Thanks to a five-run second inning, the Staten Island Yankees defeated the Lowell Spinners, 5-1, last night at Richmond County Bank Ballpark to advance to the New York-Penn League’s championship series.

A Kelvin Castro RBI groundout was followed by four consecutive two-out RBI hits — singles by Jimmy Paredes, DeAngelo Mack and Luke Murton and a double by Neil Medchill — to give Staten Island a lead it would never relinquish.

Kelvin Perez picked up the win for the Yankees. He threw five shutout innings, striking out eight and walking two.

Staten Island will play Mahoning Valley in the best-of-three championship series. It will host the first game of the series tomorrow, and then will travel to Ohio for Game 2 and, if necessary, Game 3.

tbontemps@nypost.com