MLBDL State College Spikes

Spikes Get Close on Contreras's First Homer, Fall to Thunder, 5-4

Published on August 17, 2023 under Major League Baseball Draft League (MLBDL)
State College Spikes News Release


TRENTON, N.J.-Carlos Contreras smashed his first home run of the season for the State College Spikes to bring them within a run in the eighth inning, though the comeback came up just short in a 5-4 defeat at the hands of the Trenton Thunder on Thursday night at Trenton Thunder Ballpark.

Contreras, who had collected 11 extra-base hits before Thursday's game, including 10 doubles for the second-best total in the Major League Baseball Draft League's second half, took a 1-1 pitch from reliver David Stiehl over the right-field wall to trim the Spikes' (15-18 2nd Half) deficit to one run. A Sam Houston State product, Contreras is also now third in the league's second half with 26 runs batted in.

The Spikes had erased a 3-0 deficit to tie the game in the sixth.Josh Leslie got things going for State College with a leadoff single in the fifth, then moved to second onRyan Guardino's line-drive single to left-center field.Caleb Marquez then brought Leslie in with an RBI single to center, and after Guardino stole third base,Jesse Fonteboa's sacrifice fly to center brought him in to make it 3-2.

In the sixth,Braeden Blackford knocked in his 24th run of the season with a one-out single to center to bring inZac Vooletich and even the score at 3-3.

Trenton (15-14 2nd Half) regained the lead on a sixth-inning Spikes error, however, and bumped up its advantage onAnthony Abbatine's two-out, pinch-hit single to right-center to bring inRamon Jimenez.

Vooletich, who was named MLB Draft League Player of the Week for August 8-14 after collecting 13 hits in a six-game span, notched his eighth multi-hit performance in 18 games for the Spikes with a 2-for-4 night that included two stolen bases.

Kolby Johnson led off the bottom of the first inning with a home run for the Thunder, his fourth of the season.

Spikes relieverPatrick Kudelka (2-4) was charged with the loss after yielding one unearned run on one walk and one hit batsman over his lone inning of work.

Enrique Ozoa (1-1) gave up the lead in the sixth, but logged two innings of relief to pick up the win for Trenton. Ozoa yielded one run on two hits while striking out two batters.Brennan O'Neill(2) allowed a ninth-inning single to Guardino, but otherwise struck out the side in the ninth for the save.

The Spikes have now concluded a six-game, eight-day stretch filled with road games, and head home to Medlar Field at Lubrano Park to start a three-game series against the West Virginia Black Bears. Friday's series opener will start a 6:35 p.m. with right-handerXander Lovin (2-0) getting his second start for State College against an as yet unnamed West Virginia starter.

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Major League Baseball Draft League Stories from August 17, 2023


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