A.J. Ladwig got scuffed in the first inning by Rodolfo Castro. The Altoona infielder slugged a two-run home run to right field to give the Curve a first-inning lead for the third time in four games. Ladwig would allow another home run in the fifth inning to Altoona’s Joe Jimenez, a solo shot. It was the first professional hit for the catcher. Around the home runs, however, Ladwig served up five innings of work to earn his second win of the season.
Erie got strong outings from their relievers over the afternoon, including a pair of scoreless innings from Brad Bass. Chavez Fernander allowed a run in the eighth inning with a pair of Altoona hits and a groundout, but still worked out the save.
The Erie offense constantly hit Jeff Passantino on the mound. The Altoona starter surrendered a season-high seven hits in just four innings of work. Andre Lipcius doubled to right field to start the second inning, and Kerry Carpenter singled in the same direction to drive him home. After a wild pitch and another single, Carpenter scored on a ground out by Dylan Rosa to tie the game at two.
Spencer Torkelson put Erie ahead in the third inning with his second home run in Double-A, a solo shot to right field. Dillon Dingler scored the second run of the inning after singling, stealing second, and finally coming home on a sacrifice fly by Carpenter.
Carpenter scored another run in the sixth inning on a single by John Valente, and he drove in another in the seventh with a single up the middle to bring home Dillon Dingler, helping keep Altoona an arm’s reach away.
Erie hits the road on Tuesday to begin a seven game series with the Akron RubberDucks. It will be the second time this year that Erie visits Canal Park, after they won three games in Akron earlier this month. First pitch for the first game of the series is set for 6:35 p.m. Erie will return to UPMC Park on June 29 when they face Reading in a six game series.