Sunday, August 24, 2003 - LOWELL The Lowell Spinners hope to spend the last week and a half of the regular season playing for
more than pride.
Lowell posted its second straight win over the Williamsport Crosscutters, 5-3, at LeLacheur Park yesterday.
With only 11 games left in the regular season, the Spinners (34-29) now trail the Crosscutters (39-26) by 4 games in the race for the New York-Penn League's
wild-card playoff berth.
Scooter Jordan led the way for Lowell with three hits, including a triple, a run scored and RBI.
"I don't think we're necessarily out of it," said Jordan. "We'll go out and play as hard as we can and see what happens at the end of the
year."
Lowell is also still within striking distance of Stedler Division leader Oneonta. Heading into yesterday's games the Spinners trailed Oneonta by 5 1/2 games.
Tri-City is in second place in the Stedler Division, games ahead of Lowell as of yesterday.
The Spinners begin a crucial three-game series against Oneonta today at 5 p.m. at LeLacheur Park.
"A sweep would be great," said Spinner manager Jon Deeble. "But two out of three would be good. They're a good ball club."
Lowell yesterday got strong efforts out of the bullpen from Chris Farley, Kevin Ool and Brian Marshall, who only gave up a combined total of four hits and no
walks while working four shutout innings in relief of starter Davey Penny, who allowed six hits and three runs in five innings.
Farley allowed two hits in two innings and picked up his first win of the summer in four decisions.
Justin Harris and Milver Reyes opened the seventh for Williamsport with back-to-back singles. But Farley retired the next three batters in order to get out of
the jam.
Ool pitched the eighth, and Marshall struck out out the side in the ninth, earning his fifth save.
"We played well," said Deeble. "I thought our baserunning was poor. But we had some good pitching and good hitting. And we played good defense
for the most part."
Lowell snapped a 3-3 tie with a pair of runs in the sixth.
With one down, Jordan got the rally started by ripping a triple to deep right field. Jordan, who stands 5-foot-8 and weighs 160 pounds, isn't known for his
power. He only has six extra-base hits (3 doubles and 3 triples) this season .
"I don't usually hit them that far," said Jordan. "When I saw it up in the air I was like 'Oh my God!" I was looking at it and then I caught
myself and started running because I knew I had to get to third."
Zach Borowiak followed Jordan's triple with a grounder to short. Jordan ended up scoring what proved to be the winning run on the play after Williamsport
botched a rundown.
Borowiak, who reached on a fielder's choice, scored an insurance run on Jeremy West's single to right. West (2 hits) has knocked in a team-high 39 runs.
After Williamsport went up 3-2, Lowell evened the score in the fourth. Ignacio Suarez walked, went to third on Jordan's single and scored on a base hit by
Borowiak.
Mike Arbinger belted a two-run homer to right in the top of the fourth that put the Crosscutters up 3-2.
Williamsport fell behind 2-0 early. But the Crosscutters cut the Spinners' lead in half with a run in the third as Nyjer Morgan singled home Brett Holmes, who
reached on a bunt single.
The Spinners had plenty of chances to break the game open. But Lowell, which stranded eight baserunners in the first four innings, made a couple of costly
baserunning miscues that killed potential big innings.
Lowell scored a run in the second when Brett Bonvechio singled, moved up to second on Ignacio Suarez' infield hit and scored on Jordan's base hit to left.
In the bottom of the first, Borowiak tripled to left center and scored on Matt Murton's sacrifice fly to right.
Williamsport reliever Russ Bayer took the loss. Bayer gave up five hits and three runs (only one of which was earned) in three innings.
