The SeaWolves squeaked out a second consecutive one-run victory over Hartford, winning 3-2.
Erie plated an early run against Hartford starter Joe Rock in the first inning. Trei Cruz singled to open the game and advanced to third on Colt Keith’s double. Cruz later scored on Andrew Navigato’s ground out.
The SeaWolves squeaked out a second consecutive one-run victory over Hartford, winning 3-2.
Erie plated an early run against Hartford starter Joe Rock in the first inning. Trei Cruz singled to open the game and advanced to third on Colt Keith’s double. Cruz later scored on Andrew Navigato’s ground out.
The Yard Goats scored to tie in the bottom of the first against Ty Madden. Niko Decolati led off with a double. He scored with two out on Yanquiel Fernandez’s RBI single.
Both Madden and Rock settled in to throw three scoreless innings after the first. Erie would go ahead in the fifth inning against Rock. Dillon Dingler led off with a double, which was the first of two in the game for him. Ben Malgeri was hit by pitch and Luis Santana walked to load the bases with no outs. Cruz singled one run home and Keith drove home a second on a fielder’s choice, giving Erie a 3-1 lead.
After Madden retired the first two hitters in the bottom of the fifth on nice defensive plays from Cruz and Malgeri, he ran into trouble. He walked Decolati and gave up consecutive singles to Grant Lavigne and Hunter Goodman. Goodman’s single cut Erie’s lead to 3-2. Austin Bergner relieved Madden and struck out Fernandez to strand two runners.
Bergner (2-0) got the win in relief in his first appearance for Erie since May 9 after being transferred back from Triple-A Toledo. Rock (0-4) took the loss.
After Bergner and Angel De Jesus tossed scoreless relief, Blake Holub took over in the eighth. He retired six of the seven batters he faced, striking out the final two in the eighth and first two in the ninth. With two out in the ninth, Decolati singled, stole second, and advanced to third on a wild pitch. Holub retired Lavigne to strand the tying run at third base, collecting his first save in Double-A.
Erie, with a magic number of two over Altoona, can clinch a first-half title with a win and an Altoona loss tomorrow. Erie and Hartford play at 7:10 p.m. with Wilmer Flores opposing Chris McMahon.