Miles Head hit a three-run triple in the first inning, but it was not enough as the Spinners fell in a heartbreaker.
Spinners closer Armando Zerpa could not hold the lead in the ninth inning.
LOWELL, Massachusetts (Friday, June 25, 2010) – Those were the words of Connecticut Tigers manager Howard Bushong following an impressive win at LeLacheur Park on Friday night.
Connecticut showed impressive resiliency as they came back from a 6-2 deficit to top the Lowell Spinners in heartbreaking fashion. Lowell fell to 3-5 with the loss, while Connecticut evened their record at 4-4 with the triumph.
“They kind of got down after the first inning, but they came back,” Bushong added.
Connecticut scored two runs in the first on an error by Lowell right fielder Bryce Brentz to score Tigers center fielder Jeff Rowland. The second run came on an RBI single to left field by Ryan Perry. All of the runs were scored before an out was recorded against Spinners starter Tyler Wilson.
In the bottom of the inning, a bases-loaded walk to Bryce Brentz with none out cut the Lowell deficit to 2-1. A Brandon Jacobs single tied the game, while Miles Head cleared the bases with a triple to deep center to knock starter Rayni Guichardo out of the game. Brennan Smith did not fare much better as he allowed an RBI single to David Renfroe and another base hit to Jayson Hernandez before an out was recorded.
Just to count, the inning took just under 40 minutes as the teams combined for eight runs and nine hits.
The teams were held scoreless until the third when Ryan Enos hit a two-run home run (1) to deep right to cut the Spinner lead to 6-4. It was the first of his professional career as he began the season at Dallas Baptist University.
“It’s kind of surreal, you dream of it for a long time, so it feels awesome to get it,” Enos said.
Connecticut made it 6-5 on an infield groundout by Enos in the fifth. David Renfroe made it 7-5 as he hit an RBI base hit through the infield and into right field, which sealed the game in the bottom of the eighth.
In the ninth, Alex Nunez made it a one-run game with a base hit to center. The runner from third base, Londell Tyler, tripped over the third base bag to keep the tying score 90 feet from home. Closer Armando Zerpa allowed two runs on a single to Ryan Enos to lift the Tigers to an 8-7 lead.
Guichardo did not record an out in the contest as he allowed three hits and six runs, while walking three. The winning pitcher came some four pitchers later, in the form of Robbie Weinhart. He allowed a hit, a run, and a walk over an inning, but it was good for his first win. Matt Little allowed just one base hit to earn his first save.
Wilson was sub-par over four innings, giving up four earned runs on six hits, while walking two and fanniong four. Zerpa was credited with his first blown save and loss of the young season. The Spinners’ lone lefty reliever allowed three hits and three runs over two-thirds of an inning.
The Spinners hit the road for a five-game trip to end June, during which they will hit Tri-City and Connecticut. The Tigers return to Norwich to open their home schedule against Vermont over the weekend.
