Sadler & Co. Stymie SeaWolves, 4-1
Win: Casey Sadler (1-0)
Loss: Patrick Cooper (0-1)
Save: Luis Sanz (1)
TOG: 2:57
Attendance: 1,006
ERIE, Pa. - Casey Sadler, Tim Alderson and Luis Sanz combined to allow one Erie run to help lead the Curve to their first win of the season, 4-1, on Friday night at Jerry Uht Park in Erie. Sadler (1-0) gave up one run on six hits in his first Double-A start while the bullpen combined to set down 11 in a row before a walk with two down in the ninth.
Sadler received early run support from his teammates as the Curve sent nine batters to the plate in the first inning and scored three runs. Mel Rojas, Jr. doubled to start the game, moved to third on Jarek Cunningham's single and scored on Matt Curry's single inside the bag at first. With a one-run lead, Andrew Lambo joined the party and singled through the right side to bring Cunningham in. After four batters, it was 2-0 Curve.
Adalberto Santos followed the rest of the group and grabbed a hit of his own to make it five straight hits to start the game for Altoona. They scored their final run of the inning when SeaWolves starter Patrick Cooper (0-1) walked Carlos Paulino with the bases loaded.
Sadler and the pitching staff took over from there as they combined on the one-run game. Alderson was masterful out of the 'pen, retiring all nine batters he faced while striking out four in three innings. Sanz pitched the ninth and worked around a two-out walk for his first save of the season. Altoona pitching kept Erie off the bases for a total of 12 straight batters from the end of the fifth until there were two down in the ninth.
The fourth and final tally in the run column for the Curve on Friday night came thanks to a Rojas, Jr. deep drive to left-center field. SeaWolves centerfielder Daniel Fields was able to get to the ball but had it tip off his glove as he and the ball both crashed into the centerfield wall. Fields stayed down after colliding with the wall and Rojas was able to round the bases for an inside-the-park homer.
Rojas, Jr., Cunningham, Curry, Lambo and Paulino all had two hits apiece in the victory. Paulino reached base five times in the win with a pair of hits and three walks to his credit on Friday night.
With a win under its belt, Altoona (1-1) sets its sights on two-in-a-row on Saturday when they meet Erie (1-1) in the third game of the series at 1:35 p.m. Highly-touted prospect Jameson Taillon makes his 2013 debut with Altoona as he gets the game ball on Saturday afternoon for the Curve. In a twist of fate, he'll be opposed by former Curve starter and current SeaWolves RHP Derek Hankins.
Airtime on ESPN Radio 1430, WVAM and the Curve Radio Network is scheduled for 1:05 p.m. For tickets and more information on the Curve homestand starting Thursday, April 11, call 877.99.CURVE, visit AltoonaCurve.com or stop by the ticket windows at Peoples Natural Gas Field.
-CURVE-