CURVE, Pa. – Mitch Keller logged seven innings and received support from homers by Jason Martin and Logan Hill in the Altoona Curve’s 5-2 win over the Erie SeaWolves at Peoples Natural Gas Field on Thursday night.
(Photo courtesy of Altoona Curve)
The win gives the Curve (14-10) five straight victories as they remain tied for first place in the Eastern League’s Western Division.
Martin slugged his second homer of the season to right in the third inning as Altoona extended its lead to 2-0, and Hill smacked his third of the season, a two-run blast to center, that finished the Curve’s scoring in the fifth.
Keller (Win, 3-1) held the SeaWolves (8-17) off the board and allowed two hits through six innings before he allowed a pair of runs in the seventh. The Pirates’ top prospect fanned six batters and walked two with four hits allowed.
Altoona’s offense supported Keller with a first-inning score as Jordan George delivered an RBI single to score Cole Tucker. Stephen Alemais pushed the lead to 3-0 in the fourth after a sacrifice fly that scored Hill.
Erie scored its first run on a sacrifice fly in the seventh. Altoona’s lead was trimmed down to 5-2 after a two-out, RBI triple by Troy Montgomery.
Sean Keselica relieved Keller after seven frames and tossed a 1-2-3 eighth, and Jesus Liranzo (Save, 2) locked down the final outs in the ninth.
Hill has homered in back-to-back home games at PNG Field and ended the night 2-for-4. Christian Kelley (2-for-4) and Ke’Bryan Hayes (2-for-4) also recorded multiple hits for the Curve. Prior to Thursday’s game, Hayes received his 2017 MiLB Rawlings Gold Glove Award as the top defensive third baseman in Minor League Baseball last season with Bradenton.
The Curve and SeaWolves continue their series on Friday with a double-header to make up their April 24 game that postponed due to rain. Altoona will start left-hander Taylor Hearn (0-2, 5.75) in the first game as Erie will start left-hander Tyler Alexander (2-0, 2.91). First pitch is scheduled for 4:30 p.m. at PNG Field with the second game to follow.
Friday will be Star Wars Night at PNG Field along with postgame fireworks. On the field, the Curve will wear special Han Solo uniforms in game two, presented by Aircon Engineering, Inc. The Han Solo uniforms, worn just weeks before the release of Solo: A Star Wars Story, will be auctioned off and the bidding will be end after the fourth inning in game two. Tickets are valid for both games on Friday and the ballpark gates open at 3:30 p.m.
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