Altoona Curve  8,  Erie SeaWolves  6
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Two big innings gave the Curve enough runs to withstand a late-inning rally by the SeaWolves and take the win to open this series.  The Curve got started with a two-out rally which scored 4 runs in the bottom of the 2nd.  After a line out and a ground out, C Tony Sanchez and DH Kris Watts both walked.  1B Miles Durham and RF Brad Chalk then hit back-to-back doubles, with Durham driving in one run and Watts adding two.  2B Brock Holt reached base on a fielding error at shortstop, moving Chalk to third base.  Chalk scored on a balk, giving the Curve a 4-0 lead.  They added 3 more runs in the 5th, beginning with Holt's lead-off single through the hole into right field.  CF Starling Marte dropped down a sacrifice bunt to moved Holt to second base. Three consecutive singles, by LF Quincy Latimore, Mercer, and 3B Jeremy Farrell brought in one run (Mercer's RBI).  After a pitching change, Sanchez made it four straight singles with a liner into center field, scoring Latimore and Mercer.  The Curve added one more insurance run in the 7t, on a single by Latimore and an RBI double by Mercer.  

Aaron Pribanic made the start for the Curve and earned his second win of the season.  He pitched 5 scoreless innings, allowing 4 hits and a walk.  Two of the hits, a single and a double, came in the 3rd inning, and were followed by a bouncer back to the mound, which Pribanic returned to Sanchez, who tagged out the lead runner at the plate.  Two more singles came in the 4th, and both of those runners were left on base.  Brian Leach pitched the 6th and 7th innings and gave up a run in each.  A walk and a triple plated the run in the 6th, and a walk, a single, and two ground outs brought in the run in the 7th.  Tom Boleska began the 8th inning, and got into trouble right away.  Two walks and a double loaded the bases, and a sacrifice fly scored one run.  After another walk, Boleska was relieved by Noah Krol.  The first batter Krol faced doubled into left field for 2 runs, and a hit batter and an RBI ground out gave Erie the fourth run of the inning.  Krol ended the rally with a strikeout, then retired the SeaWolves in order in the 9th to earn his 6th Save of the season.  

Brian Friday makes the play at third base.



Norfolk Tides  6,  Indianapolis Indians  0
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Three Norfolk pitchers combined to hold the Indians to just 3 hits in a shut-out game tonight at Victory Field.  Only the outfielders had hits --  LF Alex Presley and CF Gorkys Hernandez both singled and RF Andrew Lambo doubled.  Starter Rudy Owens was not able to contain the Tides' batters, and he suffered his second loss of the season.

The Tides' batters got to Owens (photo) in the top of the 1st.  CF Tyler Henson and 2B Ryan Adams led off with back-to-back singles into left field.  With runners on the corners, Owens struck out the next two batters, former Indy Indian SS Nick Green and 1B Brandon Snyder.  It looked like Owens might get out of the jam, but LF Nolan Reimold worked the count full, fouled off a couple more pitches, then ripped a double into left-center field.  LF Presley and CF Hernandez both raced toward the ball, and at the last possible second, Presley made a desperate dive -- but could not come up with the ball.  That drove in both base runners, to give the Tides a 2-0 lead.  

Owens pitched a scoreless 2nd inning, then gave up a solo home run to Snyder in the 3rd inning, increasing the Tides' lead to 3-0.  He retired the side in order in the 4th.  In the 5th, RF Blake Davis grounded sharply through the hole and into left field, but as he rounded first and headed for second, Davis was not counting on Presley in left field.  Presley came up throwing, and his throw to 2B Pedro Ciriaco was on-target and well ahead of Davis, who was out at second.  Adams also reached base when he grounded to first.  1B Matt Hague made a great diving stop, but when Owens arrived to cover the bag, he dropped Hague's toss for an error.  Adams was left on first when a fly out ended the inning.