
Muckdogs' late rally trumps Spikes, 8-7
August 31, 2009 - New York-Penn League (NYPL)
State College Spikes News Release
BATAVIA, NY - Back-to-back home runs from Justin Byler and David Rubinstein fueled a State College Spikes offensive surge, but the Batavia Muckdogs came back to win in the bottom of the ninth, 8-7, at Dwyer Stadium on Monday.
Rubinstein went 3-for-5 in the game, and came up just a single shy of the cycle after adding a two-run triple and a double to his third home run of the season. The solo shot followed Byler's fifth home run of the year, a two-run blast to left that gave State College (34-36) a 5-4 lead. Byler finished the game 2-for-5 with two runs scored.
The back-and-forth contest saw Batavia (36-34) come back from a three-run deficit to win, scoring two runs in the ninth inning to provide the winning margin. The two teams combined for seven runs in the first inning alone, with the Muckdogs scoring four. Seven of the Spikes' 11 hits went for extra bases.
Marc Baca (1-3) took the loss for State College in his first blown save of the year, going a total of one inning and allowing two unearned runs in the ninth on a hit and two walks. Spikes reliever Nelson Pereira set a season high for strikeouts in a single appearance with nine over four no-hit innings from the second to the fifth.
Josh Squatrito (4-1) was awarded the win for Batavia after pitching a scoreless ninth inning. The Muckdogs' Kyle Conley, who drove in the game-winning run in the final at-bat, also added a solo home run, his sixth of the season, in the sixth inning.
Tuesday, the Spikes take on the Muckdogs in the final meeting between the two teams this season at Dwyer Stadium. The 7:05 p.m. matchup will feature State College right-hander Jeff Inman (0-0) making his first career start after being taken by the Pirates in the 12th round of the 2009 MLB Draft out of Stanford University. Inman will be opposed by Batavia right-hander Deryk Hooker (1-5).
New York-Penn League Stories from August 31, 2009
- Scrappers clinch Pinckney Division Title - Mahoning Valley Scrappers
- Muckdogs' late rally trumps Spikes, 8-7 - State College Spikes
- Crosscutters fall to Mahoning Valley, 8-4 - Williamsport Crosscutters
- Staten Island wins 10th straight with 5-3 win over Vermont - Vermont Lake Monsters
- Beltran to play in Brooklyn on Wednesday - Brooklyn Cyclones
- Spikes attendance finishes '09 season on high note - State College Spikes
- State College Spikes Game Notes - State College Spikes
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