State College Spikes �4, �Hudson Valley Renegades �3 (box)
All of the scoring came in the late innings in this game. �Starter Zack Dodson pitched 4 scoreless innings, allowing only 2 hits, no walks, and striking out 5 batters. �Dodson worked around a single in each of the first two innings, then retiring the last 9 batters he faced. �Mitch Fienemann took the next 3 innings for the Spikes. �The Renegades scored the first run of the game in the 6th inning, on a walk, a stolen base, and an RBI single. �Fienemann hit a batter in the 5th inning, then retired the next three batters, and he also retired three more Renegades in order in the 7th.
The Spikes answered with 3 runs in the 7th. �1B Matt Curry led off with a double, and moved to third base on a wild pitch. �A walk by RF Justin Bencsko put runners on the corners, and 2B Kelson Brown brought both Curry and Bencsko in with a triple. �After an intentional walk to C Jairo Marquez, CF Kyle Saukko plated Brown with a sacrifice fly. �They tacked on an insurance run in the 8th, with a double by Curry, a wild pitch, and a sacrifice fly by DH Gerlis Rodriguez.
Jason Townsend put the Renegades down in order in the 8th, but gave up 2 unearned runs in the 9th inning. �A fielding error by 1B�Curry put a runner on base, then a walk and a single drove in the runs. �Townsend ended the inning with a fly out, to preserve the win.
�
Reading Phillies �6, �Altoona Curve �4 (box)
Both teams posted 10 hits in this contest, but it was the R-Phils who made the most of their hits to take the win. �The Curve scored first, with 2 runs in the top of the 1st inning. �SS Chase d’Arnaud and CF Gorkys Hernandez opened the game with back-to-back singles, and 2B Josh Harrison sacrifice bunted them both up one base. �1B Matt Hague’s ground out brought d’Arnaud in, and 3B Jordy Mercer doubled in Hernandez.
But the R-Phils got to Curve starter Jared Hughes in three consecutive innings to take the lead. �In the bottom of the 1st, former Pirate farmhand Rich Thompson was hit by a pitch, moved to second base on a single, took third on a double play, and scored on an RBI double. �A walk and a 2-run homer added to the score in the 2nd inning. �Two singles, a throwing error, and an RBI ground out gave the R-Phils a run in the 4th, and a 4-2 lead.
The Curve got one run back in the top of the 6th. �Mercer doubled and RF�Brandon Jones walked, then LF Anthony Norman lined a single into center field, scoring Mercer. �The next two Curve batters, C Kris Watts and Hughes, struck out, and there must have been something going on with the strike zone all day, because those strikeouts prompted an argument, and Curve Manager Matt Walbeck was ejected from the game.
Reading came back in the bottom of the 6th with two more runs off Hughes. �A single, a double, and a walk loaded the bases with one out. �A grounder to second produced a force out at second, but not a double play, and the runner from third scored. �A single by Thompson brought in the second run and ended Hughes’ evening. �Dustin Molleken finished the inning, then pitched a scoreless 7th for the Curve.
Hague homered to begin the 8th inning, but that was the last run the Curve would get. �Diego Moreno pitched the final inning for the Curve, retiring the R-Phils in order in the bottom of the 8th.
Jordy Mercer had 3 hits in the game.
Zach Duke will make a rehab start for the Power on Monday.
�
Hagerstown Suns �11, �West Virginia Power �9 (box)
Lots of fireworks in the late innings in Hagerstown, but unfortunately the Power did not come out on top. �Hagerstown scored first, with an unearned run on a fielding error by 2B Jarek Cunningham and a double in the 3rd inning. �The Power answered right back in the top of the 4th, with a double by CF Evan Chambers. A passed ball and an RBI ground out by RF David Rubinstein brought in Chambers to tie the score.
The Suns provided the first burst of fireworks in the bottom of the 5th. �Two walks, two singles, and a double brought in 3 runs before starter Kyle McPherson was relieved by Mike Williams. A fielding error by 1B Aaron Baker put runners on first and second bases. �The two runners pulled off a double steal, and when the throw from C Ramon Cabrera got by Cunningham covering second base, the lead runner came around to score. �All 4 runs (3 earned) were charged to McPherson, who allowed 5 runs (3 earned) on 7 hits and 2 walks, with 5 strikeouts in 4.1 innings.
Cunningham got one of the runs back in the top of the 6th, when he was hit by a pitch, moved to second on Baker’s single, on to third on a catchers’ interference call, and scored on 3B Jesus Brito’s sacrifice fly. �But the Suns came right back with 2 runs in the bottom of the inning, on a solo home run, a hit batter, and a triple off Williams. �The Suns continued their fireworks in the 7th, with a double, a walk, and a single, driving in another run. �Williams was relieved by Zach Foster, who gave up three consecutive singles and a walk, as 2 more runs scored (one charged to Williams). �The bases were loaded when Foster got a ground out to end the inning, but the Suns had a 10-2 lead.
Then the Power started some fireworks. �Rubinstein singled and moved to second base on a ground out. �LF Jose Hernandez walked, and both Rubinstein and Hernandez scored on Brito’s double. �Cabrera singled, plating Brito, and the Power were moving closer, 10-5. �The Suns picked up one more unearned run in the bottom of the inning, on a double, a fielding error by Baker and a missed catch error by Foster. �The Power didn’t lose their momentum, though, and they continued the fireworks with a 9th inning rally. �SS Benji Gonzalez led off with a single, and Chambers reached on a missed catch error at second as the Suns tried for a double play. �Rubinstein singled to load the bases. �Baker walked, forcing in a run, then Hernandez doubled, scoring Chambers and Rubinstein. �Brito’s sacrifice fly let Baker score from third, and the Power were down by 2 runs and the tying run was at the plate. �But Cabrera grounded out, ending the rally and the game.
�
