Doubledays Can't Avoid Sweep Despite Late-Game Heroics

AUBURN, NY - It's only fitting that the Doubledays took the unluckiest break so far this season on Friday the 13th.
After a valiant eighth inning effort to tie the contest at five, the Doubledays (14-12) could not battle back after a three-run 10th inning by the Spinners (13-14) and dropped Game 3 to Lowell, 8-5.
The Doubledays fell behind the Spinners early in both previous games this series, wasted no time in getting the first run on the board. Back-to-back doubles by Cody Wilson and Pablo O'Connor gave Auburn an early 1-0 lead with two outs in the opening inning.
Starter Carson Teel held the Doubledays' slim lead into the third inning until allowing consecutive one-out singles to put runners on the corners. Teel induced a ground ball to Jamori Blash that appeared to have "double play" written all over it - albeit being of the unconventional 3-2 variety. Blash caught the short bounce at first and tagged the bag himself. After thinking about throwing behind the runner heading to second, he instead shifted his focus to Alberto Schmidt tagging from third. His throw to catcher Adalberto Carrillo was perfectly placed and had Schmidt out by two steps if the tag were made, but Carrillo couldn't corral it and was charged with an error.
The Doubledays were able to regain the lead momentarily in the fourth inning courtesy of a Blash flyout to right field. Israel Pineda - who continues to add on to his red-hot July - came around to score on the sacrifice.
But with the lead in hand, Auburn's pitching couldn't hold off the resilient Lowell offense that would not let up. Chandler Day allowed two runs in his three innings of work, both of which came in the fifth inning. And, after David Smith replaced Day in the seventh, Lowell stuck back with two more runs to give themselves a 5-2 lead after knocking Smith out after two-thirds of an inning.
Auburn threatened once again in the home half after Cole Daily scored on a single, and, at one point, the Doubledays had the bases loaded with one out. Pineda struck out and Kyle Marinconz grounded out to end the inning, but the Doubledays were given a rare second chance the very next inning.
Auburn hit Spinners pitcher Oddanier Mosqueda hard and worked back-to-back walks to load the bases. With some help from a Lowell fielding error and a groundout, the Doubledays were able to push across the tying run to make it a 5-5 game. A quiet ninth inning for both teams put the Doubledays in their first extra-inning game of the season.
But the Doubledays quickly fell behind thanks to Minor League Baseball's new rule that puts a runner at second to start off any extra inning. Ramfis Berroa - starting the inning at second base - scored on a sacrifice fly, and the Spinners quickly tacked on two more earned runs to pitcher Tanner Driskill's line before ending the 10th with a 8-5 lead.
The Doubledays went quietly in the bottom of the inning, dropping Game 3 and failing to avoid the sweep.
The Doubledays will be back in action on Saturday when they take on the Ironbirds for the first time this season in Aberdeen, Maryland at 6:05.