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Carroll, Rangers trip Andover

ANDOVER — The numbers were far from overwhelming, but Cal Carroll has never been about the numbers. He's about wins, and he got another won yesterday, going the distance in Methuen's 9-3 victory over Andover.

"Usually he has seven or eight strikeouts and one walk," said Ranger coach Dave Fabrizio. "Today it was seven walks and three strikeouts. He's just an incredible competitor. He finds a way. Anybody else would have come out in the third. He wins a lot of games where he just bulldogs it. He got by on courage and guile."

Despite the touch if wildness, Carroll limited Andover to four hits and no hits over the final 3 1/3 innings.

It helped that Bobby Cole was playing like a gold glover at short and the Rangers (3-4, 2-2 MVC) erupted for six runs in the sixth.

Fabrizio said he was "Wave 'em in Wendell" in the sixth. But unlike the old Red Sox third-base coach, his runenrs were safe at the plate!

Corey Shepherd started it off with a single, then Eric Lacrox and Carroll walked to load the bases. Paul Tomacchio drew an RBI walk, then Cam Cyr's two-run single but the visitors up for good. Kevin Higgins added a two-run single and the final run scored on a passed ball.

For Andover (3-3), Alex Driscoll scored twice.

"I think we're as good as any team in the league," said Fabrizio, whose club has 23 hits in the last two games. "As long as we make playes in the field, we'll be OK. The whole league is up for grabs. We've already taken care of Lowell handily and they were No. 5 in Eastern Mass."