Spinners Fall in Slugfest; Lowrie Returns
Lowell (5-13) got on the board first in the second inning on catcher Chia-Chu Chen's first home run of the season, giving the Spinners a 1-0 lead.
Aberdeen (8-10) responded in the bottom half of the inning, taking advantage of Spinners starter Tyler Wilson's lack of command. Wilson hit two, sandwiched around a single, before Michael Rooney's single up the middle tied the game. Wilson was able to work out of the jam however, leaving the bases loaded with IronBirds.
The Spinners took the lead back in the third inning on RBI singles by Kolbrin Vitek and Brandon Jacobs, with a third run scoring when Bryce Brentz grounded into a double play, moving ahead 4-1.
However the Aberdeen bats would not be denied as they scored the game's next six runs, knocking Wilson from the game in the fourth inning after battering him for 11 hits and five earned runs, touching Garrett Rau for two additional runs in the fifth to take a 7-4 lead.
Showing some offensive prowess not seen often early in the 2010 season the Spinners responded with a pair of runs in the top of the sixth inning. Following a leadoff triple by Brentz, Lowell received their instant offense from Sean Killeen who delivered a one-out, two-run home run, his fifth of the season, cutting the Aberdeen lead to one.
Single runs by the IronBirds in the sixth and seventh innings off Rau however proved to be too much for the Spinners, as Aberdeen took a 9-6 lead that would be enough to win.
Making his first appearance of the 2010 season and the second rehab appearance with the Spinners in two years, Lowrie was 1-for-2 with two walks while serving as the team's designated hitter.
The Spinners offense was again sparked by lead-off man Felix Sanchez who was 2-for-4 with two runs scored and two stolen bases. Over his last four games the Spinners centerfielder is batting .500 (8-for-16) with six runs scored and six stolen bases, and now leads the New York-Penn League with 11 stolen bases on the year.
In addition, Vitek and Jacobs each had two-hit nights, each adding an RBI. Killeen, who now leads the NY-Penn League with five home runs, has now seen five of his seven hits in 2010 leave the yard. Brentz, Chen and Joantoni Garcia each recorded one hit, with Nick Robinson the only man in the Spinners line-up without a hit.
Wilson (0-2, 5.71) was the pitcher of record for the Spinners, as he combined with Rau to allow nine runs on 19 hits over seven innings. Kyle Rutter pitched a 1-2-3 eighth inning to give the Spinners one last chance.
The Spinners look to win the rubber game Tuesday evening as they conclude a quick three-game roadtrip to Aberdeen before the first off-day of the NYPL schedule Wednesday. Keith Couch (0-1, 2.70) makes his fourth appearance of the season (second start) for a 7:05 first pitch.
Notes: Infielder James Kang, a 2010 45th round selection from Pomona Pitzer (CA) College, where he was a teammate of 2009 Lowell Spinners 1B/OF Drew Hedman, was promoted from the Gulf Coast Red Sox to Lowell after Spinners starting shortstop Jose Garcia left Sunday evening's game.