Spinners Playoff Hopes Dim with Loss, 7-3
Published on September 2, 2013 under New York-Penn League (NYPL)
Lowell Spinners News Release
ABERDEEN, MD. - The Lowell Spinners playoff hopes took a big blow Monday night when they dropped the first of a three-game series in Aberdeen, falling to the IronBirds, 7-3, at Ripken Stadium.
The loss, coupled with a Tri-City ValleyCats win over Brooklyn, puts the Spinners 1.5 back with just two games to play. For the Spinners to win the division they will need to win out and Tri-City will need to lose their final two games. A loss by the Spinners or win by the ValleyCats will hand the Stedler Division to Tri-City.
The Spinners are still alive in the Wild Card race as well, where the Jamestown Jammers lead remained at one after they lost in extra-innings to the State College Spikes. The Spinners elimination number for the Wild Card is two, a combination of Jamestown wins and Lowell losses that would spell season's end.
Aberdeen (38-32) got on the board early and often. After Mike Yastrzemski doubled to lead off the game, a one-out double by Trey Mancini brought him in to give Aberdeen an early 1-0 lead. After a walk to Conor Bierfeldt, Jeff Kemp grounded into what could have been an inning ending double play, but Wednell Rijo, making his Spinners debut, threw the relay throw away, giving Aberdeen a 2-0 lead.
The IronBirds would extend their lead in the second inning as Daniel McGrath lost his control. A leadoff walk was erased by a caught stealing from Jake Romanski, but three straight walks loaded the bases and ended McGrath's night. Carlos Pinales came on and induced a ground ball to first from Yastrzemski, but Nick Moore's throw to the plate sailed wide, allowing two to score before the Spinners got out of the inning in a 4-0 hole.
Lowell (40-31) cut the lead to three in the fifth inning after a leadoff single by Aaron King. A wild pitch moved King to second and a ground out to third before he scored on a groundout by Deiner Lopez.
While Pinales kept the Spinners in the game, retiring 11 straight batters, he tired in the sixth inning, allowing three consecutive singles to start the sixth. On the third, a single to right center by Jared Breen, Williams Jerez overplayed the ball in right, allowing Bierfeldt to score. After a passed ball by Romanski moved the runners into scoring position, a sacrifice fly gave the IronBirds a 6-1 lead.
The Spinners answered right back in the top of the seventh. After Romanski was hit by a pitch to lead off the inning, King tripled to right, scoring Romanski. After Moore went down swinging, another Lopez groundout brought home King to cut the lead to 6-3.
Aberdeen would add an insurance run in the bottom of the eighth inning on a play that could have got the Spinners out of the inning. With two outs and runners on the corners, Mike Adams had Federico Castagnini picked off at first, but before the Spinners could apply the tag, Breen scored from third to cushion the IronBirds lead.
The Spinners would go down in order in the ninth as Aberdeen clinched the McNamara Division title, their first playoff berth in franchise history.
Lowell managed just five hits Monday night, led by King's two hit night in his return to the line-up after missing two games with a foot injury. Lopez added a hit and two RBI, while Carlos Asauje and Rijo had the other Spinners hits.
McGrath struggled in the start, going just 1.1 innings, allowing four runs, one earned, on two hits and five walks. He struck out one. Pinales was strong out of the bullpen, going 4.2 innings, allowing two runs, one earned, on three hits. He struck out five. Adams allowed the one run on two hits in two innings, striking out one.
Tuesday becomes a must win for the Spinners when the two teams meet again for a 7:05 first pitch. Teddy Stankiewicz is on the mound for the Spinners with Mario Alcantara to follow in relief.
New York-Penn League Stories from September 2, 2013
- Loera Shines against Connecticut - Hudson Valley Renegades
- Kyle Westwood Dominates as 'Cats Win 3-1 - Tri-City ValleyCats
- Spikes Hang Tough to Defeat Jammers, 6-4, in 11 Innings - State College Spikes
- Aberdeen Clinches Division With 7-3 Victory - Aberdeen IronBirds
- Spinners Playoff Hopes Dim with Loss, 7-3 - Lowell Spinners
- Lake Monsters-Staten Island Game Suspended in 4th Inning - Vermont Lake Monsters
- IronBirds Announce Playoff Ticket Sale - Aberdeen IronBirds
- Nine Fans Leave Centennial Field with New Car - Vermont Lake Monsters
- State College Spikes Game Notes - September 2 at Jamestown - State College Spikes
- ValleyCats Split Series with Lowell, Win 7-4 - Tri-City ValleyCats
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