Valdez Drives in Playoff Record Five Runs in 11-5 Game One Victory

CURVE, Pa. – Altoona rallied for seven runs in the sixth inning and held on for an 11-5 win over the Erie SeaWolves in Game One of the Southwest Division series. The Curve hold a 1-0 game lead in the Best-of-Three series with the SeaWolves.

Esmerlyn Valdez homered in the second and tied the game with a two-run single in the sixth inning. He added a two-run double in the seventh and recorded a Curve playoff record five runs batted in. Konnor Griffin picked up three hits, including an infield single that resulted in three runs scored with a throwing error by Erie, and walked in the victory. Nick Cimillo, Termarr Johnson and Tres Gonzalez each had two hits and combined to score five runs in the win.

Erie scored three times in the top of the third inning off Wilber Dotel before Altoona’s bullpen shut down the SeaWolves offense. Landon Tomkins set down all six men he faced across the fourth and fifth inning before Mike Walsh tossed two innings of relief. Walsh struck out the side in order in the sixth and worked around a run allowed in the seventh inning. Tyler Samaniego closed out the win with two scoreless frames and recorded a pair of strikeouts.

Eight of the Curve batters in the order reached base safely in the win as Altoona had a baserunner in every inning except for the fifth.

Altoona continues the Southwest Division series at Erie at 6:00 p.m. on Thursday night at UPMC Park. RHP Antwone Kelly is slated to start for the Curve, LHP Andrew Sears will throw for Erie.

For tickets and more information on the 2025 Altoona Curve Season, presented by Stuckey Automotive, visit AltoonaCurve.com, call 877.99.CURVE or stop by the PNG Field box office. Additionally, the Stockyard Team Store is open Monday-Friday from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m., during every home game and online 24/7/365.