Spinners fall in 11 innings

Staff writer

June 19, 2008 12:56 am

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LOWELL — Luis Sumoza's home run gave Lowell a four-run lead heading into the eighth, but Joseph Guerra blew his first save opportunity of the season, and the Spinners fell to the Tri-City ValleyCats 7-6 in 11 innings.

Lowell jumped out to a 2-0 lead in the second when Zach Gentile drove in Ricardo Burgos with a ground out, then Kade Keowen scored on an error. The Spinners added another in the third on a single by Sumoza, and two more in the sixth when Gentile plated a run with a single and Keowen drove in another on a force play.

But the bullpen collapsed. Lance McClain allowed three runs in the eighth, and Guerra allowed one in the ninth and the winner in the 11th.

Sumoza and Ronald Bermudez led Lowell with two hits apiece and Burgos scored twice. In his professional debut, former Notre Dame closer Kyle Weiland pitched two perfect innings of relief with two strikeouts for the Spinners.

Sussex 7, Nashua 3

AUGUSTA, N.J. — Kyle Ruwe went eight innings for the host Sussex Skyhawks as they battered the visiting Nashua Pride, 7-3.

Ruwe (5-1) struck out six and did not walk a batter.

Nashua's Brian Duplissie continued his torrid hitting, going 3 for 4 with his league-leading 13th double of the season. Vinny Pennell went 4 for 5 with a double and a run scored in a losing effort.

Pride starter German Melendez (1-1) went five innings and gave up four runs on seven hits.

Connecticut 9, New Hampshire 0

MANCHESTER, N.H. — The offense never got rolling for the New Hampshire Fisher Cats, who fell to the Connecticut Defenders 9-0.

The lone bright spot for the Fisher Cats was Travis Snider extending his hitting streak to a season-high 11 games.

New Hampshire starter Scott Richmond moved into third place in the Eastern League in strikeouts with 79, and innings pitched with 822/3.

Defenders starter Joe Martinez held the Fisher Cats to two hits over seven shutout innings to notch the win. Martinez (4-5) struck out four and walked only one, retiring the final 16 batters he faced. The right-hander has not allowed an earned run in his last 32 innings, lowering his league-leading ERA to 1.73.