NYPL Vermont Lake Monsters

Lake Monsters take season opener

Published on June 20, 2006 under New York-Penn League (NYPL)
Vermont Lake Monsters News Release


LOWELL, MA --- The name may have changed, but the result stayed the same as the newly-named Vermont Lake Monsters lost their 10th season-opener in 13 seasons with a 4-1 loss to the Lowell Spinners at LecLacheur Park Tuesday night in New York-Penn League action.

After playing their first 12 season in the NY-Penn League as the Vermont Expos, Tuesday was the first game with the nickname "Lake Monsters" for the Single-A affiliate of the Washington Nationals.

It was also a rematch of the 2005 season-opener that saw the Spinners thump the then-Expos 20-2 at Lowell. Vermont's starter that night was Aaron Jackson, who allowed six runs in the first inning and went on to allow 11 runs (10 earned) in 3.1 innings.

Jackson was the starter again for Vermont in the 2006 opener and, after allowing just a two-out single in the first inning, struggled with his control in the second as he walked four batters in the four-run Spinner inning.

Back-to-back walks to Luis Exposito and Luis Segovia forced home the first run of the game, followed by an RBI forceout for a 2-0 Spinner lead. After another walk, Zach Daeges lined a two-run single to center to give Lowell a 4-0 lead and chase Jackson from the game.

Meanwhile, Vermont was held hitless until one out in the fourth inning when they got three consecutive singles from Justin Maxwell, Francisco Guzman and Ryan Delaughter to plate the Lake Monsters first run of the game.

A nearly one-hour rain delay in the bottom of the fifth inning seemed to drown the bats of both teams as 13 of the first 15 batters after the delay were retire by strikeout.

Jackson (0-1) took the loss for Vermont, allowing the four runs on three hits and four walks in 1.2 innings. Chris Lugo relieved Jackson and allowed just one hit with four strikeouts in 2.2 innings, while Jacobo Meque struckout seven of the eight batters that he faced. Jeff Taylor pitched the eighth for the Lake Monsters and struckout two of three batters he faced.

The 16 combined strikeouts by the four Lake Monster pitched set a new Vermont record for strikeouts in a nine-inning game. Vermont pitchers had twice struckout 15 opponents in nine-inning games, the last time at Lowell in 2004. The club record for strikeouts in a game is 17, set twice in extra-inning games.

Mario Pena (1-0) allowed one run on three hits over five innings for the win, while reliever Dustin Richardson struckout five of the six batters he faced as three Lowell pitchers combined to strikeout 12 Lake Monsters.

The three-game series continues on Wednesday night at Lowell with Jack Spradlin getting the start for the Lake Monsters. After this three-game series, Vermont begins the 2006 home season on Friday night at Historic Centennial Field against the Tri-City ValleyCats beginning at 7:05 p.m.

Check out the Vermont Lake Monsters Statistics

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New York-Penn League Stories from June 20, 2006


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