The Erie SeaWolves received internal help from Niuman Romero and even more external help from Altoona for their latest victory.
Romero’s solo home run in the bottom of the fifth inning gave the SeaWolves a permanent lead Thursday night at Jerry Uht Park. But it was a left fielder Charlie Cutler’s error an inning later that truly bent the Curve.
Cutler allowed Romero’s easy two-out fly ball to bounce off the heel of his glove. The third of Altoona’s four errors allowed Ben Guez and Bryan Pounds to score Erie’s last two runs in a three-run insurance rally that culminated its 8-4 win.
– Mike Copper
Romero’s team-leading 23rd RBI helped Erie improve to 15-17 overall in the opener of its seven-game home stand. The victory also came in the fifth of eight straight games that the SeaWolves and Curve (13-19) are playing at Uht Park.
The first four took place April 30-May 3, the end of Erie’s previous home stand.
SeaWolves starter Zack Segovia allowed all four Altoona runs, but Romero’s homer still left him as Thursday’s winning pitcher. Left-hander Ryan Robowski blanked the Curve over the final four innings for his second save, as well as lower his earned-run average to 0.46 over 19 2/3 innings.
Friday represents Erie’s latest chance at its first three-game winning streak this season.
