From the Altoona Curve:
Altoona Survives Late SeaWolves Rally on Saturday Night
Cruz extends on-base streak to 21 games as Curve finish with 16 hits
ERIE, PA – Mason Martin blasted his eighth home run of the season in a three hit, four RBI performance as Altoona defeated Erie, 8-7, on Saturday night at UPMC Park.
It was Martin’s third home run of the series and eighth this season, tying Rodolfo Castro and Oneil Cruz for a team high. His two-run home run off Erie starter Chance Kirby started the scoring for the Curve in the fourth inning.
Erie opened the game with four runs across the first two innings. After scoring on a Spencer Torkelson sacrifice fly in the first, Riley Greene launched a three-run home run in the second to make it a 4-0 game. Greene later hit an RBI double in the bottom of the fourth to extend the Erie lead 5-2. Greene finished 3-3 with four RBI and was a single shy of a cycle.
Altoona began its comeback in the sixth inning on a Cal Mitchell RBI double, scoring Martin, who was hit by a pitch. Mitchell finished with three hits in the contest.
Jesus Valdez hit his first Double-A home run in the seventh inning, a solo shot off reliever Max Green (Loss, 1-2). Castro then tied the game with a single to score Cruz before Brendt CItta gave Altoona the lead, 6-5, on an RBI single to cap off a three run seventh inning. Castro finished with four hits for the third time this season, going 4-5.
Martin provided the Curve with two much needed insurance runs in the top of the ninth with a bases-clearing double, scoring Castro and Canaan Smith-Njigba to make it an 8-5 ballgame.
Erie rallied in the ninth inning when Torkelson doubled off Curve reliever Hunter Stratton (Save, 5) to score Greene. Kerry Carpenter then hit an RBI single to score Torkelson and bring the tying runner to third base before Stratton struck out John Valente to end the contest. This marked the first outing this season where Stratton has allowed more than one run.
Cruz extended his on-base streak to 21 games in the win, finishing 3-5 with two doubles. The 16 hits for Altoona marks the second-most in a game this season, two behind their season-high of 18. The game began with a 26 minute delay due to rain.
Curve starter Osvaldo Bido allowed five runs on 4.1 innings pitched. Cam Vieaux (Win, 2-1) tossed 2.2 scoreless innings and Cristofer Melendez earned a hold in a scoreless eighth inning.
The Curve conclude their six-game set with the Erie SeaWolves at UPMC Park on Sunday afternoon. RHP Jeff Passantino (1-2, 2.15) will start for Altoona with the SeaWolves sending RHP A.J. Ladwig (1-2, 4.43) to the mound.
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