Staten Island plays long ball to defeat Lowell 6-4

After the game, Spinners manager Cory Wimberly said that the Yankees “swung the bats well tonight”. That was especially true of Staten Island DH Ryan Lidge,  who had a two-hit night including a two-run home run. He drove in four with his two hits and scored once himself. Lidge was one of two Yankees hitters in the lineup to have a multi-hit night.

The Spinners starter on Wednesday night was Eduard Bazardo who in the first inning got into some difficulty. The first two Yankees batteries reached base as Eduardo Torrealba walked, then Frederick Cuevas dropped a beautiful bunt down the third base line for a single. With runners at first and second, Lidge came to the plate. He grounded a ball that Spinners third baseman Grant Williams could not handle and the resulting fielding error scored Torrealba and gave the Yankees a 1-0 lead.

Staten Island’s starter was Nolan Martinez and he too had a bit of a rough time getting started in this one. Like his counterpart, the first two Spinners got aboard. Jarren Duran received a base on balls, and Cole Brannen single to left-center field. Duran would tie the game when he was doubled home by Kyle Cottam.  Brannen stopped at third, but he did not stay there long as Garrett Benge singled to left to score Brannen and the Spinners had a 2-1 lead after one.

Staten Island tied the game at two-all in the third when Frederick Cuevas drove a 3-1 fastball over the wall in right for his first home run of the season.

Lowell re-took the lead against Martinez in the third when Duran doubled to left field. Brannen bunted the ball down the third base line and Yankees catcher Jerry Seitz made the pickup but threw wildly to first base. The throwing error allowed Duran to score. The Spinners were now up 3-2.

They added one more run in the inning after Cottam doubled to right field to put runners at second and third. Devlin Grandberg delivered a key two-out single to right scoring Brannen. However, Cottam tried to score right behind him and was thrown out at the plate by right fielder Andy Diaz. The Spinners took a 4-2 lead to the fourth.

Bazardo had a two-run advantage to work with, however, he lost the lead when Jesus Bastidas launch a two-run bomb to left on a 2-1 pitch. Just like that the game was tied once again at 4-4.

In the fifth Staten Island connected for their third home run off Bazardo, and after a walk to Cuevas, Mr. Lidge went deep to right field on a 1-0 pitch. The HR was his first of the year and gave Staten Island a 6-4 lead after four and a half innings.

Yankees skipper Lino Diaz went to his bullpen with two outs in the fifth. Gone was Martinez ( 4.2 IP, 4 ER, 2 walks) and in came Reiver Sanmartin. All he did for the rest of the game was shut down Lowell’s offensive attack.

Sanmartin would pitch the final four and one third, allowing only one hit which came in the ninth frame. He would retire 12 in a row before Grandberg singled with two outs in the last inning. Manager Wimberly after the game said Sanmartin ” threw the ball well”. Indeed he did.

The Yankees tacked on some insurance courtesy of Lidge who drove a gap shot double to right-center that plated two runs to make the final 8-4 Staten Island. The runs came against Spinners reliever Danny Bethea.

The win goes to Sanmartin (1-0), and the loser was Bazardo (5.0 IP,5H,6R, 5ER, 2 BB,8 SO), who despite giving up three home runs did not pitch badly. He is now (0-2).

The Spinners head off on the road for six games starting in Tri-City on Thursday night. Then, it’s on to Brooklyn.