Daniel (2 points).
GEOFF MORROW: gmorrow@patriot-news.com
INFOBOX:
COMING UP
WHO: Altoona Curve (8-20).
WHERE: Metro Bank Park, City Island.
WHEN: 7 p.m. today and Tuesday, 10: 30 a.m. Wednesday.
FORECAST
Today: high of 68, possible evening showers; Tuesday: high of 70, mostly sunny; Wednesday: high of 71, partly cloudy.
PROBABLES
Altoona: RHP Jared Hughes (0-4, 2.79 ERA) today; RHP Mike Crotta (2-0, 4.44) Tuesday; LHP Daniel Moskos (1-2, 5.02) Wednesday.
Harrisburg: LHP Ross Detwiler (0-2, 3.22) today; LHP Cory VanAllen (0-2, 7.71) Tuesday; RHP Adrian Alaniz (1-1, 5.27) Wednesday.
TOP HITTERS
Altoona: 2B Jim Negrych (.361, 0 HR, 8 RBI); C Steven Lerud (.258, 2 HR, 8 RBI); OF Brad Corley (.238, 3 HR, 10 RBI).
Harrisburg: OF Marvin Lowrance (.293, 5 HR, 9 RBI); OF Edgardo Baez (.275, 3 HR, 6 RBI); 1B Matt Whitney (.213, 3 HR, 5 RBI). NOTES
The Pittsburgh Pirates' affiliate makes its first visit to Harrisburg this season.
Curve manager Matt Walbeck played 11 seasons in the big leagues (1993-2003) with the Cubs, Twins, Tigers, Angels and Phillies.
OF Jose Tabata, whose much-older wife made headlines in March after being arrested and charged in a child abduction, is one of the Pi rates' top pros pects. But he's currently on Altoo na's disabled list .
Jim Negrych, a University of Pittsburgh product, was named the Pirates' Minor League Player of the Year in 2008.
Is it a case of trying to shoulder too much of the load? Since joining the Senators from Class AAA Syracuse last weekend, the following foursome has struggled mightily: 3B Joel Guzman (5-for-26), SS Freddie Bynum (4-for-26), C Luke Montz (3-for-25) and LHP Dave Williams (10.13 ERA in three appearances).
GEOFF MORROW: gmorrow@patriot-news.com
