SeaWolves Rally Falls Short in Four-Run Loss

ALTOONA, PA - The Erie SeaWolves (35-19, 71-51) came close to clawing out of a six-run deficit against the Altoona Curve (22-31, 53-69), but couldn't plate the tying run in a 9-5 loss on Thursday night at Peoples Natural Gas Field.

Max Alba started for Erie and ran into early trouble in the first inning. The first two hitters in the order poked singles to right field and the first run came around on an error by SeaWolves infielder EJ Exposito. Alba limited the damage by escaping the inning surrendering just one further run on a sacrifice fly and went to the second inning with a two-run deficit.

After a scoreless second inning, the Curve offense came roaring back to life with back-to-back hits to start the frame. Callan Moss lined out and opened the door for Alba to get out of the inning, but a long flyball that dropped in left brought in the first run of the inning and Will Taylor launched his a three-run homer to break things open and put Altoona in front 6-0 after three innings.

Erie got on the board in the fourth after a single from Viandel Pena and a two-run home run from Patrick Lee over the batter's eye in center field, his fourth home run with Erie this season.

Altoona snatched back the momentum with a leadoff home run from Keiner Delgado in the bottom of the fourth inning. Alba retired one more hitter before a single chased him from the game with a 7-2 deficit. Wandisson Charles stopped the bleeding for Erie by inducing an inning-ending double play on his first pitch. The right-hander tossed a season-high 2.2 scoreless innings on the mound.

The pitching controlled the middle innings until the SeaWolves offense fought back in the seventh. The first five hitters in the frame reached as Seth Stephenson, Thayron Liranzo, Peyton Graham and EJ Exposito strung hits together and Izaac Pacheco worked a walk to reload the bases. Erie plated two runs in the first five hitters and Pacheco represented the tying run at first base. Altoona reliever Landon Tomkins struck out the next two hitters before spiking a two-strike fastball that brought in Erie's third run of the inning and cut the SeaWolves' deficit to two.

That's as close as Erie would get as Tanner Kohlhepp gave up two runs in the eighth inning after tossing a scoreless bottom of the seventh. Aaron Shortridge delivered two perfect innings to earn the save for Altoona.

The SeaWolves are back in action Friday night with Kenny Serwa on the mound. The knuckleballer has pitched seven innings in each of his last two starts, including seven scoreless last time out against New Hampshire. First pitch is set for 6:00 PM.

Single-game tickets, suites, picnics, The Club by Synchrony events, and Bud Light Party Deck groups are now available by visiting SeaWolves.com, calling 814-456-1300, or visiting the UPMC Park Box Office in person.