ALTOONA, Pa. – The Altoona Curve broke a tie with a run in the bottom of the eighth inning Tuesday night and held on for a 2-1 victory against the Portland Sea Dogs at Blair County Stadium.

The victory was the fourth straight for the Curve. The Sea Dogs suffered their second straight loss.

“(The Curve) were rolling pretty good,” Portland Manager Arnie Beyeler said.

“To come in here and play them tough like that, that’s all we can ask for. It was just a good ballgame. We came out on the short side of it.”

Portland starter Alex Wilson held the Curve scoreless through the first two innings, allowing only a second-inning single to Matt Hague.

But then Chase d’Arnaud roped a solo two-out homer over the left-field wall in the third.

Gorkys Hernandez followed on the next pitch with a double off the right-field wall, but Wilson forced Josh Harrison to fly to Portland right fielder Chih-Hsien Chiang to end the inning.

With two outs in the sixth,Wilson walked Hague and the next batter, Jordy Mercer, singled on a dribbler to right. Wilson followed by walking Hector Gimenez to load the bases.

Beyeler then pulled Wilson in favor of right-hander Eammon Portice, who forced Alex Presley to foul out to left fielder Ryan Khoury.

Luis Exposito homered off Altoona left-hander Rudy Owens in the top of the seventh to make it 1-1.

After walking Miles Durham to open the bottom of the seventh, Portice retired the next three batters.

In the top of the eighth, Anthony Rizzo drew a leadoff walk from Altoona reliever Dustin Molleken, and Khoury reached on a fielding error by d’Arnaud at shortstop.

But Chiang hit into a double play that left Rizzo on third, and a strikeout by designated hitter Juan Apodaca ended Portland’s threat.

Harrison, Hague and Mercer each singled for Altoona to open the eighth, with Mercer driving home Harrison to give the Curve their 2-1 lead.

“Late in the game they got a big hit,” Beyeler said. “We had a couple of opportunities. We had a chance there late (but couldn’t convert).”

Daniel Moskos relieved Molleken in the top of the ninth, striking out Nate Spears, getting Che-Hsuan Lin to ground to short, then striking out Ray Chang to end it.

Portice (3-5) took the loss, allowing three hits and a run in relief of Wilson, striking out one and walking another.

Bryce Cox closed out the game for the Sea Dogs, with one strikeout.

Wilson pitched 52/3 innings, allowing two walks and striking out four.

Molleken (3-3) earned the win for Altoona.