MLN Newswire - www.mlntherawfeed.com-The Altoona Curve and the Erie SeaWolves will meet up for the 16th time this season out of a scheduled 25 meetings. Altoona and Erie are each others most common opponent this season with the Eastern League’s unbalanced scheduling. The SeaWolves come into tonight’s action holding a 10-5 advantage in the season series thus far and a 5-3 advantage in games played at Jerry Uht Park.

FOR ALTOONA: Southpaw Kyle Bloom is on the hill for the Curve tonight. Bloom is making his ninth start of the season and his first against Erie. Bloom is coming off his first win of the year in his last outing against New Britain where he threw 5.0 innings and gave up just one run on two hits and has now allowed only one earned run in his last 12.2 innings. He faced Erie five times during the 2008 season. In those five outings Bloom went 1-0 with a 4.32 ERA including a 5.0 inning outing where he allowed just one hit and no runs in his most recent appearance against the ‘Wolves on 7/14/08. Bloom was a 5th round draft selection by the Pirates in 2004. Bloom was selected by the Detroit Tigers in the Major League Phase of the Rule 5 Draft in December 2008, spending all of spring training with the Tigers. After failing to secure a spot on Detroit’s 25-man roster, he was returned to the Pittsburgh chain.

FOR ERIE: RHP Thad Webber will make his Double-A debut for the ‘Wolves. Webber was Detroit’s 16th round draft choice in June 2008 out of the University of Nebraska. Webber was 4-4 with a 2.13 ERA for the Lakeland Flying Tigers (A-Advanced) in 12 starts. He struck out 40 batters and walked just 11 in 67.1 ip. In five of his 12 starts, Webber went 7.0 innings or more, including a complete-game on 6/11 vs. Sarasota.

ALVAREZ ARRIVES: Pirates’ first ro2008 und draft pick Pedro Alvarez joins the Curve for his first taste of Double-A baseball tonight. The 22-year old third baseman and native of New York City comes in as the Pirates No. 1 as rated prospect by Baseball America. Alvarez spent the first half of the season in Lynchburg (A) where he led the Hillcats with 14 home runs and 55 RBIs in 66 games.

PACHECO LEADS THE WAY: OF Jonel Pacheco has done it all for the Curve. He leads the team in hits (61), home runs (7), stolen bases (9), extra-base hits (18), and is tied for the team lead in multi hit games (15) and is second on the team in batting average (.268). Pacheco has reached base in 11 consecutive contests and has recorded a hit in 17 out of 21 games in the month of June.

SERIES STARS: Brian Friday and Jason Delaney have been a nightmare for Erie pitchers. The two have combined to go 27-for-65 (.415) with 11 RBIs and 16 runs scored against the SeaWolves. SeaWolves Brennan Boesch and Ryan Strieby have excelled against the Curve this season hitting seven home runs and driving home 25 runs in 15 games against Altoona.

ONE STEP CLOSER: Pirates 2006 first round pick Brad Lincoln has been promoted to Triple-A Indianapolis and will officially be added to the roster prior to his start on June 24...The 23-year-old Lincoln posted a 2.28 ERA (75.0ip/19er) and 65 strikeouts in 13 starts this year for Double-A Altoona...In five starts last month, Brad posted a 0.80 ERA (33.2ip/3er), which included a stretch of 20.1 consecutive scoreless innings...At the time of his promotion to Indianapolis, Lincoln ranked third among all Eastern League hurlers in ERA and fourth in strikeouts.

RECENT TRANSACTIONS: JUNE 20: RHP Randy Newsom activated from the Disabled List... RHP Yoslan Herrera placed on the DL (lower back strain)...JUNE 17: C Milver Reyes added from Lynchburg (A) roster...JUNE 16: C Miguel Perez promoted to Indianapolis (AAA)...JUNE 12: RHP Tyler Herron signed as a minor league free agent and assigned to Double-A Altoona...RHP Moises Robles sent to Lynchburg (A).

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