Cup of Coffee: Spinners fall in penultimate game of regular season

9/4 Cup of Coffee: The Spinners will need help to extend their season, as they fell to the Aberdeen IronBirds (BAL), 8-7. The game started off poorly for Teddy Stankiewicz, as he allowed a three-run home run in the bottom of the first to put the Spinners in an early hole. He would settle down, pitching a scoreless second and third, while striking out two. 

Down by three in the fifth, Carlos Asuaje laced an RBI double, and he came around to score on an error by the second baseman. The Spinners tied the game in the sixth on an error by the third baseman, and then took the lead on another error by the shortstop. Asuaje added an RBI single in the sixth to extend the lead to 7-4. 

Despite the sloppy defense, the IronBirds were able to stay locked in at the plate. After back-to-back walks, Mario Alcantara served up a three-run home run to tie the game. It looked like the Spinners were going to take the lead back in the seventh after Wendell Rijo led off with a triple, but he was stranded at third after three consecutive ground outs. Asuaje and Rijo each had three hits, while Aaron King went 1 for 2 with two walks. 

In the bottom of the eighth, Joe Gunkel got a strikeout with a runner on third and two outs, but the ball got away from the catcher, allowing the go-ahead run to score. It was a heartbreaking loss for the Spinners, who now need to win today, while also having the Jamestown Jammers lose, to advance to the postseason. 

Player of the Day: On the day before his 18th birthday, Wendell Rijo went 3 for 5 with a triple in his second game with Lowell. Rijo is projected to start next season in Lowell, so his late-season promotion both gets him comfortable for next season. while also getting him playing time during a playoff chase.

Photo Credit: Wendell Rijo by Kelly O'Connor

Jim Crowell is a Staff Writer for SoxProspects.com.

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