Charlie Morton Goes six in Win

Win: Charlie Morton (1-0)
Loss: Patrick Cooper (0-2)
Save: Tim Alderson (1)
Attendance: 3,223
TOG: 2:27

Box Score

CURVE, Pa. - Charlie Morton (1-0) worked six solid innings in his second rehab start for the Curve to lead them to a 3-1 victory over the Erie SeaWolves on Sunday afternoon at Peoples Natural Gas Field. The Curve avoided being swept for the first time this season with the win.

Morton turned in arguably the most efficient outing by any Curve pitcher this season needing just 70 pitches to get through six innings. The right-hander threw more than 12 pitches in a frame just one time, which came in the second inning. 

The Altoona offense got on the board early, tallying a pair of runs in the bottom half of the first inning. Matt Curry got everything started with a two-out single before Andrew Lambo followed with a walk. Oscar Tejeda delivered the big blow with a two-run double to left-center to bring both Curry and Lambo home.

Erie answered right back, however, picking up a run in the top half of the second inning. Tyler Collins doubled to start the inning and came around to score on a James Robbins single that cut the Curve lead to 2-1. Morton was able to induce Corey Jones to pop-out to short and then got Luis Castillo to bounce into a double-play to preserve the lead.

Jhonathan Ramos came on in relief and picked up right where Morton left off. The left-hander worked 1.2 scoreless innings in his first appearance in Double-A this season. Ramos got into a two-out bases loaded jam in the top half of the eighth inning and was lifted for Tim Alderson. Alderson got Wade Gaynor to foul out to catcher Charlie Cutler to maintain the, 2-1, lead.

Andy Vasquez added some insurance with a line-drive home run over the right-field fence in the bottom of the eighth that pushed the lead to 3-1. The home run was the second of the season for Vasquez, who also extended his hitting streak to seven-games with a single in the second inning. 

Alderson followed his work in the eighth by working a perfect ninth inning to earn his first save of the season. Patrick Cooper (0-2) was the hard-luck loser for the SeaWolves. The right-hander turned in his longest outing of the season, working 6.2 innings while allowing five hits and just a pair of runs.

The Akron Aeros make their first trip to Peoples Natural Gas Field beginning a four-game series on Monday night at 6:30 p.m. Monday night is a Mirror Monday and fans should make sure to check the front page of the Sports section in the Altoona Mirror for your chance to receive $4 off grandstand tickets to Monday's game. We will also pay tribute to the cult classic film Office Space, which was also released in 1999, with Case of the Mondays Night. 

The Curve have plenty of things planned to celebrate the momentous occasions on Monday. Fans that are named Milton, which could include former MLB pitcher from Bellefonte, Pa. Eric Milton, will get in free to the game on Monday night vs. Akron. 

If you've had the unfortunate luck of not being named Milton, you can still get half off any ticket with our Wear Your Flair discount. Not all of us like talking about our flair but if you wear the minimum amount of flair, like Joanna, or go overboard with your flair, like Brian, you can get half off of any ticket. The minimum requirement for pieces of flair is 15. Now, if you feel that the bare minimum is enough, then okay. But some people will choose to wear more and we encourage that.  

Once fans are nestled in their seats for the game they'll be treated to a plethora of soothing Michael Bolton music throughout the night because we don't have a favorite, we kind of like them all. We'll also sprinkle in a few Kung Fu videos for fans to watch as well because, well, we love kung fu.

Rumor has it there will be one red Swingline stapler up for grabs to one lucky fan in addition to numerous other movie throw ins throughout the night. 

Taking the mound for the Curve (10-13) in Monday night's series opener against the Aeros will be RHP Stolmy Pimentel (1-0, 0.39). The right-hander enters Monday's contest with the best ERA in the 12-team Eastern League. He will be opposed by RHP Toru Murata (1-2, 3.63), who beat the Curve earlier this season in Akron.

Gates for the series opener against the Aeros will open at 5:30 p.m. while airtime on ESPN Radio 1430, WVAM and the Curve Radio Network is scheduled for 6 p.m. For tickets and more information on the current Curve homestand, call 877.99.CURVE, visit AltoonaCurve.com or stop by the ticket windows at Peoples Natural Gas Field.

-CURVE-