Erie SeaWolves (31-41) at Harrisburg Senators (39-31)
Today, 6:35 p.m.
Saturday, 6:05 p.m.
Sunday, 1:05 p.m.
Commerce Bank Park
Harrisburg
Pitching matchups
Today: Erie RH Ben Fritz (2-2, 5.66 ERA) vs. Harrisburg RH Adrian Alaniz (0-0, 0.00)
Saturday: Erie LH Danny Christensen (4-4, 3.60) vs. TBA
Sunday: Erie LH Lucas French (4-7, 4.85) vs. Harrisburg RH Shairon Martis (4-4, 3.98)
Erie notes: Tonight's game against Harrisburg marks the SeaWolves' first against a Southern Division opponent since they ended a three-game home series against Altoona on June 1. Since that series, the SeaWolves have played 15 straight games -- two series against Portland, two against New Hampshire and one against Binghamton -- against Northern Division teams. … Erie and Harrisburg meet in their fourth series of the season. Harrisburg has won six of nine games, having gone 3-3 in two home series and 3-0 against Erie at Jerry Uht Park May 9-11. … Christensen is 4-0 with one no-decision in his last five starts. … When the SeaWolves scored twice in the ninth inning to defeat Binghamton 5-4 on Wednesday, it marked the first time this season that Erie won a game when trailing after eight innings. The SeaWolves had been 0-30 when trailing after eight innings before second baseman Will Rhymes tripled in two runs with two outs. … After finishing this series, the SeaWolves close out their season-long 10-game road trip with a four-game series at Trenton Monday through Thursday. Erie begins a seven-game home stand on Friday, June 27, hosting Harrisburg in the opener of a three-game series.
Harrisburg notes: Alaniz was promoted to the Senators last week and was impressive in his Double-A debut on Saturday, a six-inning no-decision in which he allowed no runs and three hits in a 4-3 Senators win at Bowie. … Alaniz earned the promotion after going 9-0 with a 2.62 ERA at Single-A Potomac. Alaniz was a starter at the University of Texas, helping the Longhorns to a national championship in 2005. … Right-handed reliever Zech Zinicola was promoted to Triple-A Columbus on Thursday. He was 3-2 with six saves and a 2.89 ERA in 15 games with the Senators. … Right-hander Marco Estrada, a frontline starter, was promoted to Columbus on Monday after going 6-3 with a 2.66 ERA with the Senators. … Harrisburg manager John Stearns suffered a separated shoulder in a bicycle accident on Wednesday afternoon. He was in uniform and in the dugout for Harrisburg's game Wednesday night against Trenton. Stearns will remain with the team, but hitting coach Troy Gingrich will coach third base indefinitely. Stearns coached third base for the Washington Nationals on May 23. … As of Thursday, Ofilio Castro was leading all Eastern League third basemen with a .962 fielding percentage (five errors in 131 chances). … Luke Montz was leading all league catchers in homers (13), RBIs (49 ) extra-base hits (24 ) and slugging percentage (.571). He was also third in the league in throwing out runners (21 caught stealing in 43 attempts, 48.8 percent) … The Senators are 16-6 in series openers this season. … Nationals second baseman Ronnie Belliard went 0-for-12 during a three-game rehabilitation stay with Harrisburg two weeks ago.
-- Ron Leonardi