Spinners three-run eighth falls short in 12-3 pounding by Hudson Valley

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For one of the rare times this season, the Lowell Spinners (23-10) just did not have it. Riding a three-game winning streak, they returned home to LeLacheur Park to face the Hudson Valley Renegades (19-15). On this night, it would be the Renegades who would have and keep the upper hand. Their big inning was the third in which they scored three runs on five hits. Their fourth inning was not too shabby either, as they pushed across four more runs on four more hits. The Renegades did get some help from a Spinners defense that committed two errors in the fourth.

Lowell starter, Yusniel Padron-Artilles (4-1), had a rough night on the mound for the Spinners. It was also his shortest outing of the season (3 IP, 6 H, 3 ER, 6 SO, 0 BB). The third was his undoing after getting the first hitter of the frame on a bunt out back to him. The next five batters reached him for hits. Garrett Hiott started it with a home run to right field, his first of the season. Nick Sogard followed with a single to right. He then stole second (67th steal by the team), and scored on a RBI double by Greg Jones. Jones then crossed the plate on a RBI double to left by Jackson McGowan. It was 3-0 Hudson Valley after three innings.

Padron-Artilles was done after three and he was replaced by Hildemaro Requena. Requena could not cool off the Hudson Valley bats. Five more runs in the fourth on four hits and two errors allowed the Renegades to expand their lead to 8-0 after four innings. For Hudson Valley, Zack Trageton (5-2) got the start and thru the first four innings, he was throwing three-hit baseball. His night came to an end after six only allowing those three hits and no runs with eight strikeouts and no walks.

In the seventh, Hudson Valley went to their bullpen and called on Steffon Moore to pitch. While the Renegades were pitching well, their bats kept the pressure on a Lowell pitching staff that came into Saturday night’s game with the league’s best ERA at 2.59. Hudson Valley put up a four-spot in the eighth against the third Spinners pitcher of the night, Robbie Baker, to hold a 12-0 lead.

The Spinners did avoid a shutout by pushing across three runs vs Moore in the eighth. A two-run RBI double by Luke Bandy and a run-scoring single by Marino Campana brought the Spinners to within nine at 12-3 thru eight. That would be as close as they would get. Final score from Lowell, The Renegades 12 Lowell 3.

After the game, Lowell manager Luke Montz, said: ” it was not our best night”. He thought his pitchers did not attack the strike zone well. When they did throw strikes, Hudson Valley’s hitters were ready. The top five batters in their order combined for twelve hits and eight runs batted in. Padron-Artilles takes his first loss of the year. Trageton gets the win.

Lowell will try to begin another win streak on Sunday at 5 pm in game two of this series.