TRENTON — The Thunder’s seven-game home winning streak to start the MLB Draft League season came to an end when they fell, 7-4, in a four-hour game to the State College Spikes on Sunday afternoon.
A sloppy third inning in which the Spikes sent nine batters to the plate and scored five runs without getting a hit was the culprit.
The inning included a pair of bases-loaded walks to force in the first two runs. Starter Holden Hering was guilty of issuing seven free passes and a hit by pitch in 2.1 innings.
The Thunder also made three errors in the field.
The eighth inning of a game approaching four hours got a bit cantankerous when both dugouts started chirping at each other. The Thunder loaded the bases with two outs to bring the go-ahead run to the plate, but Jordan Thomas struck out swinging.
Carsten Sabathia knocked in a pair of runs for Trenton with a double in the bottom of the first that briefly gave it a 2-1 lead.
The Thunder (9-2) are still off to their best start in the Draft League era and won their first seven games at home before Sunday’s setback.
Trenton’s pitching has been the main reason for its strong start. The staff leads the league in ERA (3.20) and batting average against (.184).