10 Hits Not Enough For Altoona’s Offense in Thursday Defeat

ERIE, Pa. – Altoona’s offense strung together 10 hits on Thursday night but could only work two unearned runs in the contest as the Curve dropped their first game this week to Erie, 9-2, at UPMC Park.

Endy Rodriguez, Connor Scott, and Andres Alvarez each recorded two hits in the loss for the Curve. Altoona scored both of its runs on a throwing error by the catcher Michael De La Cruz in the fourth inning. De La Cruz attempted to throw behind baserunner Malcom Nuñez at third base when the ball went into left field, allowing both Nuñez and Fabricio Macias to score.

Erie scored two runs off Altoona starter Kyle Nicolas in three innings. Andrew Navigatio hit a sacrifice fly with the bases loaded in the third before Parker Meadows added an RBI-single. Enmanuel Mejia entered in the fourth inning and recorded one out, allowing five runs to score on three hits. Erie would add two late runs off Bear Bellomy in the eighth inning to put the game out of reach.

Brad Case threw 2.2 innings of relief, allowing just one hit and striking out a season-high-matching five batters. Reese Olson earned the win for Erie, accounting for six of 11 Curve strikeouts on the night. With the loss, Altoona falls to 4.5 games out of first place in the Southwest Division with nine games to play.

Altoona continues a six-game series with the Erie SeaWolves, Double-A affiliate of the Detroit Tigers, on Friday night. First pitch is set for 6:05 p.m., with RHP Ty Madden on the mound for Erie and Altoona sending RHP Quinn Priester for the start.

For tickets or more information, visit AltoonaCurve.com, call 877.99.CURVE or stop by the PNG Field box office. Additionally, the Stockyard Team Store is open Monday-Friday from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m., during every home game and online 24/7/365.

.@matthew_gorski7 can do it all pic.twitter.com/9nSAKkgo0B

— Altoona Curve (@AltoonaCurve) September 9, 2022