Spinners make it two in a row over Connecticut 6-4

Read Time:3 Minute, 31 Second

With the playoffs out of reach, the Lowell Spinners (36-38 ) are trying to end their season on a good note. Sunday night, they took another step in that direction. They defeat the Connecticut Tigers (29-43 ) 6-4 and the star of the night for the Spinners was DH Tyler Esplin. He went four for four, with a double, two rbi, and a run scored.

Manager Corey Wimberly, of the Spinners, enjoyed watching his team’s offensive approach with several key hits coming with two outs. That kind of timely hitting has been missing from this team at times during the summer.

Chris Machamer made his final Spinners start for the season. His manager calls him, “a work in progress”. Machamer struggled at times with his secondary pitches on Sunday night and did not factor in the decision, going three innings with five hits, two earned runs, four strikeouts, and one walk.

For the second straight night, the starter for the Tigers struggled. Kacey Murphy never made it out of the first inning as Lowell bats came out hot and put up a three spot right away.

The offense was started by one of the newcomers in recent days. Brandon Howlett launched a towering home run to left field. The blast was his first since joining the team. Lowell would keep the pressure on Murphy when a walk to Xavier LeGrant was followed by a single to left by Esplin. They would both come around to score on a double to the left-center field gap by Elih Marrero, who this weekend has been swinging a hot bat.

Murphy exited stage right and Lowell had a 3-0 lead. Both teams traded runs in the second. The Tigers got on the board on a run-scoring base hit by Darwin Alvarado. That plated Cam Warner who had reached on a fielder’s choice. 3-1 Lowell.

Lowell regained there three-run lead in the bottom of the inning. Esplin’s second hit of the night scored Howlett who had walked. 4-1 Spinners.

In the third, the Tigers made it a two-run game again when Warner delivered an RBI single to center that scored, Parker Meadows. He singled to right to start the frame. 4-2 Lowell.

Jose Gonzalez came on go replace Machamer and was touched up for a run in the fifth. Meadows doubled to right-center field (2-for-4, 2 runs scored), and advanced to third on a fly out. He then scored on a fielding error by third baseman Howlett, his fourth in last two games played. 4-3 Lowell.

Connecticut tied the game in the sixth, facing Yoan Aybar. Warner walked, moved to second on a pickoff throwing error, and advanced to third on a passed ball. He scored on a base hit up the middle past the drawn-in infield by Alvarado. ( 2-4 with two rbi). 4- 4 after five and a half.

In the bottom of the sixth, Lowell took the lead for good. Howlett walked against Tiger pitcher Xavier Javier. After a fly out, Esplin’s third hit, a single moved Howlett to third. Marrero was at the plate with runners at the corners and he struck out., Esplin stole second on the pitch and Tigers catcher Nunez tried to get Howlett at third. Instead, his throw went through the legs of third baseman Warner and Howlett scored an unearned run. Lowell back in front 5-4.

In the eighth, Lowell added some insurance with Yaya Chentouf on for the Tigers. He walked LeGrant and then gave up Esplin’s fourth hit of the night. It was a double to right-center that scored LeGrant all the way from first. Esplin was thrown out trying to stretch it into a triple. 6-4 Spinners.

Andrew Politi came on the Spinners to close it out and that’s what he did with a clean ninth inning. It was his seventh save of the season. Aybar got the win and is now 1-0, Javier took the loss and is now 0-1.

The final game of the 2018 season is a day game on Labor day. First pitch is at 12:30 pm.