Tyler Lavigne earned his first win of the season for the Spinners. (John Corneau/Lowell Spinners)
LOWELL, Massachusetts (Monday, August 30, 2010) – The suddenly streaking Lowell Spinners made it four wins in a row with a 6-3 win over the Staten Island Yankees on Monday night at LeLacheur Park. Tonight’s win marks the first time in four tries that the Spinners were able to string together a winning streak of two or more games this season.
The Yankees jumped out to a 1-0 lead in the first inning against Spinners starter Keith Couch. After a single, a caught stealing and a flyout, third baseman Robert Segedin reached on a fielding error by shortstop Jose Garcia. First baseman Kyle Roller singled to right field and then advanced to second on another fielding error by right fielder Henry Ramos. Segedin came around to score from first on the play to give the Yanks the early advantage.
In the third, the Spinners evened the score with two outs on an RBI single by shortstop Jose Garcia. Second baseman Joantoni Garcia, who doubled, scored from second base. The next batter, designated hitter Bryce Brentz singled to right field, scoring center fielder Felix Sanchez to give Lowell a 2-1 lead. Yankee starter Dustin Hobbs retired the first two batters of the inning, before allowing four straight baserunners. Jose Garcia was gunned down at third base after Sanchez scored to end the inning.
First baseman Miles Head singled to leadoff the fourth inning and came around to score on an RBI groundout by right fielder Henry Ramos for the second out of the frame. Ramos was promoted from the GCL Red Sox prior to the game, where he hit .309 in 43 games.
Staten Island made it a 3-2 game in the fifth as left fielder Shane Brown drove in shortstop Jose Mojica on an RBI 6-3-5 double play ball. After Jose Garcia threw out Brown, first baseman Miles Head gunned out center fielder Kelvin Duran for the heads-up second out.
In the fifth, the Spinners got off to a fast start against Hobbs with nobody out. Left fielder Seth Schwindenhammer walked and came around from first on an RBI double down the left field line by Joantoni Garcia. With two outs, he came around to score on a passed ball that bounced by Staten Island catcher Gary Sanchez.
Third baseman David Renfroe made it a 6-2 game as he singled to on a high chopper to his third base counterpart Segedin. Segedin made a wide throw, allowing Renfroe to take second and Ramos to score from first base.
The Yankees cut the lead to 6-3 with two outs as Duran belted an RBI single to right field, scoring second baseman Casey Stevenson and that would turn out to be the end of the scoring.
Spinners starter Keith Couch lasted just three innings and allowed two hits and an unearned run for a no-decision. Tyler Lavigne earned his first win of the season, allowing seven hits and two runs over the minimum five innings.
Lavigne had much praise on the team’s recent success and was pleased that he is getting a small taste of winning late in the season. “We’re getting a lot better overall,” said the first-year Spinner, who came to the Sox from the Cardinals. “The defense is improving and our pitching is stronger now.”
Spinners manager Bruce Crabbe was very pleased with the outing. “It’s great,” Crabbe said. “We’re getting a little taste of greatness and it’s finally good to be on the winning end!”
The game was played in front of 4,941 fans in a brisk two hours and 21 minutes.
