HARRISBURG – Outfielder Esmerlyn Valdez picked up three hits including his third Double-A homer in a 10-4 loss for the Curve at Harrisburg on Thursday night at FNB Field. With the defeat, Altoona and Harrisburg are tied for first place in the Southwest Division with 15 games remaining in the Second Half of the season.

Omar Alfonzo drove in two in the first inning to get the night started off on the right foot, however, Harrisburg scored five times off Po-Yu Chen in the second inning to take a commanding lead that they never relinquished.

Valdez smashed his homer in the fifth inning, driving in P.J. Hilson to make it a 6-4 game. Valdez finished his night 3-for-4 with a double, a homer and two runs scored. Harrisburg put the game away with two runs in the sixth, and single runs in the seventh and eighth.

Altoona’s bullpen was forced into early action as four Curve relievers covered the final 6.1 innings of the game on the mound. Jaden Woods and Tyler Samaniego each picked up three strikeouts in their 1.1 innings of relief. Cy Nielson tossed a season-long 2.2 innings in relief, picking up two strikeouts of his own on 41 pitches in relief. Justin Meis allowed three baserunners and one run in the eighth inning on the mound.

Termarr Johnson’s 12-game on-base streak came to an end with an 0-for-5 night at the plate. Johnson is batting .338 with a .390 on-base percentage in 19 games this month.

Altoona continues their six-game series with the Senators on Friday night at 7:00 p.m. RHP Emmanuel Chapman starts for the Curve with LHP Erik Tolman slated to start for the Senators.