CURVE, Pa. – In a back-and-fourth ballgame, Altoona broke a 3-3 tie with a three-run sixth inning behind Edwin Espinal, who drove in the go-ahead run with a double as the Altoona Curve beat the Erie SeaWolves, 8-3, on Wednesday night at Peoples Natural Gas Field.

(Photo: Edwin Espinal, Altoona Curve)

The Curve (9-4) took two of three games from the SeaWolves (7-5) and went 5-1 on their season-opening homestand. Wednesday was Altoona’s first win this season in which they did not score first.

Down 2-0 after the top of the first inning, Altoona quickly tied the game. Jordan Luplow connected with an RBI single and Michael Suchy hit an RBI groundout to even the score.

In the fourth, Wyatt Mathisen hit an RBI groundout to put the Curve ahead 3-2.

After Erie tied the game at 3-3 in the top of the sixth, the Curve took the lead on Espinal’s double. Mathisen and Tomas Morales each added a run and the Curve stretched the lead to 6-3.

The SeaWolves loaded the bases with one out in the eighth inning, but Buddy Borden induced two fly outs to get out of the jam.

In the bottom of the eighth, Morales ripped a two-run single to extend the lead to 8-3. He matched his career high with three RBI on Wednesday.

J.T. Brubaker pitched 5 2/3 innings for the Curve, allowing three earned runs on seven hits while walking two and striking out four. Sean Keselica (Win, 2-0) followed in relief with 1 1/3 scoreless innings and Borden (Save, 1) pitched two scoreless innings to close out the win.

Tyler Alexander (Loss, 0-2) allowed five runs (three earned) in five innings of work, while walking one and striking out three. Ruben Alaniz allowed a run in two innings of relief and Paul Voelker allowed two runs on four hits in one inning.

Altoona will be off on Thursday before hitting the road on Friday for a six-game road trip starting in Akron. Right-hander Tanner Anderson (1-0, 0.84) will get the start for the Curve, opposite of right-hander Nick Pasquale (0-0, 4.66) for the RubberDucks. First pitch is at 6:35 p.m. from Canal Park.