Spikes' comeback falls short

Guy Cipriano

UNIVERSITY PARK — Two realities might prevent serious playoff talk from extending into September.

CDT/Michelle Bixby

Spikes' Justin Byler receives the ball as Brooklyn's Luis Rivera slides back into first during the Brooklyn at Spikes game Thursday, Aug. 20, 2009. CDT/Michelle Bixby

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The State College Spikes are 0-23 when trailing after six innings. Their record is 7-16 against non-Pinckney Division opponents.

Both numbers almost looked better today.

The offense went from unproductive to frantic during the ninth inning of Thursday’s 4-3 loss to Brooklyn at Medlar Field at Lubrano Park.

The Spikes (29-30) scored three times and moved the tying run to second base before Evan Chambers bounced into a game-ending fielder’s choice.

The ninth, which included a leadoff double from Justin Byler and singles by Pat Irvine, Butch Biela and Brock Holt, almost made it possible to forget about the first eight innings, which included only one runner moving into scoring position.

“It was nice to put up a fight at the end of the game,” Byler said. “It definitely showed that we can play with a team like Brooklyn. We are not that far from beating them.”

But almost in this case keeps the Spikes from gaining ground in the race for the New York-Penn League’s lone wildcard spot. With 17 games remaining, the Spikes trail Staten Island and Williamsport by 41/ 2 and 4 games, respectively. The Yankees and Crosscutters have dropped their first two games following the all-star break.

The Spikes, who started the series with a 6-1 clunker, are also 0-2 after the break. But they have faced one of the league’s tigers.

Tigers? It’s an appropriate term, considering a caged one was placed outside left field as part of an animal awareness program. Baseball tigers have strong starting pitching — just like Brooklyn.

Collin McHugh followed Darin Gorski’s solid start Wednesday by lasting seven innings Thursday. McHugh’s sinker and deft curveball challenged the Spikes as he struck out seven.

The Spikes, who outhit Brooklyn 9-8, moved their first runner into scoring position as Holt, who went 3 for 4, walked to begin the bottom of the first and reached second when first baseman Sam Honeck bobbled a ball hit by Aaron Baker.

The Spikes didn’t move another runner to second until Byler doubled to left field and scored on Irvine’s single to center in the ninth. Irvine then scored on Butch Biela’s chopper to right field and Holt’s single to left field scored Craig Parry. The Spikes smacked two hits off Brooklyn closer Michael Powers, who replaced Matias Carrillo after a walk to Parry. By getting Chambers to bounce a pitch to second baseman Jordany Valdespin, Powers improved to 14-for-14 in save opportunities.

“Coming back against a real good team and real good closer like that definitely says something,” Irvine said. “We are going to take the positive things and come into (today) and try to take one in this series.”

Offensively, the Cyclones are an efficient lot.

They pounced on Irvine’s wild throw from third base with two outs in the fourth to score three unearned runs off Jason Erickson. Three walks by Alan Knotts, including two with two outs, allowed Brooklyn to add a ninth-inning insurance run.

Two defensive gems — left fielder Kyle Saukko’s running catch in the third and second baseman Ty Summerlin’s leaping snag in the eighth — helped Erickson and Nathan Baker. Erickson allowed four hits and struck out four in 32/ 3, but couldn’t finish the fourth because of a pitch count. Baker allowed two hits in four scoreless innings.

Everything about the experienced Cyclones — their roster includes just seven players younger than 22 — pushed Spikes pitchers and hitters.

The Cyclones entered Wednesday with a league-best .976 fielding percentage and league-low 53 errors in 59 games while their staff has a 3.02 team ERA.

“You know when you play them you’re not going to score a whole lot of runs,” Spikes manager Gary Robinson said.

Brooklyn doesn’t mash as much as free-swinging Williamsport, Oneonta or Staten Island, but they hit enough to enter tonight a league-best 38-21.

The Cyclones also play in the McNamara Division, which matters little except when examining the Spikes’ record. Oneonta and Hudson Valley are the only non-division opponents from which State College has taken a series. The Spikes are 22-14 within the Pinckney Division.

Confounding nights against non-divisional opponents end tonight when the teams meet for the final time. The Spikes conclude the season with 16 games against Pinckney Division teams.

“If I could explain it, I would change it,” Robinson said of his team’s struggles against non-division opponents. “I just don’t know. I can tell you this: Brooklyn is very good. I have nothing but good things to say about their ball-club. They play the game right, they get timely hits, they pitch, they catch. ... They are just a good club and because they are in another division doesn’t matter.”

Guy Cipriano can be reached at 231-4643.