From Mirror reports
ERIE - The Curve enjoyed their best offensive game of the season Wednesday night and overcame a shaky bullpen performance to hold off Erie.
Altoona scored three runs in each of the first, second and fourth innings to take a big lead, then was able to hang on for an 11-8 win over the SeaWolves at Jerry Uht Park. Erie scored five runs in the seventh inning and brought the tying run to the plate in the eighth but drew no closer than three.
The 11 runs marked a season high for the Curve, and they matched their season best with 14 hits.
Five Altoona batters had at least two hits, led by leadoff man Robbie Grossman's 3-for-5 effort. The Curve entered the day with only five home runs all season but got two more, one apiece by Matt Curry and Brock Holt.
Curry, Tony Sanchez, Ramon Cabrera and Jeremy Farrell each had two hits for Altoona, which also drew nine walks.
Fact Box
Next stop
Today: Altoona at Erie, 11:05 a.m.
Pitching matchups: Curve LHP Kris Johnson (0-0, 1.04) vs. SeaWolves RHP James Avery (3-1, 2.42)
Record: 10-14
Five hitters also had two RBIs apiece: Grossman, Holt, Curry, Cabrera and Farrell.
Curry hit a two-run homer in the first inning. Holt belted a two-run blast in the second off Erie starter Kelvin De La Cruz to make it 5-0.
De La Cruz (1-3) showed his frustration by plunking the next hitter, Sanchez, which got him immediately ejected.
Farrell doubled home two runs in the fourth to stretch Altoona's lead to 9-2. The Curve led 11-2 after Grossman doubled home two runs in the sixth.
Erie made things interesting in the late innings, however, getting a run in the sixth and five in the seventh.
Curve reliever Kris Harvey gave up all six of those runs - five earned - on six hits in 1 1/3 innings. His struggles came after starter Matt McSwain (2-0) pitched well, allowing two runs on six hits in five innings.
Duke Welker replaced Harvey with one out in the seventh inning, worked out of trouble and finished off the game for his second save.
Game recap
Key player: CF Robbie Grossman went 3-for-5 with a triple, double, two RBIs, a run and a walk.
Key play: 1B Matt Curry hit a two-run homer in the first inning, and SS Brock Holt hit a two-run shot in the second to give the Curve an early 6-0 lead.
Key stat: The Curve set a season high with 11 runs and matched their high with 14 hits.
How they scored
Top 1st: Grossman tripled, scored on Sanchez groundout (1-0); Curry two-run homer scored Sanchez (3-0).
Top 2nd: Gonzalez doubled, scored on Holt two-run homer (5-0); Sanchez hit by pitch, scored on Cabrera groundout (6-0).
Bottom 3rd: Johnson singled, Romero singled, both scored on Douglas double (6-2).
Top 4th: Holt walked, scored on Cabrera single (7-2); Sanchez singled, scored along with Cabrera on Farrell double (9-2).
Top 6th: Farrell walked, Cutler singled, both scored on Grossman double (11-2).
Bottom 6th: Plagman solo homer (11-3).
Bottom 7th: Brantly solo homer (11-4); Lennerton walked, Guez singled, both scored on Gaynor double (11-6); Plagman walked, scored on Curry error (11-7); Johnson sacrifice fly scored Gaynor (11-8).
