NYPL State College Spikes

Holmes Excels as Spikes Come Close, But Fall to Cyclones, 6-3

Published on July 14, 2012 under New York-Penn League (NYPL)
State College Spikes News Release


STATE COLLEGE, PA - Clay Holmes produced five scoreless innings for the State College Spikes, and the Spikes came back from a six-run deficit to bring the winning run to the plate, but the Brooklyn Cyclones' offensive surge in between was too much for the Spikes in a 6-3 defeat on Saturday night at Medlar Field at Lubrano Park.

State College (14-12) nearly completed the largest ninth-inning comeback in franchise history. Trailing 6-0, the Spikes cracked the scoreboard for the first time after Jacob Stallings delivered a sacrifice fly to center field, then Walker Gourley plated another run with a single one batter later.

Following a flyout, a walk to Rodarrick Jones, and a pitching change, Yhonathan Barrios's infield single loaded the bases. Jodaneli Carvajal's bases-loaded walk brought another run in to make Ryan Hornback the winning run at the plate. Hornback struck out against Brooklyn (16-10) closer Ryan Vaderheiden (5), though, to end the game.

Holmes, the Pirates' ninth-round draft pick in 2011, was stellar on the mound yet again, yielding just one hit and two walks during his time on the mound. The 19-year-old right-hander faced the minimum 12 batters through four innings, eliciting a double play to erase his first walk, then pitched out of a jam with two runners on in the fifth. The outing marked the fourth time in five starts that Holmes has gone five innings without allowing an earned run.

Cyclones starter Luis Mateo (4-1) matched and then surpassed Holmes's effort, though, by going seven innings on the mound for the win and allowing just one hit to Samuel Gonzalez, plus a walk and a hit batsman. Barrett Barnes collected both the time hit by pitch and the base on balls against him, as no Spikes baserunner reached second while Mateo was on the mound.

Brooklyn scored the first run of the game in the sixth inning on Dimas Ponce's double to left field, then piled on three runs in the seventh and two more in the eighth as Ponce added another run batted in and Brandon Nimmo tripled to bring home a run as well.

Emmanuel De Leon (0-1) took the loss for State College after giving up four runs, but only one earned run, on four hits and two walks over 1 1/3 innings.

Vanderheiden allowed a hit and a walk for Brooklyn, but got the save with his final strikeout.

Sunday, the Spikes and Cyclones meet at 6:05 p.m. for the second game of their three-game series at Medlar Field at Lubrano Park. Right-hander Jason Creasy (0-1) gets the call on the mound for State College, while Brooklyn will send right-hander Luis Cessa (1-1) to the hill.

Sunday is a Family Fireworks Funday at the ballpark presented by First National Bank, with FIREWORKS after the game presented by VisitMyrtleBeach.com . In addition, VisitMyrtleBeach.com will be giving fans the chance to win a four-day, three-night trip to the fantastic vacation destination of Myrtle Beach, South Carolina by entering a drawing at the ballpark during the game.

Fans can also hang ten with Santa on Christmas Beach Party Night, participate in a Pre-Game Catch on the Field from 5-5:30 p.m., and kids 12 and under can run the bases after the game, presented by Clinical Outcomes Group, Inc.

Tickets for Sunday's game, as well as every Spikes regular season home game in 2012, 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 Sunday via the Spikes Radio Network, presented by Penn State Sports Medicine, at 5:35 p.m. with the Spikes GameDay Show live from the concourse behind home plate at 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.

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New York-Penn League Stories from July 14, 2012


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