The Aeros erased almost all of an early four-run deficit but could never get the game back even as the Erie SeaWolves claimed a 7-4 win before 2,550 fans at Canal Park Tuesday night. The Wolves won their fourth straight game to improve to 14-10, while Akron slipped to 9-14.

Erie got out of the gate quickly, using three straight two-out doubles from Wilkin Ramirez, Max St. Pierre and Jeff Frazier to take a 2-0 lead in the top of the first. Ramirez then doubled the advantage to 4-0 in the top of the third when he socked a two-run homer off Akron starter Ryan Edell down the left field line.

Edell did a nice job of getting out of a jam in the fourth as he left runners at second and third, and Akron climbed back into the contest in the bottom of the inning. Chris Gimenez reached on a two-out error by Danny Worth, and Ryan Goleski followed with a hard single to left. Nathan Panther then grounded an RBI single to right to score Gimenez and get Akron on the board, and Brandon Chaves beat out an infield single up the first base line to load the bases. Kody Kirkland couldn’t handle Jose Constanza’s chopper at third base as his error cut the margin to 4-2, and Josh Rodriguez then worked a walk to force in another run and make it 4-3 before Michael Aubrey grounded out to end the inning.

The SeaWolves got a two-run cushion back on Ramirez’s second home run of the night, a solo shot to left-center that chased Edell from the game. The Aeros answered back however, using two walks and a groundout to get runners to second and third with two away in the bottom of the sixth. Rodriguez got ahead in the count 3-1 and smoked a fastball back up the middle, but it ricocheted off the leg of reliever Marcelo Perez and stayed on the infield as only one run could score. Aubrey then flied out to end the inning with the tying run 90 feet away, and Akron would not get another runner into scoring position. Erie iced the game with two runs in the ninth off J.D. Martin.

Perez (1-0) got the win out of the Erie bullpen after starter Luke French reached his pitch count after just four innings. Perez allowed a run and hit in two innings. Edell (1-1) suffered the loss, allowing five runs and eight hits in 4.1 innings. He struck out five and did not allow a walk, and four of the hits he surrendered came with two strikes on the hitters. Freddy Dolsi earned his second save. Rodriguez went 1-4 and drove in two runs to lead the offense, and Panther reached base three times on a single and two walks while scoring twice.

Game two in this three-game series is set for 7:05 p.m. Wednesday, with Akron’s Kevin Dixon (0-3, 7.11 ERA) taking on Erie’s Andrew Kown (2-2, 6.95 ERA). It’s a Family Four Pack Day at Canal Park, with four tickets, four hot dogs, four bags of chips and four sodas for just $48. The game broadcast begins at 6:50 p.m. on SportsRadio 1350 AM and online at www.akronaeros.com. For more information, please call the Aeros at (330) 253-5151.