Photo courtesy Erie Times-News Altoona Curve infielder Konnor Griffin warms up between innings during an Eastern League playoff baseball game at Erie on Thursday.

ERIE — The Altoona Curve were able to take advantage of mistakes by the SeaWolves and drive in runs on Tuesday in Game 1.

Altoona struggled to bring in baserunners in Game 2 on Thursday in the Eastern League playoffs.

“We have to score runs,” Curve manager Andy Fox said. “Scoring one run isn’t going to get it done. We need to limit big innings and get off the field defensively.”

Erie pitcher Andrew Sears tossed five shutout innings to lead the SeaWolves to a 6-1 win in Game 2. The series wraps up tonight with Game 3 at 6:35 p.m. at UPMC Park.

The winner travels to Binghamton on Sunday to begin the Eastern League Championship Series as the Rumble Ponies swept Somerset in the other division series, 2-0, on Thursday night.

The SeaWolves jumped out to a 3-0 lead in the first two innings on RBI singles by Jake Holton and big-time prospect Max Clark. Josie Briceno added a bases-loaded walk as starter Antwone Kelly struggled with his command.

Kelly lasted two innings, allowing three runs on six hits and two walks. He threw 53 pitches, including 38 for strikes.

The Curve bullpen limited the SeaWolves to three runs over the next six innings, but they couldn’t solve Sears.

“He kept us off balance and we couldn’t get anything going,” Fox said. “He did a great job.”

Konnor Griffin, the top prospect in baseball and in the Pittsburgh Pirates system, was once again a bright spot for the Curve as he went 2-for-4 with two base hits. He also drove in the only Altoona run on a single in the seventh inning.

Nick Cimillo and Mitch Jebb both had two hits for Altoona, while prospect Termarr Johnson missed a solo home run by a match of inches. He clubbed a long ball down the right-field line that was initially ruled a home run but the umpires came together and overruled the call. The ball appeared to hit off the foul pole but it actually hit off a black pole used to hold of netting, which is inches to the right of the foul pole.

Sears allowed four hits and struck out three in five innings before Trevin Michael allowed one run in three innings and Richard Guasch closed out the game in the ninth inning.

“Sears pitched out of tough spots and executed his pitches. He lost his touch or a little bit but our pitching coach talked to him and got him back on track. He got some outstanding outs in situations and he had the outing we needed,” Erie manager Andrew Graham.

The SeaWolves’ defense also bounced back by committing no errors after three costly errors in Game 1.

The Curve, who left eight runners on base, will turn to lefty Blake Townsend in Game 3 with the season on the line.

“They know what to do and they understand the situation,” said Fox about talking to his team going into Friday. “This is why you play. It’s a fun environment and they have a good ballclub over there. We didn’t think this was going to be easy by any stretch.”