Lowell Spinners Finish Sweep Connecticut 7-4

Read Time:3 Minute, 9 Second

A month ago it was the Connecticut Tigers who came to Lowell and got the sweep of Spinners. This weekend the tables were turned, as Lowell did the sweeping taking Sunday night’s game 7-4. In the process, they have now moved into a second-place tie with the Tigers, both teams now at 9-10 on the year.

Lowell trotted out RHP Dakota Smith, who last time out VS Vermont went six strong innings to get his first win of the season. Last night he matched his inning total from last time out to get his second straight win.

The Spinners got it going early against Ryan Castellanos, the soft-tossing righty who gave Lowell trouble back in late June. A two-run third was started by number nine hitter Nick Sciortino who has been scuffling at the plate with only one hit so far. He began the frame with a walk, moved to second on a beautiful drag bunt by leadoff man Yomar Valentin. The bases were then loaded by a single to right field by Frankie Rios back in the lineup after missing time with an undisclosed injury. Sciortino scored on a sac fly to center by Brett Netzer. Valentin crossed the plate on a fielder choice ground out by Juan Barriento, 2-0 Spinners after three.

The only trouble Smith ran into happened in the fifth. Again the rally was started by a base on balls this time to Tigers hitter Colby Bortles. It was followed by a single to left by Hector Martinez. After a failed bunt attempt produced the first out, Cole Peterson came through with a chopping infield hit that Spinners third baseman Garett Benge decided not to make a throw on to load the bases with one out. Leadoff hitter Luke Burch singled on the ground up the middle to plate two and tie the game. Next man Garrett McCain did the same thing to CF to score the go-ahead run 3-2 Tigers.

The advantage was short-lived in the bottom of the fifth when the Spinners took back the lead. Sciortino again started things by ripping a double off the wall in left, part of a 2-3 night with two runs scored. He advanced on a sac bunt by Valentin. Tiger starter Castellanos did not escape as Netzer singled to center to drive in his second RBI of the night. It was followed by a run-scoring groundout by Barriento who also drove in two on the night. 4-2 Lowell.

Lowell added two more in the sixth on a two-run home run off the bat of Marino Campana to left. It was his first since being called up from the Gulf Coast League on Friday. The blast would end the night for Castellanos who gave up six runs, five earned on seven hits in 5.1 innings of work.

Meanwhile, Smith turned things over to the Lowell bullpen who finished off the game by going three innings, giving up an unearned run on zero hits. The combination of Jared Oliver, Devron Fisher, and Joan Martinez got the job done with Martinez picking up his first save of the year.

The Spinners final run of the night came on a triple to right off the hot bat of Raiwinson Lameda that scored Netzer who had begun the inning with a base hit to left. Final score Lowell 7 Connecticut 4.

Smith is now 2-1 on the season for a Spinners squad that has now won seven of ten. Castellanos took the loss and his record is now 1-2 for a Tiger team that has lost six straight.

Lowell, after an off day on Monday, begins a six-game road trip on Tuesday in Batavia.