After scuffling to a .125 batting average in June, the second baseman has hit his stride in his second month of professional baseball, batting .310 through eight games in July.

"It's tough when you come out and struggle right away," said Chambers, a 32nd-round pick of the Red Sox in the 2006 draft out of Franklin Pierce. "You start to wonder if you really belong. I kept talking to my father (Mike Chambers Sr.), and my family kept telling me, 'You're going to hit.' "

Along with the advice from his family, Chambers worked with Spinners hitting coach Alan Mauthe to cut his long swing and stride down to a more compact hitting action. They also quickened the speed of his hands through the hitting zone.

As a result, Chambers' average now sits at .226, up from a low of .094. He has nine hits in July, two doubles on the season and has struck out only four times, a team low for players with more than six at bats.

"It's been a big difference recently," he said. "Now I feel like I'm back in college. I feel like I belong here and that I can hit here and it's nice to have that feeling."

The stretch has also produced the highlight of Chambers' professional career to this point, his first pro home run - a solo blast on July 7 against the Vermont Lake Monsters.

"The first pitch (of the at-bat) was an off-speed pitch away," he remembered. "So then I sat on the next inside fastball and I just turned on it and it was a line drive and went out pretty quick. I think I was sprinting to second base. I didn't know where the ball was going to go.

"It was unbelievable. I never dreamed of hitting a home run while being with the Red Sox (organization). It was just awesome. That was my dream right there."

He has also made a positive impression on Spinners manager Bruce Crabbe.

"I think he (Chambers) is getting a little more comfortable at the plate," said Crabbe. "He's making good solid contact. ...He's definitely an aggressive hitter. That can be a strength and a weakness, and that's very true for Mike. He's aggressive when he swings the bat, and that's a positive."

Chambers finally had the opportunity to make a visit to Londonderry on Tuesday, using the Spinners' off day to go pick up a rare home-cooked meal. Family hasn't been far away so far, as his parents and other family members have been to most every Lowell home game.

A Major presence

Through the heavy raindrops, it may have appeared to the blurry eye that Cincinnati Reds All-Star and former Red Sox fan favorite Bronson Arroyo was warming up for the Spinners yesterday. However, it was, instead, veteran Major Leaguer and Arroyo clone Kyle Snyder, who was scheduled to pitch for Lowell yesterday.

The 28-year-old - who has appeared in 30 Major League games in his career including a start for the Red Sox this season - was to make a spot start for the Spinners in an attempt to remain on his five-day starting schedule, possibly for a return to Boston.

"It was a one-time thing to keep me on my routine," said Snyder. "Ideally it would have been nice to go out there and pitch. I came all the way up from Rhode Island. But you can't argue with Mother Nature."

Snyder has been on a roller coaster ride so far this season, opening the year with the Kansas City Royals before being placed on waivers and picked up by Boston on June 17. He made one start for the Red Sox, allowing three earned runs in five innings. He was then optioned to Pawtucket to make room for starter Jason Johnson.

With the rainout, he will rejoin Pawtucket when it resumes play after the Triple A All-Star game last night. But he has his eyes set on a larger prize.

"I look forward to another opportunity to help this team (the Red Sox) in any way I can," he said. "I was so happy to be given the chance to come to this organization and help out at the Major League level right away. Hopefully, provided there's another opportunity to help the big club out, I'll get that chance."

The long and winding road

Lowell's doubleheader today - the first game to make up yesterday's postponment - will be the team's first games back from a nine-game road trip, the longest of the season for the New York-Penn League club. The Spinners finished 5-4 on the trip through Tri-City, Vermont and Auburn.

"It wasn't too bad, but the toughest thing is the travel," said Chambers. "It's tough to sleep on those buses. ...I didn't like Auburn (New York) too much. It was too far away, then when we got there, there were just three pizza places. So it was just pizza, pizza or pizza the whole trip."

Feeling like a pro

With a shorter swing and a positive outlook, Londonderry's Mike Chambers of the Lowell Spinners is heating up in July after a tough June.

month%games%at bats%hits%batting average%home runs

June%6%24%3%.125%0

July%8%29%9%.310%1