NYPL State College Spikes

State College Spikes Game Notes - July 4 at Tri-City

July 4, 2012 - New York-Penn League (NYPL)
State College Spikes News Release


Wednesday, July 4, 2012 - 6:00 p.m.

STATE COLLEGE SPIKES - Pittsburgh Pirates (8-8) at

TRI-CITY VALLEYCATS - Houston Astros (13-3)

Game #17 / Road Game #9

RHP Adrian Sampson (0-0, 9.00) vs. LHP Joe Bircher (0-0, 2.70)

WEDNESDAY, JULY 11: Half-Price Wednesday pres. by BIG Froggy 101...Heath Care Appreciation Night...Japanese Game Show Night

THURSDAY, JULY 12: Kids Eat N' Play Free Thursday pres. by Dairy Queen Grill & Chill...John Montgomery Ward Hall of Fame Replica Bust Giveaway (First 1,000 Fans, All Ages) pres. by Northwest Savings Bank....Bellefonte Community Night pres. by 95.3 FM 3WZ...Central PA Baseball History Night...Northwest Savings Bank Ticket Discount Night

-SPIKES HIT THE ROAD VS. HOT VALLEYCATS: The State College Spikes start a six-game road trip on the Fourth of July as they play the first game of a three-game set against the Tri-City ValleyCats at Joseph L. Bruno Stadium in Troy, NY. The Spikes are looking for their second road series win of the year, while Tri-City has won 11 in a row to top the New York-Penn League with a 13-3 record. Tri-City holds the all-time series lead, 12-6, and a 6-3 lead in games played in Troy.

-LAST GAME: Samuel Gonzalez struck the first home run of the season for the Spikes over the left-field wall in the sixth inning to tie the game, but the Batavia Muckdogs scored four runs in the eighth to deal the Spikes a 6-2 defeat last night at Medlar Field at Lubrano Park. Gonzalez's blast off of Batavia starter Ben O'Shea was the second round-tripper of his Spikes career, and snapped a 15-game homerless streak for State College to start the season. Ryan Hornback also contributed multiple hits for the Spikes.

-SAMPSON STARTS FOR FIRST TIME TONIGHT: Right-hander Adrian Sampson, the Pirates' fifth-round draft choice in 2012 out of Bellevue (WA) Community College, makes his first start as a professional for the Spikes tonight. Sampson made his pro debut on Saturday at Mahoning Valley, allowing two runs on four hits while striking out four over two innings of relief. Sampson went 11-0 this year at Bellevue, and posted a 1.36 ERA and 107 strikeouts in 79 1/3 innings.

-BIRCHER GETS BALL FOR VALLEYCATS: Left-hander Joe Bircher is slated to start for Tri-City tonight. Bircher, the 10th-round choice of the Astros in the 2012 MLB Draft, has made two professional starts so far, with both of them coming against the Connecticut Tigers. The southpaw has not gone longer than four innings in either start. An Omaha, NE native, Bircher posted a 3.58 career ERA at Bradley, the fifth-best in the metal-bat era (since 1974) at the school.

-SPIKES MOUND STAFFERS START STRONG: Jason Creasy, Clay Holmes, Luis Heredia, Jake Burnette and Joely Rodriguez each have at least one start of five innings or more with two earned runs or less this year. Holmes (1.98) and Heredia (0.64) hold two of the top three earned run averages in the entire Pirates system this year, with Rodriguez eighth at 3.21.

-SPIKE MARKS: Barrett Barnes is tied for the NYPL lead in times hit by pitch with 5, and is tied for 4th in steals with 5...State College as a team is now 22-for-27 in steal attempts this year...Jodaneli Carvajal has reached base in all 12 games he has played in 2012...Jordan Cooper is one of just five NYPL relievers with at least 6 IP not to have walked a batter this year

Check out the State College Spikes Statistics



New York-Penn League Stories from July 4, 2012


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