NILES, Ohio - In their fifth one-run game in a row, the State College Spikes took an early lead and held off the Mahoning Valley Scrappers to win, 2-1, at Eastwood Field Wednesday night.
Pittsburgh Pirates first-round draft pick Tony Sanchez, in what was scheduled to be his final game with State College (2-4), went 1-for-2 with a double and a run scored. Sanchez will join the West Virginia Power after attending the banquet for the Coleman Company Johnny Bench Award, which honors the nation's best collegiate catcher. The Boston College product is a finalist for the award.
The Spikes' Pat Irvine snapped out of an 0-for-12 streak to go 2 for 2 in the game including a second-inning single that drove in David Rubinstein for the first State College run.
Rubinstein also produced a multi-hit game, going 2 for 4 with a run scored a night after his Spikes record 24-game on-base streak was snapped. Craig Parry had two hits as well, his first of the 2009 season.
Despite leaving 11 runners on base, the Spikes were able to turn three inning-ending double plays to halt their losing streak at three and salvage a win in the final game of a three-game series against the Scrappers.
State College left-hander Tyler Cox (1-1) rebounded from a rough outing on Opening Night to pitch six strong innings for the win. Cox allowed just one run on seven hits and a walk, while striking out five. The six-inning effort was the longest by a Spikes starter this season.
Alan Knotts (1) finished the game with a scoreless ninth inning to pick up the first save by a Spike this year.
Mahoning Valley (5-1) southpaw Ryan Anthony (0-1) took the loss in his first professional start, allowing both Spikes runs on five hits and two walks over three innings. Anthony also struck out two.
The Spikes next travel to the Finger Lakes of New York to start a three-game set with the Auburn Doubledays tonight. Game time is set for 7:05 p.m.
State College will send right-hander Quinton Miller (0-0) to the mound for his second professional start, while Auburn is scheduled to start right-hander Joel Carreno (0-0) making his second start of the season after spending the 2008 season with the Doubledays.
