Kirby Hurls Quality Start as Erie Wins Third Straight

The SeaWolves used clutch starting pitching and timely hitting as they won their third straight, taking down the Harrisburg Senators, 4-3, on Thursday night at UPMC Park. The SeaWolves’ three consecutive wins put them at a season-high eight games above .500.

Erie loaded the bases in the third inning with an Andrew Navigato single sandwiched between walks to Chris Rabago and Dillon Dingler. Harrisburg starter Franklyn Kilome stepped off the mound with Andre Lipcius at the plate and dropped the baseball. The blunder proved costly for the Senators as it was deemed a balk, which allowed Rabago to score. Lipcius extended Erie’s lead to 2-0 with a sacrifice fly to center, scoring Navigato.

Harrisburg answered with two runs in the top of the fifth. Chance Kirby gave up back-to-back singles to Alfredo Rodriguez and Justin Connell to open the frame. The right-hander retired the next two hitters but gave up a game-tying two-run double to Gilbert Lara. Kirby induced a groundout to Mitch Longo to get out of the jam.

Erie regained the lead in the last of the sixth against reliever Francys Peguero when Dane Myers clobbered a two-run home run to left, his sixth of the season.

Dario Gardea delivered a scoreless seventh inning. He toed the rubber in the eighth and allowed a solo homer to Jake Alu to make it a 4-3 ballgame.

Yaya Chentouf worked a scoreless ninth inning with three strikeouts, earning the save. It was his fifth save of the season and first since April 28 at Binghamton.

Kirby (5-1) earned the win for the SeaWolves. He tossed six innings, allowing two runs on four hits with a walk and five strikeouts. It was the deepest Kirby has worked in a game and it was also the second quality start tossed by an Erie pitcher this season.

Peguero (1-2) took the loss for Harrisburg allowing two runs on three hits in two innings.