The State College Spikes racked up nine hits Monday night.
As it turned out, all they needed was just one.
Nick Thompson’s three-run home run proved to be the difference as the Spikes ran their winning streak to six games with a 3-2 victory over the Auburn Doubledays at Falcon Park.
Solid pitching from Dewin Perez and Trey Nielsen made the lead stand up as State College (17-7) remained in first place in the New York-Penn League’s Pinckney Division and hold onto the league’s second-best record.
Perez (2-1) pitched 6 1/3 effective innings, striking out five while giving up five hits, two earned runs and no walks for the win. Nielsen allowed just one hit over 2 2/3 shutout innings for his first professional save.
Matthew Derosier (0-2) was tagged with the loss, allowing eight hits and two walks and three runs over 4 2/3 innings, striking out four.
Seven different Spikes had hits, with two each for Darren Seferina and Jake Stone, while Alex De Leon had a double.
All the scoring crossed the plate in the third inning.
Seferina and Robelys Reyes each had one-out singles before Thompson drilled his second homer of the season to center field, giving him 18 RBIs on the year, which ranks third in the league.
The Doubledays answered when two singles and a sacrifice bunt preceded a Chris Riopedre two-run double to center field.
Perez then mowed down Auburn in order the next three innings. An error and single gave the Doubledays life in the seventh and chased Perez, but Nielsen got out of the jam by inducing a double play, and an eighth-inning single was the only other blemish on his night on the mound.
The teams close their quick two-game series at 7:05 p.m. Tuesday, with State College right-hander Fernando Baez (0-0) starting against Auburn righty Drew Van Orden (0-1).
The Spikes will then begin a six-game homestand against Brooklyn and Staten Island starting Wednesday.
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