Back from break, Curve beaten by Erie

ERIE, Pa. - In the first game back from the Eastern League All-Star Break, the Altoona Curve were dropped by the Erie SeaWolves, 5-3, on Thursday at UPMC Park.
The SeaWolves (45-40, 14-5) were fueled by three unearned runs during the first inning to break up a four-game winning streak for the Curve (47-39, 12-7), who won six straight head-to-head meetings against Erie entering play. With two outs and two on, Josh Lester rolled a ground ball up the middle that was misplayed by shortstop Gift Ngoepe to keep the inning alive and Erie scored the game's first run on the play. The next batter, Daniel Pinero, roped a two-run double to right-center that Bligh Madris nearly ran down.

Curve starter Sean Brady (Loss, 3-8) faced one over the minimum and allowed just two more hits throughout the rest of his six innings, including a solo homer by Pinero in the fourth.
Jared Oliva connected for a pair of hits in the loss and scored two of Altoona's three runs. In the sixth, he socked a triple high off the wall in left-center that rebounded back towards shallow center field, but the ball was bobbled by Erie left fielder Cam Gibson to allow Oliva to score on the play standing up for the first Curve run of the game.
Tweet from @AltoonaCurve: 🚨IT'S A LITTLE LEAGUE HOMER🚨@Jared_Oliva41 circles the bases on a triple and we're on the board!������6��� Erie 4, Curve 1 pic.twitter.com/Llt3CWL2Fu
Oliva doubled off the same fence in left-center to lead off the ninth at the beginning of a late two-run rally that tightened the score. After Madris beat an infield single and reached second on a throwing error, Robbie Glendinning shot a two-run single through the middle of the diamond. The Curve threat would fall short against reliever Will Vest, who fanned Jerrick Suiter and worked a fly out to the warning track in right to close out the SeaWolves win.
Erie starting pitcher Logan Shore (Win, 3-7) was not charged with an earned run over six innings of work. He issued a pair of walks, fanned three and limited Altoona to a pair of hits.
The series continues on Friday with a 7:05 p.m. first pitch. Left-hander Brandon Waddell (1-1, 1.89) will start for the Curve against Erie southpaw Tarik Skubal (0-0, 0.00).
The Curve return to PNG Field on Monday for a three-game series against the Trenton Thunder, Double-A affiliate of the New York Yankees. Promotional highlights include the Daddy-Daughter Ticket Special, FIREWORKS on Tuesday night and the Jaffa Shriners bobblehead giveaway. 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.
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