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Curve unable to hold on to 5-0 early lead in loss

EL baseball

PORTLAND, ME. — The Curve jumped out to a 5-0 lead in the top of the first, but Portland rallied back and held on late for a 7-6 win over the Curve on Wednesday afternoon at Delta Dental Stadium in Portland on Wednesday afternoon.

Altoona jumped all over Sea Dogs starter Hayden Mullins in the first on a steamy afternoon for baseball. Titus Dumitru slammed his team-leading 11th home run of the season and Matt King added a two-run single as the Curve sent all nine hitters in their lineup to the plate.

Mullins left after his 37-pitch first inning and Portland’s bullpen held the Curve to just one run over the final eight innings.

The Sea Dogs rallied with a run in the first, three in the second and three more in the third to take a 7-5 lead after three innings. Working on a bullpen day, starter Christian Tortosa and Jaycob Deese pitched the first two innings of the game, combining to throw 77 pitches.

Portland’s Franklin Arias knocked his 17th homer of the season in the third inning off Cy Nielson to get the lead in the third inning.

Altoona drew a run closer in the eighth inning when Matt King brought a run home on a sacrifice fly, however, the Curve stranded two in scoring position in the eighth and the tying run at third in the ninth inning.

Callan Moss picked up three hits in the loss, doubling in the first and adding singles in the sixth and eighth innings. He was one of four Curve players to record a multi-hit game, joined by King, Dumitru and Jesus Castillo.

Lonnie White Jr. extended his on-base streak to 22 games with a walk in the ninth inning. Dominic Pipkin and Brandon Neeck each delivered two scoreless innings of relief for the Curve, combining to strike out four.

Altoona continues its six-game series with the Sea Dogs, Double-A affiliate of the Boston Red Sox, at 6 p.m. The Curve will send LHP Dominic Perachi to the mound with Portland starting RHP Gage Ziehl.

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