Spikes fall to Mahoning Valley despite Mendoza’s home run

Evan Mendoza gave Mahoning Valley a ninth-inning scare, but it wasn’t enough for State College.

Despite a solo home run from Mendoza and another run scored in the final frame, the Spikes fell to the Scrappers 6-3 on Sunday night at Eastwood Field.

State College (25-21) has lost four of its last six games, while Mahoning Valley (27-18) has taken three of its last four.

The Spikes trailed by five runs after three innings, but started to claw their way back into it.

A seventh-inning single by Bryce Denton — his 11th hit of the week — plated State College’s first run. In the ninth, Mendoza belted a 1-0 pitch over the left-center wall, and Yariel Gonzalez scored on a wild pitch with two outs.

But Scrappers reliever Jonathan Teaney wasn’t fazed, inducing a Matt Davis popup to end the game.

Player of the game

Mahoning Valley outfielder Hosea Nelson: After Denton’s RBI single in the seventh, Nelson responded. The 20-year-old Detroit native blasted an 0-2 pitch over the right-center wall in the bottom of the eighth.

Nelson’s solo home run — his first of the season — pushed Mahoning Valley’s lead back up to five runs.

Nelson also made a difference earlier in the evening, scoring one of two Scrapper runs in the second inning.

Roughed up

It wasn’t an ideal night for Spikes starter Jonathon Mulford (2-4), who was rocked from the get-go.

Mahoning Valley’s Simeon Lucas hit a one-run double in the bottom of the first inning, and in the second, Mulford surrendered a two-run single. One inning later, Jesse Berardi smacked a solo home run before Mulford walked in a run.

All told, Mulford gave up seven hits, walked six and let up five runs over 2 2/3 innings.

Up next

State College at Mahoning Valley, 7:05 p.m. Monday: The Spikes wrap up their seven-game road trip and three-game set with the Scrappers on Monday. Andrew Summerville will be on the hill for State College. Summerville, a 21-year-old southpaw, is 2-0 this season with a 1.85 ERA. He’s holding opponents to a .241 batting average.

This story was originally published August 6, 2017 at 10:32 PM with the headline "Spikes fall to Mahoning Valley despite Mendoza’s home run."