CURVE, Pa. – Erie starter Carlos Peña shut out the Curve through five innings, allowing just two hits, as the SeaWolves picked up a third straight win in the series, 7-2, in front of 7,156 fans on Sunday night at PNG Field.
Pirates infielder Konnor Griffin went 1-for-3 with an infield single in seven innings in the field in the first game of his major league rehab assignment.
Curve starter RHP Matt Ager pitched three innings and suffered the loss. He allowed six runs on eight hits and three home runs.
Murf Gray scored the Curve’s first run in the seventh inning with a solo home run to the lawn in left field off Seawolves reliever Eric Silva. Gray had three hits in four trips to the plate and has reached base safely in 32-of-34 games at Double-A.
The back of the Curve bullpen would stabilize the ship, coming in relief of Ager. First, Jake Shirk pitched 2.2 innings, allowing just one hit and one walk with a pair of strikeouts. Then Shirk would hand the ball to Cristhian Tortosa, who would continue his hot second half, pitching 1.1 innings allowing one run on three walks.
Mike Walsh and Aaron Shortridge combined for two perfect innings of relief with five strikeouts to wrap up the game on the mound.
In the bottom of the ninth the Curve threatened a comeback as an error, single and a walk loaded the bases for Titus Dumitru. Dumitru drew a walk to score Matt King, but the Curve would not be able to score again, falling 7-2.
Altoona returns to action against the Harrisburg Senators on Tuesday night at 6:30 p.m. LHP Nick Dombkowski will start on the mound for the Curve with RHP Jarlin Susana slated to start for Harrisburg.
For tickets and more information on the Altoona Curve, visit AltoonaCurve.com, call 877.99.CURVE or stop by the PNG Field box office. Additionally, the Stockyard Team Store is open Monday-Friday from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m., during every home game and online 24/7/365.