Aeros Edge Curve

CURVE, Pa.  - Brett Brach and a pair of relievers combined to limit the Curve to just three hits and one run, and the division-leading Aeros distanced themselves in the ninth to hold off the Curve and earn a 3-1 victory Tuesday night at Peoples Natural Gas Field.

Akron's league-best pitching staff showed all night long why its staff ERA of 3.09 entering the day was nearly a half-run lower than any other team in the circuit. Brach led the way with a dominant start, silencing the Curve over seven innings. The right-hander, who had posted a 7.36 ERA in two previous appearances against Altoona this year, looked like a different pitcher than those previous dates. On this night, Brach (4-7) surrendered just two hits and worked around three walks with four strikeouts.

Akron plated a run in the second inning that looked like it would be the game's only tally for the majority of the night. Jesus Aguilar led off against Altoona starter Tyler Waldron and came home two batters later when Adam Abraham singled him home. Waldron (1-2) settled down after that, the lone blemish on his night, matching Brach's seven innings with seven of his own, walking three against two strikeouts and allowing three total hits.

Clinging to their 1-0 lead, the Aeros broke the game open against relievers Nate Baker and Vic Black in the ninth, putting a pair on against Baker and bringing them home against Black to make it a 3-0 advantage. The Curve scored a run in the bottom of the ninth inning against Akron closer Preston Guilmet (24) to avoid the shutout but still mustered just three hits and seven total baserunners. Until the ninth, Altoona didn't have multiple baserunners on in the same inning once.

--Curve Media Relations--