STATE COLLEGE - The State College Spikes battled from behind to take a 2-1 lead into the eighth inning, but for the second straight game, the Hudson Valley Renegades plated a trio of runs in that frame to take a 4-2 decision from the Spikes at Medlar Field at Lubrano Park on Thursday night.
State College (23-21) had established its first lead of the game in the sixth inning, when Chris Diaz knocked in Samuel Gonzalez with an RBI single to give the Spikes a one-run advantage.
However, Hudson Valley (29-15) started its rally in the eighth when relief pitcher Clario Perez (0-2), who had retired six batters in a row before the inning started, hit Joey Rickard with a pitch. Perez then delivered two straight wild pitches in walking Justin O'Connor, and Tommy Coyle's double to right field scored Rickard with the tying run. Luke Maile then singled to center to bring O'Connor home one batter later, and Ryan Dunn's sacrifice fly completed the scoring.
The Spikes had fallen behind, 1-0, in the top of the fifth inning, when DeShun Dixon doubled and came around to score on a wild pitch. State College knotted the game in the bottom half of the same inning when Jodaneli Carvajal reached base on an error, stole second base, got to third on an infield single by Tyler Gaffney and scored on another wild pitch.
The Renegades also scored three runs in the eighth inning of Wednesday night's game, and won by the same 4-2 score.
With the loss, the Spikes saw their losing streak extend to five games, the longest of the 2012 season.
Jacob Stallings contributed his 15th double of the season for the Spikes, putting him just one off the pace for the New York-Penn League lead in that category.
Perez took the loss for State College, allowing the Renegades' three eighth-inning runs on two hits and a walk over a total of 2 1/3 innings. Starter Jason Creasy allowed one run on four hits and three walks over 4 2/3 innings of work, striking out four batters in the process.
Hudson Valley reliever Brandon Henderson (4-1) picked up the win with two innings of one-run ball. Henderson gave up two hits and struck out one batter. Shay Crawford (2) earned the save with a scoreless ninth inning in which he notched one strikeout. Starter Taylor Guerrieri did not receive a decision, but allowed just one unearned run on four hits over five innings and struck out five.
Leonard Reginatto went 3-for-4 to help the Hudson Valley offensive effort.
Friday, the Spikes and Renegades complete their three-game series at Medlar Field at Lubrano Park in a 7:05 p.m. matchup. State College will send left-hander Joely Rodriguez (2-1) to the mound to face Hudson Valley right-hander Jeff Ames (3-0).
