Higashioka, Herrera lead Trenton to win

TRENTON >> Let’s call it a tale of two halves. Or maybe a tale of the first 3 1/2 innings and then the rest.

On a night when the Thunder looked headed for trouble with their first nine batters retired in order, and starting pitcher Ronald Herrera putting himself in precarious positions with runners on third in each of the first four innings, everything changed in the bottom of the fourth.

Kyle Higashioka smoked a two-run double as part of a 2-for-4 performance, Herrera found his way for his third straight quality start and Trenton beat Altoona, 3-1, for its fourth consecutive victory Friday at Arm & Hammer Park.

Herrera, a 21-year-old right-hander, hurled 6 1/3 shutout innings, allowing three hits and three walks while striking out four. Of his 98 total pitches, 64 went for strikes.

Effective use of his secondary pitches helped Herrera strand five runners — four at third — through the first four innings. Then the youngster retired seven of the final eight batters he faced.

But Herrera’s win was in jeopardy in the eighth, when newest Thunder player Diego Moreno struggled in his debut after being demoted from Triple-A. The right-hander, who briefly pitched for the Yankees last season, surrendered two singles and an RBI double to Reese McGuire with one out.

That put the tying runners on second and third with another right-hander, Tyler Jones, entering the game.

Jones induced a swinging strikeout and groundout to end the threat, then sealed the win with a 1-2-3 ninth inning.

After Trenton failed to produce any base runners through three innings, Tyler Wade led off the fourth with a bunt single. Dustin Fowler followed with a single to right before Wade was picked off at second base.

But then three-hitter Miguel Andujar ripped a single to past the diving shortstop, and Higashioka smashed his RBI double into the left field corner.

With runners at the corners, recent Tampa call-up Abiatal Avelino hit a hard line drive single up the middle to make it 3-0.

Billy McKinney, acquired Monday from the Cubs, had his first hit in a Trenton uniform when he fisted an inside fastball into left field for a single in the sixth.