Spinners leave 13 on base and lose their sixth in a row, 3-1 to Vermont

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The Lowell Spinners (30- 22), returned home on Thursday night looking to get back on track. They had lost a season-high five in a row and six of there last seven. The Spinners began a seven-game homestand against the Vermont Lake Monsters who came into this series having won seven of their last nine games. A three-run third gave the Lake Monsters a 3-1 victory over Lowell. A bit of a strange game in that both starting pitchers, Colin Peluse of Vermont, and Aldo Ramirez of Lowell, would leave this game because of injury. This was also a game that was decided by big innings. The one inning that the Lake Monsters had and the ones that Lowell did not do enough with.

Vermont’s (24-29) big frame came in the second. A three-run inning versus Spinners starter Ramirez before he left the game. After the leadoff hitter was retired on strikes, the next four of five hitters reached base on hits. The three runs Vermont scored were all charged to Ramirez. It started with an infield hit by Dustin Harris. Harris would come all the way around to score on a double to center by Kevin Richards. Richards crossed home plate on a two-bagger by Lawrence Butler to make it 2-0 Vermont. Ramirez’ night came to an end on an injury that looked to be a blister on his pitching hand. The third Vermont run came across on a base hit to right field by Jorge Gordon off Spinners relief pitcher Miguel Suero.

Before Peluse left with his injury, which may have been a leg injury, his four innings were good. He got seven strikeouts and no runs on four hits. Lowell’s run came in the fifth off of Leuderry Pineda on an RBI double to left by Stephen Scott that drove home Kervin Suarez. Suarez began the inning with his fifth triple of the season to right field. Lowell gave themselves chances to even the game and possibly take the lead. But stranding thirteen runners, including the base loaded in the fifth, did Lowell no favors.

Pineda left after three innings in which he gave up six hits, and one run. It could have been worse, but he made pitches when he needed to. For the game, the Spinners were 2-14 with runners on, and 0-9 with runners on and two outs. Vermont’s bullpen would throw five combined shutout innings. Pineda gets the win to go 2-0 on the season. Mora got the save for his first of the year. Ramirez takes the loss and is now 1-2.

After the game, Spinners manager Luke Montz talked about his team “may be hitting a wall with the lack of hits in key moments.” Montz said ‘that’s not good enough.” On his starter Ramirez, the manager thought because he could not get his breaking ball over, he fell behind and became a one-pitch pitcher.

The Spinners will try to snap the losing streak on Friday night with first pitch at seven pm.