Spikes make strong push in final week

Guy Cipriano

WILLIAMSPORT — Justin Byler lined a two-out single to left field during Wednesday's first inning against Williamsport.

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Nobody predicted what would follow for the State College Spikes.

The Spikes scored seven two-out runs in the first and hammered the Williamsport Crosscutters 12-6, erasing any questions regarding their desire to finish the 76-game season strong.

Considering the past two nights, the Spikes might be willing to play a 96-game schedule.

The rout, which included a season-high 17 hits, followed a clean, 7-0 victory at Batavia. With four games remaining, the Spikes are 36-36, which moves them closer to a goal recently established by manager Gary Robinson.

“We set a goal as a team we want to finish above .500 and even better than that,” center fielder Evan Chambers said. “We are just trying to keep on a roll so we can get that done.”

Robinson’s words are resonating throughout visitors’ clubhouses this week.

“Gary always says the season is not over and we are buying into it,” said Byler, who was 3 for 6 and doubled twice. “He put a challenge out there to try to finish the season above .500. Everybody on the team still wants to do that. We don’t want to end the season on a sour note. We are trying to finish out on a winning attitude.”

The Spikes worked toward their goal Wednesday in different attire. The team entered a mini-crisis before reaching Williamsport as a laundry machine in Batavia ripped their traditional gray uniforms and pants to shreds.

A needed assist arrived when Medlar Field at Lubrano Park stadium operations manager Dan Petrazzolo greeted the team here with clean pants. The Spikes also wore their alternate blue jerseys.

The jerseys might not be leaving their possession. Beginning with Byler, nine straight batters reached base safely against Siulman Lebron during the first.

Aaron Baker homered off the right-field scoreboard, David Rubinstein singled to left field, Pat Irvine singled to left, Elevys Gonzalez singled under shortstop Jonathan Villar’s glove, Craig Parry singled to right, Edward Garcia walked, Brock Holt singled to center and Chambers singled to left.

Chambers’ single was enough to convince Crosscutters manager Chris Truby to remove Lebron, a right-hander the Spikes were facing for the fourth time.

“We knew what he threw,” Byler said. “We knew we had to go up there and hunt fastball like we have been saying all year. Thankfully, we were able to execute that.”

More hits followed. The Spikes compiled two-out runs in the second and sixth. They added two more two-out runs in the seventh.

Scant evidence suggested the two-out bonanza. The Spikes entered Wednesday hitting .227 with runners in scoring position and two outs.

“It’s extremely tough,” Baker said of hitting with two outs. “I think it shows how much character our team has. We have two outs and we still put up runs and help give our pitchers a cushion. It wasn’t easy, but it was a lot of fun.”

Starter Kyle McPherson doesn’t need much of a cushion these days. The right-hander extended his consistent summer by allowing five hits and two runs in seven innings. McPherson has lasted at least six innings in his past six outings.

The seven-run lead put McPherson in a tricky spot. He had ample run support, but still needed to face a free-swinging offense.

“It was huge,” McPherson said. “Granted, I still had to go out there, keep us in the ball-game and get enough zeroes to get them back in the dugout and let them continue to

do what they were doing in inning.”

Six Spikes compiled two or more hits. Irvine and Gonzalez joined Byler with three hits while Holt, Chambers and Baker had two each. Gonzalez, who spent most of this season at rookie Bradenton, tripled twice.

The Crosscutters took another beating in the eighth, when Philadelphia Phillies prospect Sebastian Valle went down after missing a Diomedes Garcia high fastball that struck his face. Truby and trainer Jonathan May rushed to home plate, and Valle, who recorded the inning’s final out, walked to the dugout.

Williamsport scored four runs off Ted Fallon in the ninth. Fallon allowed four hits and three walks. Garcia, who joined the team Tuesday, pitched a scoreless eighth in his New York-Penn League debut.

Guy Cipriano can be reached at 231-4643.