Dominant Pitching Quiets Curve Bats in Thursday Defeat
ERIE, PA – Despite two hits and an RBI from Lolo Sanchez, Altoona had a quiet night offensively as the Curve fell to the SeaWolves on Thursday night, 2-1, at UPMC Park. Sanchez knocked an RBI-double off Erie starter Garrett Hill in the top of the fourth inning that scored
ERIE, PA – Despite two hits and an RBI from Lolo Sanchez, Altoona had a quiet night offensively as the Curve fell to the SeaWolves on Thursday night, 2-1, at UPMC Park.
Sanchez knocked an RBI-double off Erie starter Garrett Hill in the top of the fourth inning that scored Nick Gonzales, who reached on a single to open the frame. Following Sanchez’s hit, Erie sat down 17 batters in-a-row, leaving the Curve without another baserunner until the ninth inning with two outs, when Sanchez hit a single before being stranded to end the contest.
Altoona’s starter Kyle Nicolas had a strong outing, allowing one run on three hits over five innings pitched with six strikeouts. The lone run came off a single from his high school teammate Dillon Dingler in the bottom of the third. The SeaWolves looked to score two on the play, but Sanchez threw out Andrew Navigato at the plate for the third out of the inning, his second outfield assist of the season.
Erie would not score again until the bottom of the eighth inning, when Altoona shortstop Liover Peguero committed a pair of errors that led to an unearned run against JC Flowers, who gave up just three hits in three innings of relief work. Flowers took the loss, falling to 1-2 on the season.
Offensively, Altoona was 0-for-5 with runners in scoring position and recorded just four hits. Hill recorded 10 strikeouts for the SeaWolves in five innings, becoming the first opposing pitcher to strike out 10 or more this season against Altoona. In total, the Curve struck out 14 times without drawing a walk. Peguero recorded the only other hit for Altoona and stole his sixth base of the season.
The Curve continue their six-game series in Erie on Friday night at 6:05 p.m. LHP Omar Cruz will take the ball for Altoona, while RHP Austin Bergner will start for Erie.
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.
An RBI-double for Lolo Sanchez ties the game 1-1 in the fourth!
— Altoona Curve (@AltoonaCurve) May 5, 2022
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