LOWELL, Mass. - New York-Penn League All-Star Matt Curry slugged his fourth home run of the season to start the State College Spikes' scoring, and Andy Vasquez capped it with a three-run dinger, but the Lowell Spinners had enough offense in between to down the Spikes, 6-5, on Wednesday night at LeLacheur Park.
Curry's blast, a solo shot to start off the second inning, upped his RBI total to 20 on the year as well, and put State College (25-28) out in front, 1-0. Miguel Mendez then brought home Cole White on a sacrifice fly in the same frame to extend the Spikes lead to 2-0.
Lowell (15-37), however, came back with three runs off State College starter Zack Dodson (2-3) in the bottom of the second. Felix Sanchez's two-run double gave the Spinners a lead that they would not relinquish. Three more two-out runs in the seventh inning added to the Spinners' late cushion.
The Spikes had one last scoring burst in them, with ninth-inning singles by Cole White and Mendez leading to Vasquez's hitting his second home run of the year on the very first pitch he saw. Mel Rojas, Jr. struck out immediately after, though, to end the game.
Curry, Mendez and White all had multiple hits for the Spikes, with Kelson Brown adding a double.
Dodson, who held the Staten Island Yankees hitless in five shutout innings to earn the win last Thursday, yielded Lowell's three runs on a total of five hits and two walks in 4 2/3 innings. The left-hander from Natalia, Texas also struck out a season-high six, matching the best single-game mark for any Spikes pitcher in 2010.
Lowell right-hander Tyler Wilson (2-3) started and earned the victory. Wilson allowed two runs, one earned, on five hits while striking out four over six innings. Stephen Fox (1) allowed three runs on four hits over three innings, but earned the save by finishing off the win. Fox also struck out two.
Former Spike Josue Peley started again for the Spinners, but was held hitless in three at-bats after two hits on Tuesday night.
State College's current four-game losing streak is the longest of the season, as is the current four-game slide on the road.
Thursday, the Spikes end their three-game series in Lowell with a 7:05 p.m. matchup against the Spinners at LeLacheur Park. State College will send left-hander Colton Cain (0-2) to the mound to face left-hander Hunter Cervenka (0-3).
