Erie's Manning muzzles Curve lineup

CURVE, Pa. - Erie SeaWolves starting pitcher Matt Manning struck out 10 hitters over seven scoreless innings to beat the Altoona Curve, 5-1, on Wednesday at UPMC Park in Erie.
Manning (Win, 2-0) sat down the first 14 Curve (5-2) batters of the game with the use of eight strikeouts. Hunter Owen broke up the perfect game with a two-out single in the fifth, but Manning whiffed Mitchel Tolman for his ninth strikeout. The Tigers' No. 2 prospect went on to toss seven one-hit, scoreless innings with a career-high 10 strikeouts.

The SeaWolves (4-3) broke through with the game's first runs in the third inning against Curve starter Dario Agrazal (Loss, 1-1). Cam Gibson started a two-run third with a lead-off double and was knocked in on a single by Derek Hill. A double by Sergio Alcántara set up a second RBI single for Erie as Kody Eaves came through with the run-scoring hit.
Erie's offense churned out four more singles in the sixth inning and added a pair of runs to their lead as Josh Lester and Jake Rogers delivered the RBIs.
The SeaWolves collected lead-off hits in five of Agrazal's six innings, totaling 11 hits for the afternoon while the right-hander fanned a pair without issuing a walk.
Angel German emerged from Altoona's bullpen in the seventh and walked the first batter he faced, Chace Numata. Erie bunted the runner over and reached third on a groundout as a wild pitch brought in Erie's fifth run of the afternoon.
Altoona got that run back in the eighth when Erie reliever Nolan Blackwood walked Logan Hill to start the inning and Arden Pabst delivered a sacrifice fly for the Curve's lone score.
Jake Brentz logged a perfect eighth inning out of the Curve bullpen before the Curve were retired 1-2-3 in the ninth.
The Curve return to Peoples Natural Gas Field for their home opener and begin a seven-game homestand on Thursday, April 11 against the Akron RubberDucks. Left-hander Cam Vieaux (0-0, 0.00) and 2018 Altoona Curve Pitcher of the Year will get the nod for the Curve against southpaw Sean Brady (0-1, 2.57) for the 'Ducks.
Promotional highlights for Opening Week at PNG Field include a special appearance by Pirates broadcaster Steve Blass, Opening Night Fireworks, the first Allegheny Yinzers game and much more. For tickets or more information, visit AltoonaCurve.com, call 877.99.CURVE or stop by the PNG Field box office.
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