Manning Twirls a Gem as 'Wolves Win Series

In his second start of 2019 right-hander Matt Manning was nearly flawless, tying a career-high with 10 strikeouts and allowing just one hit over 7.0 scoreless innings as the Erie SeaWolves dropped the Altoona Curve in game three 5-1, at UPMC Park. The series victory was the second consecutive to begin the season and first since time the SeaWolves won two out of the gate since 2017.
 
Earning his second win this year the 21-year old set the tone early, retiring 14 in a row to begin the game including four straight punchouts (from the third into the fourth innings). Of his 84 pitches, 63 of them were strikes and he walked none. In fact, Manning did not go to one three-ball count against any of the 22 batters he faced. Nolan Blackwood finished the final two innings for Erie, allowing the one run in the eighth and fanning three.
 
The SeaWolves sluggers gave Manning all the support he would need beginning in the bottom of the third. Cam Gibson led off with a double and then, with one out, Derek Hill singled him in. Hill went 2-for-4 and now has four multi-hit games to begin his season. After a Sergio Alcántara double, Kody Eaves ripped a single through the left side to give Erie a 2-0 lead.
 
Two more run came in the sixth for the SeaWolves as Alcantara and Eaves led off with back-to-back singles. Josh Lester then drove in Alcantara with a base hit and, with one out, Jake Rogers lined a single to left to plate Eaves and make it 4-0.
 
The final run was scored by Chase Numata, in the seventh, after reaching on a leadoff walk and eventually scoring on a wild pitch.
 
Erie hits the road for the first time in 2019 with a seven-game road trip between Binghamton and Bowie, before returning to UPMC Park on April 18. The SeaWolves will send RHP Alex Faedo (1-0, 0.00) to the hill and the Rumble Ponies are TBD. Game one of a four game series can be heard on Fox Sports Radio 1330 AM, SeaWolves.com, or seen on MiLB.TV.