Spikes take third win in a row, top Scrappers

STATE COLLEGE, PA - The State College Spikes ran their win streak to three in comeback fashion as five straight hits in the seventh inning, capped by Bruce Caldwell's RBI single, catapulted them to a 4-3 win over the Mahoning Valley Scrappers on Monday night at Medlar Field at Lubrano Park.

State College (13-8) has now won seven of its last nine games and, with Jamestown's two losses to Batavia, has jumped into a tie for first place in the Pinckney Division.

Caldwell and Jimmy Bosco each produced RBI singles for State College as the Spikes erased a 3-2 deficit entering the seventh. Alex De Leon also had a big night with the first three-hit game of his professional career coming one game after his first pro home run.

David Washington started the scoring with a majestic two-run homer to center field in the first inning off Mahoning Valley starter Caleb Hamrick. Hamrick, however, gave up only those two runs on four hits and a walk over six innings. The right-hander kept State College at bay and allowed the Scrappers to take the lead on Ryan Battaglia's three-run homer in the fourth.

Cesar Valera, who was named the New York-Penn League Player of the Week for July 1-7 earlier in the evening, extended his on-base streak to 18 games with a 2-for-4 night that included a double, a run scored, and a stolen base.

Spikes starter Ben O'Shea (3-1) earned the win and became the second State College pitcher to log a seven-inning outing in the 2013 season. O'Shea yielded Battaglia's homer, but battled back to keep the game close. The southpaw allowed a total of seven hits and a walk while striking out three. Kyle Webb (1) got the save with a one-hit ninth inning in which he recorded one strikeout.

Scrappers reliever Ben Heller (0-2) took the loss after giving up both of the Spikes' seventh-inning runs and all five hits in his only inning of work. Heller struck out one.

Cody Ferrell went 3-for-4 for Mahoning Valley, while Scrappers Nellie Rodriguez and Juan Romero also collected multiple hits.

The game was delayed 15 minutes at the outset by a rain shower that passed through shortly before game time.

Tuesday, the Spikes complete a six-game homestand with the finale of their three-game set against the Scrappers. State College will send right-hander Willy Paulino (1-1) to the bump for the 7:05 p.m. matchup at Medlar Field at Lubrano Park. Paulino is making his first start of the year for the Spikes after appearing five times in a relief role. Mahoning Valley concludes the series with right-hander Robert Whitenack (1-2) starting on the mound.

The ballpark fun begins early as the first 500 fans will receive cool Spikes t-shirts, presented by P.J. Harrigan's, on T-Shirt Tuesday. Plus, 16 oz. Yuengling and Yuengling Light draft beers will be available for just $2.50 apiece during the Yuengling Happy Hour from 6-7 p.m.

All Bullpen Box seats will also be available on a Buy One, Get One Free basis for the night, presented by the Centre Daily Times.

In addition, fans are encouraged to bring gift cards, brand new clothing, books and toys for children ages 0-11, and other non-perishable items to the Spikes' Donation Drive in partnership with B94.5. All items donated will go to those families displaced by the fire that occurred on Waupelani Drive in State College on July 4.

Tickets for Tuesday's game, as well as every Spikes home game on the 2013 slate, are currently on sale through the Spikes Box Office by calling (814) 272-1711 or by visiting in person. Fans can also buy and print single-game tickets by visiting StateCollegeSpikes.com.

Catch all of the action on Tuesday via the Spikes Radio Network, presented by Penn State Sports Medicine, at 6:35 p.m. with Spikes Live, presented by Mount Nittany Health, on the air from Medlar Field at Lubrano Park. The Spikes' radio broadcast can also be heard worldwide through the "Listen Live" link on StateCollegeSpikes.com, provided by 95.3 FM 3WZ.