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By Jarrod Prugar
For the Mirror
Tsung-Che Cheng's three-run home run wasn't enough to overcome the Erie Seawolves as they beat the Altoona Curve 7-3 in front of 5,026 people Tuesday night at PNG Field.
The Curve, who have transformed into the Altoona Pizzas this week, fell behind early as starting pitcher Nick Dombkowski allowed a run in the third and then two in the fifth.
"We've done a really good job of making plays that we need to make," Altoona bench coach Gary Green said. "Tonight, one got away from us at second base and we weren't able to pitch around it and it led to a crooked number for them."
Dombkowski didn't get much help from his offense throughout his outing as Altoona mustered three hits prior to the eighth inning when Cheng hit his three-run homer to get the Curve on the board.
The Altoona offense was stymied by SeaWolves starter Lael Lockhart, who tossed six innings of shutout baseball allowing three hits while striking out nine.
"When they're pitching like they're pitching you have to make the plays you need to make," Green said. "You have to keep the game tight the best you can because it's going to be a battle trying to score runs."
It wasn't until late the Curve were able to find the scoreboard, but even with Cheng's home run in the eighth, they were unable to overcome the deficit.
"I thought the at bats were a little bit better as we went through the game," Green said. "We just had those couple of things that put us behind the eight ball and we couldn't come back from it."
Long ball woes
Another game and another bout with the long ball gone awry for the Altoona Curve. This time it was Grant Ford who struggled, giving up two home runs in a four-run seventh inning that put the game away for good for Erie.
"If you execute the pitch, the chances of getting guys out are pretty good. Whether we think it's the right pitch or not the right pitch," Green said. "I just don't think Ford executed his pitches as well in his second when he needed to."
It was another game that featured crooked numbers in multiple innings as Dombkowski got knocked around for a two-run inning in the fifth.
Cheng's streak
Cheng's hitting streak moved to 15 games with his double in the fifth inning. He would later homer in the bottom of the eighth giving him six multi-hit games during his current streak.
He finished 2-for-4 with a run and three RBIs Tuesday night.
Crabbe absent
Altoona manager Callix Crabbe will be away from the team this week as he tends to a personal matter.
Bench coach Gary Green will be assuming Crabbe's managerial duties in his absence.
Roster move
Prior to Tuesday's game RHP Tahnaj Thomas was activated from the Temporary Inactive List. He took the place of LHP Anthony Solometo who was placed on the Development List.
It's a move to protect Solometo in his first full year of professional baseball.
"He's been limited a little bit anyway," Green said. "This is just to protect his arm."