Sea Unicorns Offense Wakes Up In Late Innings To Mercy Lowell
Lowell, MA – After getting beat down by the Lowell Spinners all season long, the Sea Unicorns finally flipped the script, cruising to a 16-6 mercy rule victory.
Despite allowing more walks than strikeouts, the Norwich pitching staff dialed it back and locked in a victory. It was an Eric Mathewson bump day, in which he threw only 2.2 innings with four hits, two runs with only one earned, and four walks to one strikeout. Janvier Diaz, who secured the win, pitched a solid inning in relief in the seventh before Adam Carpenter pitched the best inning of any Sea Unicorn in a scoreless eighth with two strikeouts.
Four Sea Unicorn batters had multi-RBI games, including Henry Ayers continuing his hot streak at the plate, going 3-3 with three runs and three RBIs. TJ Baer, Jackson Powers, and David Pengel are the other three, with Baer smacking a two-run home run in the seventh.
After going down 2-0 to the Spinners, Pengel drove in the first run of the game for the Sea Unicorns in the fifth on an RBI single. However, Lowell would keep putting on the pressure. Fletcher Waterman rocked an RBI single in the fifth, while a passed ball scored Quinn Murphy and a wild pitch scored Spencer Warfield in the sixth to give Lowell a 5-1 lead.
However, Norwich would not give up so easily. The comeback kids were in full effect, coming alive in full force in the seventh inning. Ayers started the scoring party with an RBI single, while an error later would bring him in to score. A wild pitch would score Jake Howlett before Kenny Noe stroked an RBI single to left center, making it a tie game at five. That’s when Baer rocketed that two-run home run to take the lead 7-5, while Powers would continue his monster season with an RBI single to make it 8-5. The Sea Unicorns would squeeze one more run out of the inning on a sacrifice lineout by Ayers, making it 9-5 Norwich at the end of seven.
Lowell attempted a shallow comeback, driving in one run in the home half of the seventh on a bases-loaded walk to Aidan Driscoll. However, that would be the final run that the Spinners would see.
Up 9-6, the Sea Unicorns kept their foot on the gas and sped away in the eighth inning. Powers rocked another RBI single before the Lowell pitching staff would absolutely fall apart. Norwich would force four bases-loaded walks in the inning, while also scoring two runs on an error and bases-loaded HBP to go up 10 runs with a 16-6 lead. Although Lowell ended up only allowing seven walks in the game compared to Norwich’s 10, the Lowell walks ended up costing them a lot more damage.
With the mercy rule looming, the Sea Unicorns put in Carpenter to close out the game in the eighth. After striking out Waterman, the Spinners put in Lorenzo Camilleri to pinch hit for Ryan O’Leary, and he ended up hitting a single to center. However, Lowell couldn’t make anything happen. A fielder’s choice cost them another out before Cam Biller struck out looking to end the game.
The Sea Unicorns are now 19-22 on the campaign. Norwich will come home to Dodd Stadium to face the Vermont Lake Monsters Thursday night. First pitch is scheduled for 6:30 p.m. ET.
Win – Janvier Diaz (4-1)
Loss – Chris Klueber (0-3)
Time – 3:37
written by Mark Benway
UPCOMING PROMOTIONS
Thursday, July 16th vs Vermont Lake Monsters @ 6:30pm (gates open at 5:30)
Thirsty Thursday
It’s another Thirsty Thursday at Dodd Stadium! Come on down to the ballpark for some great beer specials and exciting Sea Unicorns baseball.
Presented by Narragansett Beer
Friday, July 17th vs Vermont Lake Monsters @ 6:30pm (gates open at 5:30)
Postgame Fireworks
Stick around after the conclusion of the game for a fireworks spectacle!
Presented by Liberty Bank
