TROY, N.Y. – Anthony Shew finished strong by retiring the last 11 batters he faced for the State College Spikes, but a five-run third inning propelled the Tri-City ValleyCats to take a 7-0 decision on Tuesday night at Joseph L. Bruno Stadium.
(Photo: Josh Lopez. Photo courtesy of State College Spikes)
Shew (2-2) shook off the ValleyCats’ (8-12) surge and recorded six strikeouts over 6 2/3 total innings of work. The right-hander allowed a total of seven hits and one walk in posting his second straight outing of longer than six innings this season.
Josh Lopez led the way offensively for the Spikes (11-10) with three hits, including a double.
However, Tri-City took the lead for good with its outburst, which started with an RBI double for Luis Payano. Two batters later, Abraham Toro’s bloop single to right-center field scored another pair of runs. Jake Adams, the Big Ten’s leading home run hitter this season for the University of Iowa, then finished the ValleyCats’ big frame with a two-run homer to left field, his fourth of the season.
Tri-City added a pair of runs in the eighth to complete the scoring.
Starter Hunter Martin allowed two hits and two walks while notching two strikeouts over four innings for Tri-City. Reliever Parker Mushinski (1-0) then picked up the win by giving up three hits and a walk while striking out six batters over three innings of work.
The loss was the first shutout suffered by the Spikes this season and was State College’s third straight defeat.
Wednesday, the Spikes and ValleyCats meet in the middle game of their three-game set at Joseph L. Bruno Stadium. Right-hander Sam Tewes (1-2) gets the ball for State College in the 7 p.m. matchup. Tri-City will go with left-hander Kristopher Scheetz (0-0), who was just called up from the Gulf Coast League Astros.
The Spikes will then complete the series against Tri-City on Thursday before heading to MCU Park on Coney Island for a three-game weekend series against the Brooklyn Cyclones (New York Mets).
Following a pair of road games on Monday and Tuesday of next week at the Williamsport Crosscutters (Philadelphia Phillies), the Spikes come back home next Wednesday for a 7:05 p.m. matchup against the Crosscutters. Fans will enjoy the nationally acclaimed Salute to Conspiracy Theories Night, with the Spikes donning special Conspiracy Theory Themed Jerseys which will be up for bids in a Jersey-off-the-Back Auction presented by PSECU to benefit Children’s Miracle Network.
