ValleyCats Drop Opener to Spinners

LOWELL, MA – Carlos Fernandez was 3-for-4 with two doubles to pace the offense, while the combination of Brock Huntzinger, Hunter Strickland and Seth Garrison posted 12 strikeouts as the Lowell Spinners defeated the Tri-City ValleyCats 4-2 on Magnetic Schedule Giveaway Night, sponsored by Courtyard by Marriott, Precision Tune, Sohn & Associates, Pepsi and the Lowell Sun.

It was the Spinners’ fourth straight win on Opening Night at LeLacheur Park, as the team celebrated 10-years of baseball in the park.

Lowell (1-0) grabbed the lead early, scoring a run in the bottom of the first inning as Ryan Dent singled, stole second, advanced to third on a throwing error and scored on a groundout by Ronald Bermudez.

The Spinners increased their lead in the home half of the fourth inning with three runs, as Fernandez doubled and scored on a pair of throwing errors and Kade Keowen singled home two runs.

Tri-City (0-1) cut into the Spinners’ lead with two runs in the sixth inning on a Lowell error and a sacrifice fly. However, that was as close as the ValleyCats would come with the Spinners’ bullpen shutting the door.

Spinner starter, and TD Banknorth Player of the Game, Huntzinger (1-0) was stellar in his season debut, allowing just three hits in five innings while striking out seven ValleyCat batters. Strickland allowed two runs on one hit in three innings of middle relief while Garrison picked up his first professional save, striking out two.

Fernandez had half of the Spinners’ six hits, with Dent, Keowen and Mitch Dening picking up the other three.