Curve Drop Another Close One, 2-1
April 8, 2011 - Eastern League (EL1)
Altoona Curve News Release
ERIE, Pa. - An odd fourth inning that saw Erie plate two unearned runs against Curve starter Jeff Locke (0-1) was enough for the SeaWovles as they topped the Curve, 2-1, on Friday night at Jerry Uht Park. Eric Fryer provided the only offense for the Curve as he slugged a solo home run in the second inning to give the Curve the initial lead.
Locke, who had retired seven straight batters entering the fourth inning, issued back-to-back singles to Rawley Bishop and Bryan Pounds to start the inning. He induced a Francisco Martinez groundout and then got the second out of the inning when Bishop tried to score from third on a come-backer hit by Bryan Holaday. Locke tossed home to Tony Sanchez, who chased down Bishop for the second out.
Seeming to get out of the inning, Locke struck out Audy Ciriaco with a ball in the dirt but it scooted away from Sanchez. The young backstop tracked the ball down but then made an errant throw towards first trying to complete the strikeout and Pounds scored from third to tie up the game. Ciriaco ended up at second base on the play and Holaday moved to third. Then with Deik Scram at the plate, Locke tossed a wild pitch that bounced away from home plate and that allowed Holaday to score from third.
All told, Locke went 4.2 innings and gave up the two unearned runs on four hits while striking out four and walking one.
Altoona had its chances to score all game long, stranding a total of seven base runners and going 0-for-7 with runners in scoring position. The Curve benefitted from four walks by SeaWolves starter L.J. Gagnier (1-0), who worked around his self-created jams for his first win of the season. The âWolves bullpen combined for four shutout innings and Chance Ruffin earned his first save of the season after a perfect ninth inning.
The Curve bullpen once again kept the game close with scoreless outings from Tim Alderson, Tom Boleska and Noah Krol. The three combined to throw 3.1 innings of scoreless, hitless baseball while fanning three.
Brock Holt reached base three times for Altoona, walking twice and doubling with two down in the seventh. Jordy Mercer and Fryer had the other hits in the game for the Curve.
After two straight one-run losses to open the season, Altoona (0-2) will search for a win in the daylight on Saturday as they match up with Erie (2-0) at 1:05 p.m. at Jerry Uht Park. LHP Aaron Thompson will make his Pirates organizational debut in the start for the Curve while RHP Luke Putkonen makes the start for the SeaWolves.
Pregame coverage will begin at 12:35 p.m. on ESPN Radio 1430, WVAM and the Altoona Curve Radio Network.
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