Jaye Hurls Seven Strong for Erie
The SeaWolves dropped their second straight to the Harrisburg Senators, 6-2, on Tuesday night at Jerry Uht Park.
Erie jumped ahead in the bottom of the first against Harrisburg starter Tyler Mapes. Gustavo Nunez walked with one out and moved to third on a Jeff McVaney base hit. Dean Green brought home Nunez with a sacrifice fly to center for a 1-0 lead. The RBI for Green was his league-leading 40th.
Harrisburg tied the game in the fifth against Erie starter Myles Jaye. Zach Collier and Spencer Kieboom each singled putting two on for Shawn Pleffner. Pleffner singled home Collier making it a 1-1 game.
The SeaWolves regained the lead in the seventh. Connor Harrell singled and was sacrificed over to second on an Alberto Gonzalez bunt. With two outs, Jason Krizan walked putting a pair on for Gustavo Nunez. Nunez reached base on an infield single and Harrell scored on a throwing error for a 2-1 lead.
Erie took the one-run lead into the ninth. Ruben Alaniz, who worked a scoreless eighth, came back out for the ninth. Neftali Soto led off with a single and Chris Bostick was hit by a pitch, putting the go-ahead run on. With one out, Kieboom walked, loading the bases. Erie then went to Joe Mantiply to face the lefty Pleffner. Pleffner singled home a pair of runs for a 3-2 Harrisburg lead. Stephen Perez followed with a sacrifice fly to center, plating Kieboom making it 4-2. Rafel Bautista followed with a base hit, moving Pleffner into scoring position. Wilmer Difo followed with a single to center plating two more runs, one on the hit and a second on an error for a 6-2 Senators advantage.
The 'Wolves went quietly in the bottom of the ninth against reliever Nick Lee (1-1) who earned the win.
Alaniz (0-2) took the loss. He allowed three runs on one hit with a walk and two strikeouts in 1.1 innings of work.
Jaye was superb for Erie allowing a run on five hits with a walk and two strikeouts in a season-high seven innings of work in a no-decision.
The SeaWolves and Senators conclude the series on Wednesday morning at 11:05 a.m. RHP Tommy Collier (3-2, 4.24 ERA) takes the mound for Erie against RHP Reynaldo Lopez (0-3, 4.60 ERA). Wednesday is a UPMC Health Plan Education Day.