And the loss:
Erie SeaWolves 2, Altoona Curve 1
This was a pitching duel, with a total of only 7 hits between the two teams (3 for the Curve). The hit that counted the most for the Curve was DH Eric Fryer’s solo homer in the top of the 2nd inning. The Curve collected 5 walks (two each by 2B Brock Holt and SS Jordy Mercer, and one by Fryer), and CF Starling Marte reached base when he was hit by a pitch, but none of them were able to come around to score. Holt and Mercer also each had a hit — a single for Mercer in the 1st, and a double by Holt in the 7th — but they were also left stranded.
Curve starter Jeff Locke pitched well, but the two unearned runs that Erie scored were charged to him, and he was tagged with the loss. He gave up two hits in his 5 innings of work, walked 4, and struck out 4. The SeaWolves’ runs came in the 4th inning, when a pair of lead-off singles and a ground out put two runners into scoring position. The next batter tapped back to the mound, and Locke fired back to the plate, where C Tony Sanchez tagged out the lead runner at the plate. Locke got a strikeout, but when the runner on first stole second base on strike three, Sanchez’s throw to second went wild for an error, and the runner from third scored, to tie the game. A wild pitch by Locke allowed the go-ahead run to score. After two outs and a double in the 5th, Locke was relieved by Tim Alderson, who finished the inning with a strikeout. Alderson also pitched the 6th inning, allowing only a walk. Tom Boleska and Noah Krol each pitched a scoreless inning to finish up for the Curve, with Boleska also allowing a walk.
