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State College Spikes

Long Ball Helps Spikes Find Rhythm in 9-4 Win over Spinners

August 3, 2019 - New York-Penn League (NYPL)
State College Spikes News Release


LOWELL, Mass. - Stanley Espinal and Martin Figueroa led the State College Spikes' offensive resurgence with a home run apiece, and Jeremy Randolph was dominant in relief on the mound as the Spikes topped the New York-Penn League-leading Lowell Spinnners, 9-4, on Saturday night at Edward A. LeLacheur Park.

Espinal, who played seven games for Lowell (30-17) as a member of the Red Sox organization before being traded to the Cardinals in 2017, notched five RBI on the night. The Spikes (24-24) left fielder started with a two-run single in the fourth before launching a three-run homer to left field, his second of the year, on the first pitch he saw in the sixth to give State College the lead for good.

Figueroa produced three runs batted in during the evening, beginning with a run-scoring single in the fourth. The University of Rhode Island product then smacked a two-run homer to right field, his third of the season, in the seventh to add to the Spikes' advantage.

Pedro Pages drove in the other State College run with a single in the seventh.

Randolph (2-2) came on in relief of Adrian Mardueno in the fifth and set down all ten batters he faced over 3 1/3 innings. The 2019 26th-round draft choice, who announced earlier in the day that he had completed the requirements to earn his master's degree from the University of Alabama, compiled three strikeouts to earn his second professional win.

Mardueno also delivered a solid outing, yielding four runs, but only two earned, on five hits over 4 2/3 innings. The right-hander also struck out six batters.

Fabian Blanco gave up two hits, but also struck out two batters to run the staff's total to 11, to finish out the Spikes' victory.

The Spinners took the opening lead in the second inning on three consecutive doubles by Joe Davis, Wil Dalton and Nick Decker. Gilberto Jimenez, who came into the game ranking third in the New York-Penn League in batting average, hit a two-run homer to right field, his second of the year, to give Lowell its last lead in the fifth.

Spinners reliever Miguel Suero (1-3) took the loss after allowing six runs on five hits and a hit batsman while striking out three batters over 3 1/3 innings.

Former major leaguer Jenrry Mejia pitched a perfect eighth inning for Lowell that included two strikeouts on a minor league rehab assignment from Triple-A Pawtucket.

The Spikes now look to capture a series victory in the rubber match of their three-game set with the Spinners at Edward A. LeLacheur Park on Sunday. The 5:05 p.m. matchup will feature right-hander Michael YaSenka, the Cardinals' Minor League Pitcher of the Month for July, making his debut for State College.

YaSenka, the Cardinals' 2019 17th-round draft choice out of Eastern Illinois, has compiled a 2-1 record and a 0.56 ERA over seven professional outings, five of them starts, while striking out 37 batters and walking only 6 over 30 1/3 innings. The Franklin, Pa. native struck out a career-high 10 batters in a seven-inning, complete-game win over Kingsport on July 24.

Lowell will go with right-hander Ryan Zeferjahn (0-1), the 2019 third-round draft choice of the Red Sox from the University of Kansas, on the mound.

Following the six-game road trip through Lowell and Auburn, the Spikes host a three-game series against the Batavia Muckdogs (Miami Marlins) from Thursday, August 8 through Saturday, August 10.

Highlights include Ladies Night with a Confer's Jewelers Gift Card Giveaway on Thursday, FIREWORKS presented by The Meadows to go with a "Happy Valley Grilled Stickies" Jersey Auction presented by PSECU to benefit Children's Miracle Network, a Myrtle Beach Trip Giveaway and Scout Night on Friday, and FIREWORKS on Ag Night presented by Local PA Dairy Famers with a special return engagement for the Cowboy Monkey Rodeo on Saturday.

Tickets for all three games from Thursday to Saturday, as well as every game on the 2019 home schedule, are currently on sale through the Spikes Ticket Office. Tickets can be purchased by calling (814) 272-1711 or by visiting the Ticket Office in person from 9 a.m. to the end of the game on gamedays Monday through Friday, 10 a.m. to the end of the game on gamedays Saturday and Sunday, and 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. on non-gamedays Monday through Friday.

Fans can also buy and download 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, Official Healthcare Provider of Penn State Athletics, at 4:50 p.m. with Spikes Live, presented by Mount Nittany Health, on the air from LeLacheur Park. The Spikes' radio broadcast can also be heard worldwide through the "Listen Live" link on StateCollegeSpikes.com, provided by the club's flagship radio home, NEWSRADIO 1390 WRSC, as well as the TuneIn Radio app.

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