STATE COLLEGE SPIKES (14-14) @ HUDSON VALLEY RENEGADES (13-15)Game # 28 Road Game # 14
Dutchess Stadium, Wappings Falls, NY
Thursday, July 19, 2007 7:05 p.m.
RHP Matt Foust (0-2, 3.38) vs. RHP Joshua Johnson (1-1, 3.71)
THE STARTERS:
MATT FOUST will make his sixth start of the year for the Spikes. Foust was the Pirates' sixth round draft pick this past June, and has pitched solid though he has yet to record a win. In his last start against the Brooklyn Cyclones, Foust received a no decision after pitching 5.0 innings and giving up just one run without giving up a single hit. In his last three starts, Foust has gone 5.0 innings or more. His longest outing of the season came on July 2 versus Batavia when he went 6.0 scoreless innings against the Muckdogs. Foust tied a Spikes franchise record with nine strikeouts against the Vermont Lake Monsters on July 8.
The Overland Park, Kansas native was a teammate of last night's starting pitcher Tony Watson at the University of Nebraska.
In high school, Foust was selected as the 2003 Gatorade Player of the Year in Kansas.
JOSHUA JOHNSON makes his sixth appearance and fourth start of the 2007 season. The Missisippi native has made starts in his last three outings for Manager Matt Quartraro. In those three starts Johnson has gone 5.0 innings in each start, allowing no more than four hits. The 22-year old right-hander has held opposing hitters to a .194 batting average. Right-handed hitters are having an especially difficult time off Johnson, hitting just .167 (6-for-36) against him.
LAST NIGHT'S GAME
The State College Spikes snapped a four game losing streak and took the middle game of a three-game set against the Hudson Valley Renegades 5-4 at Dutchess Stadium Wednesday night. Tony Watson (5-0) once again was solid for State College, going 6.0 innings, giving up three runs and striking out five. Watson has won his last five decisions consecutively, while the Spikes are now 6-0 when he toes the rubber. TONIGHTS GAME The Spikes will look to take the rubber match of the series against Hudson Valley. State College has not won a series since they took two of three against the Williamsport Crosscutters on July 3-6. Since then the Spikes have lost their last three series against Vermont, Oneonta and Brooklyn.
TRANSACTIONS
The Pirates' today have promoted INF Michael Ambrose to Lynchburg (A) and permanently added RHP Nicolas Suero to the active roster. Suero was on a rehab assignment with the Spikes for the first 27 games of the 2007 season.
FRIDAY ON A WEDNESDAY
Last night, Brian Friday, the third round pick of the Pirates' in this June's draft made his professional debut. Friday led off for the Spikes and played shortstop. The former member of the Rice Owls was 0-for-4, but reached base once after being hit by a pitch and promptly stole second base. Friday is expected to become the everyday shortstop for the Spikes especially with the promotion of Michael Ambrose.
MINI-SURGE
The five runs the Spikes scored last night were the most State College has put up since their July 4 victory against Williamsport by the score of 7-6 at Medlar Field at Lubrano Park. The most runs the Spikes have scored this year is 10, which they did twice in back-to-back games against the Batavia Muckdogs (10-6 win on June 27) and the Jamestown Jammers (10-5 win on June 28).
The Spikes are last in the NYPL in runs scored with 102. Mahoning Valley leads the league in runs scored with 157.
BANGED UP
The Pirates' fifth round draft pick from TCU, catcher Andrew Walker is still on the shelf with a bruised right thumb, which he jammed diving back into a base on July 11 versus Oneonta. Walker is expected to return to the Spikes lineup day or two. Walker has caught bullpen sessions and warmed up pitchers in between innings over the last few games. In his absence, Nick Stillwagon has started the last six games behind the plate, while Ricky Diaz got his first start of the year last night. The Spikes have used four different catchers this year (Stillwagon, Diaz, Matt Clarkson and Walker)
NOT LOSING ANY GROUND
Even though the Spikes have lost eight out of their last 10 games, they have not lost as much ground in the Pinckney Division as one may think. State College is second place -- just 2.5 games behind the first place Auburn Doubledays (17-12). While the Spikes have had a rough stretch, so have other Pinckney Division foes. The Jamestown Jammers (6-4) are the only team that has a record above .500 over their last 10 games.
The Spikes are just 2-8 against teams from the Stedlar and McNamara Divions so far this year, as opposed to a record of 12-6 against teams within the Pinckney Division.
PIRATES AFFILIATE REPORT
PITTSBURGH (40-54) lost their sixth consecutive game last night vs. Coloardo 5-3. Freddy Sanchez and Adam LaRoche homered in the losing effort...INDIANAPOLIS (49-47) lost to Scranton/Wilkes-Barre, 3-2. LHP Michael Tejera (3-2, 3.89) allowed one run and eight hits in 7 2/3 innings...ALTOONA (48-46) beat Bowie, 10-4. RHP Dewon Brazelton (2-2, 2.54) allowed four runs in six innings. LF Jason Delaney (.323) went 5 for 5 with a double and two RBIs. 1B Steve Pearce (.324) hit his 23rd home run...LYNCHBURG (42-50) beat Winston-Salem, 6-3. RHP Jean Garavito (5-5, 2.82) allowed three runs in eight innings...HICKORY (42-52) won at Delmarva, 4-3 in 11 innings. RHP Jared Hughes (7-6, 3.79) allowed two runs, one earned, in seven innings. RF Jonel Pacheco (.302) went 4 for 5 with his 54th RBI...BRADENTON (10-14) beat the Reds, 6-5. RHP Carlos Amaro (1-0, 3.79) allowed two runs in 5 1/3 innings. 2B Caleb Fields (.274) went 3 for 4.
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