Saturday, August 23, 2003 - LOWELL With virtually no margin for error remaining in its season if Lowell hopes to remain in the
New York-Penn League playoff chase, the Spinners received a nearly flawless performance on the mound from Jose Vaquedano.
Vaquedano turned in a dominating effort, allowing only three hits while striking out a season-high nine in six innings, while pitching the Spinners past the
Williamsport Crosscutters, 1-0, at LeLacheur Park last night.
The win snapped Lowell's four-game losing streak. Lowell (33-29) trails Williamsport (39-25) by five games in the race for the NYPL's wild card playoff berth.
Lowell, which has only won three of its last 11 games, came into last night's game five and a half games behind first place Oneonta and four games behind second
place Tri-City in the Stedler Division standings.
The start of the game was delay for an hour and 15 minutes while the ground grew got the water off the field after yesterday's late afternoon thunderstorm. But
the delay certainly didn't bother Vaquedano.
Vaquedano gave up a single to Williamsport lead off hitter Nyjer Morgan in the first. Then retired 15 of the next 16 batters he faced, including 14 straight.
The only Crosscutter hitter who got on base during this stretch reached on an error.
With one down in the sixth, Vaquedano gave up back-to-back hits to Justin Harris and Morgan (bunt). He got out of the jam when Michael Cockrell grounded into an
inning ending double play.
Vaquedano improved his record to 7-2. His seven wins ties him for second in the league. He leads the Spinner pitching staff with 61 strikeouts.
Lowell scored the game's only run in the fourth. Matt Murton reached on an error and went to third when Crosscutter right fielder Adam Boeve couldn't hold onto
Jeremy West's fly to the warning track that dropped for a double. Murton scored on Brandon Moss' grounder to short.
The Spinners also got strong efforts on the mound from relievers David Sanders and Brian Marshall.
Sanders worked two scoreless innings, giving up only two hits, while Marshall fanned a pair of batters in the ninth while earning his fourth save.
Williamsport starting pitcher Pat Maholm (1-1) was the tough luck loser. Maholm only allowed 4 hits and an unearned run in five innings.
Spinner leadoff hitter Kevin Jordan (2 hits) reached on an infield single in the bottom of the first. But Jordan was thrown out attempting to steal second.
Jordan came into the game third in the league in stolen bases with 22 steals. He has been caught stealing 10 times.
Murton had two hits, and Brett Bonvechio had a pinch single in the eighth.
The Spinners entered last night's game sixth in the NYPL in both team batting average (.250) and team earned-run-average (3.06). . .
Lowell pitcher Jarrett Gardner (5-3, 3.78), a righthander from the University of Arkansas, has not allowed a walk in 50 innings of work this summer. Gardner,
drafted by the Red Sox in the 19th round of this year's amateur draft, only walked five batters in 93 1/3 innings at Arkansas this spring. . .
First baseman Jeremy West has played in 61 of Lowell's 62 games this summer. West leads the Spinners in RBI (38) and doubles (16).
