Spinners Work out of a Jam, Hang on for 4-3 Win
July 18, 2013 - New York-Penn League (NYPL)
Lowell Spinners News Release
STATE COLLEGE, PA - Aaron King crushed his second homerun of the season in the sixth inning to put the Spinners ahead and the Spinners bullpen made the lead stand up as Lowell held on for a 4-3 victory on Wednesday Night against the State College Spikes.
The game stayed scoreless until the fifth inning when Cleuluis Rondon reached on an error by State College (15-14) second baseman Mason Katz. Rondon moved to second on a groundout by Nick Moore, scooted over to third on a groundout by David Sopilka and then trotted home as Tzu-Wei Lin dropped a single into left field.
However, the Spikes grabbed the lead in the home half of the inning as back-to-back singles and a sacrifice bunt put runners on second and third with one out for rightfielder Jimmy Busco. He promptly laced a single to right off of Simon Mercedes to tie the game, and centerfielder Steven Ramos followed with a drag bunt to score State College's second run.
Lowell (17-12) would not be deterred, however, as the offense scored three in the sixth inning to take control of the contest. Kevin Mager walked to lead off and King smashed the next pitch over the right field wall to put the Spinners back ahead by one. Back-to-back walks to Jantzen Witte and Carlos Asuaje kept the rally going before Rondon stepped to the plate and deposited a fastball into left field, scoring Witte from second, to extend the lead. The Spinners seemed primed for more, but reliever Jacob Booden struck out Moore and Sopilka before getting Lin to pop out to end the rally.
State College, with baserunners in every inning but the fourth, cut the lead to one in the eighth inning on a RBI groundout.
Corey Littrell made his third start of the season, and was able to strand three baserunners over two innings. The 2013 5th round pick of the Boston Red Sox is on a strict pitch count for the summer, and was lifted after two innings for Simon Mercedes after striking out one. Mercedes (2-1, 3.19) battled over five innings of long relief to get the win, scattering nine hits but striking out five, none more important than the last hitter he faced, as he stranded a runner at third to end the 7th inning. Matt Maloney, in his longest outing of the season, picked up a two-inning save, allowing a unearned run in the eighth but struck out three.
Lin had the only multi-hit game for Lowell as every batter in the order reached base at least once. However, with King's only hit being the most important of the night for the Spinners, the theme of the 2013 season continued for the bats, as clutch hitting is available when needed and the team improved to 10-4 on the season in one-run games.
Jamie Callahan (1-1, 5.82) looks to help the Spinners take the rubber game of this three-game series tomorrow night as first pitch is scheduled for 7:05 p.m.
New York-Penn League Stories from July 18, 2013
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- Ramos Nets Four Hits, But Spikes Fall to Spinners, 4-3 - State College Spikes
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- Jammers Thrash the Tigers - Norwich Sea Unicorns
- Spikes vs. Spinners - Game Notes - July 18, 2013 - State College Spikes
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- IronBirds at Lake Monsters - Game Notes - July 18, 2013 - Aberdeen IronBirds
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