Erie Completes Sweep of Curve on Sunday
Published on May 13, 2012 under Eastern League (EL1)
Altoona Curve News Release
ERIE, Pa. - A late Altoona Curve charge came up short in the series finale versus Erie as the SeaWolves hung on to defeat the Curve, 4-2, and claim a four-game series sweep. Kelson Brown finished the game 2-for-4 and ran his hitting streak to six games.
The Curve bats didn't come alive in the game until the sixth inning down 4-0 against SeaWolves starter Kelvin de la Cruz (2-4). Robbie Grossman reached on a throwing error by Rawley Bishop to start the inning and then moved to third when Elevys Gonzalez singled. With runners at the corners, Jeremy Farrell struck out but Matt Curry came through with a single through the right side to score Grossman and get Altoona on the board.
Altoona's bats went back to work against de la Cruz in the seventh with one away when Anthony Norman and Brown both singled. Greg Picart followed with a walk and the bases were loaded for Grossman. Erie made a call to the bullpen for lefty Kenny Faulk to pitch to Grossman and he induced a fielder's choice off the bat of the Curve leadoff man. Norman trotted home from third on the play to cut the lead to just two at 4-2 but it was the closest the Curve would get on Sunday.
Brown drove a two-out single to left in the ninth inning but Picart flew out to end the ballgame.
Erie grabbed an early lead for the third time in the four-game series with two runs in the first off spot starter Matt McSwain (2-1). Jamie Johnson led off the game with a solo home run, his first of the year, and it was the second straight day in which an Erie batter led off the game with a home run. The 'Wolves grabbed one more run before the first was over on an RBI single by Ben Guez to make it, 2-0.
McSwain didn't face a batter over the minimum from the second through the fourth before running into trouble in the fifth. All told, McSwain tossed five innings and allowed four runs on eight hits with two strikeouts in his spot start.
Altoona's bullpen duo of Vic Black and Duke Welker combined for three scoreless innings and three strikeouts.
The Curve (13-22) will take Monday off for a scheduled off day before travelling to Bowie, Md. to continue the seven-game road trip with the first of three against the Bowie Baysox (AA - Baltimore) beginning Tuesday night at 7:05 p.m. RHP Tim Alderson (1-1, 1.69) will make his first start of the year for the Curve in the first game of the series. He'll be opposed on the opposite side by RHP Bobby Bundy (2-5, 4.26), who defeated the Curve last Wednesday in Curve, Pa.
Airtime on ESPN Radio, 1430 WVAM and the Curve Radio Network is slated for 6:35 p.m. For tickets and more information on the upcoming Curve homestand beginning Friday, May 18th, call 877.99.CURVE, visit www.AltoonaCurve.com or stop by the box office windows at Peoples Natural Gas Field.
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