Two Late Homers Bring Curve Back over Erie
June 4, 2019 - Eastern League (EL1)
Altoona Curve News Release
ERIE, Pa. - A three-run homer by Hunter Owen tied Monday's game at UPMC Park before Bligh Madris socked a go-ahead, solo shot during a five-run top of the ninth inning as the Altoona Curve came from behind to beat the Erie SeaWolves, 9-8.
The Curve (25-29) trailed 8-3 after seven and scratched across one run in the eighth when SeaWolves (26-26) reliever Brandyn Sittinger walked Brett Pope with the bases loaded, one of three walks in the inning. Down four entering the ninth, Jared Oliva and Mitchell Tolman started the inning with singles before Will Vest (Loss, 1-3) filled the bases with a free pass to Jerrick Suiter. Logan Hill grounded out to first, the first out of the inning, to bring home Oliva and rolled the lineup to Owen.
Owen 13th homer and 40th RBI evened the score, 8-8, when he slugged the second pitch from Vest high off neighboring Erie Insurance Arena beyond left field. Madris was the next batter and smashed a 2-2 pitch over the right field fence to lift Altoona to their first lead of the game.
Vicente Campos (Win, 2-2) locked down a scoreless eighth inning before Angel German (Save, 2) pitched a 1-2-3 ninth to close out the victory.
The SeaWolves opened up an 8-3 lead with a four-run seventh against Joel Cesar. Three straight hits started the inning as the first five reached base, including two-run doubles by Kade Scivicque and Cole Peterson to account for the scoring.
The contest started as a pitchers battle between James Marvel and Anthony Castro. Castro, the Erie starter, retired the first 10 Curve batters and allowed one run over his first six innings before he came back out to let up two in the seventh. Marvel ducked around five early singles by the SeaWolves, which resulted in one run during the second, before he sat down nine straight. His streak ended when Isaac Paredes homered to left-center and put Erie ahead, 2-1.
The SeaWolves got to Marvel for two more in the sixth. Peterson singled and scored on a double by Chace Numata, who came in to score from on a pickoff error at first base by reliever Blake Weiman. Marvel finished with seven strikeouts and was charged with three earned runs over 5.1 innings.
Owen and Madris teamed up for Altoona's first run of the game during the fifth when Owen tripled to start the frame and scored on a groundout by Madris. Arden Pabst ran into his first home run of the year, a two-run shot to left, during the seventh inning, which made it a one-run, 4-3 game at the time. Tolman racked up three hits in the win, including the first Curve hit, a double, of the night in the fourth.
Curve manager Michael Ryan was ejected in the top of the seventh inning after Tolman got a strike called on a check swing. It was his third ejection of the season, all of which have ended with Curve wins.
The two clubs combined for 25 hits while both pitching staffs struck out double digits.
The series continues on Tuesday morning with a 10:35 a.m. first pitch with right-hander Pedro Vasquez (3-1, 3.32) starting for the Curve against Erie right-hander Logan Shore (2-4, 4.70).
After a three-game series in Erie, the Curve are back at PNG Field starting on Friday for a six-game homestand. The Akron RubberDucks and Portland Sea Dogs will each be in Altoona for three games each with promotional highlights of the D-Day Tribute jerseys on June 7, Pittsburgh Dad appearance on June 13 and three FIREWORKS shows. For tickets or more information about upcoming promotions, 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 5 p.m., during every home game and online 24/7/365.
• Discuss this story on the Eastern League message board...
Eastern League Stories from June 4, 2019
- Senators Rally for 9-8 Win - Harrisburg Senators
- Kremer Settles Down in 3-0 Loss - Chesapeake Baysox
- R-Phils Smack 3 Homers in 8-5 Loss at Akron - Reading Fightin Phils
- Game Recap: Thunder Limited to One Hit in 3-0 Loss to Hartford - Trenton Thunder
- Tom Powers RubberDucks Early in 8-5 Victory - Akron RubberDucks
- Ponies Rally Falls Short in Series-Opening Loss to Sens - Binghamton Rumble Ponies
- Goats Roll Thunder with One-Hitter, Three Homers - Hartford Yard Goats
- NH Shuts out Bowie as Wall Extends League-Best Hit Streak to 15 Games - New Hampshire Fisher Cats
- Four Straight for the 'Dogs, 5-2 Win over Richmond - Portland Sea Dogs
- Akron RubberDucks Homestand Highlights (June 4-6) - Akron RubberDucks
- Farmers Market Coming to PNG Field this Summer - Altoona Curve
- Sea Dogs Game Notes June 4th vs. Richmond - Portland Sea Dogs
- Harrisburg Senators Game Information and Starting Lineup vs. Binghamton - Harrisburg Senators
- Shore Tosses a Quality Start on Tuesday - Erie SeaWolves
- Vasquez, Sulser Fire Shutout in Erie - Altoona Curve
- RubberDucks Ka'ai Tom Named Eastern League's May Player of the Month - Akron RubberDucks
- Rumble Ponies Game Notes: GM #52 Rumble Ponies (30-21) at Harrisburg Senators (35-21) - Binghamton Rumble Ponies
- Akron's Ka'ai Tom Named May Player of the Month - EL1
- Doubleheader Moved to June 26 - Binghamton Rumble Ponies
- Erie SeaWolves vs. Altoona Curve - Game Notes - Erie SeaWolves
- Two Late Homers Bring Curve Back over Erie - Altoona Curve
The opinions expressed in this release are those of the organization issuing it, and do not necessarily reflect the thoughts or opinions of OurSports Central or its staff.
