The Aberdeen IronBirds (2-6) lost a 13 Inning battle against the Staten Island Yankees (3-4) by a score of 2-3 on Monday night (Tuesday morning?), evening up the series and setting up a rubber match in game 3 of the 3-game series in Staten Island. The IronBirds got a nice start from Luc Rennie ( 5 IP, 4 H, 2 R, 2 BB, 5 K's) and a big game from CF Anthony Vega ( 3-5, 1 2B, 1 HR, 1 RBI), while the Aberdeen bullpen pitched 7 straight shutout innings, but it wasn't enough to get the W as the Yankees were led by their bullpen pitching 8.2 innings of 1-run baseball, while SS Jon Murphy (2-6, 1 RBI, GW run) and RF Yeicok Calderon (3-7, GW RBI) did the rest to win the game for the home team.
The game was a pitchers duel before Vega's HR in the 5th off of Yankees starter Jairo Heredia (4.1 IP, 4 H, 1 R, 0 BB, 7 K's) made it 1-0 Aberdeen before Staten Island answered with two runs of their own in the bottom half of the Inning to take the 2-1 lead. IronBirds reliever Jimmy Yacabonis (1.2 IP, 2 H, 0 R, 1 BB, 4 K's) then came into the game and shut down the Yankees in the 6th and 7th and hold the score at 2-1 before IronBirds 3B Kris Richards tied the game at 2-2 with an RBI double to score SS Jared Breen in the top of the 8th.
The game then turned into a battle of the bullpen's, as IronBirds relievers Jorge Rivera ( 2 IP, 1 H, 0 R, 0 BB, 1 K), Jose Figuereo, Alex Santana, and Harry Marino (2.1 IP, 1 H, 0 R, 1 BB, 2 K's) shutout the Yankees from the bottom of the 8th through the 12th, while Yankees relievers Tyler Webb ( 2 IP, O H, 0 R, 0 BB, 3 K's), Stefan Lopez (2 IP, 0 H, 0 R, 0 BB, 1 K) retired 12 straight IronBirds hitters going into the 13th Inning. Yankees reliever Dillon McNamara ( 1 IP, 0 H, 0 R, 0 BB, 1 K- Also got the W) then retired the IronBirds 1-2-3 in the 13th, and then in the bottom of the 13th, the Yankees had runners on 1st and 2nd with 1 out against Aberdeen reliever Nick Cunningham (Making his professional and IronBirds debut-took the L) before Yeicok Calderon scored John Murphy on a game-winning single and tying this series at 1-1 to set up the rubber match of the series on Tuesday night.
Now, here's a couple of notes on the game last night:
- Hector Veloz's 7-game hitting streak was snapped, as he went 0-2 after coming in to hit for Sam Kimmel in the 10th and staying in at 3B last night.
- Kris Richards extended his hitting streak to 5 games after his RBI double in the 8th inning
- After going 3 for 5 last night, Anthony Vega now has a 3-game hitting streak and is 5 for 13 (.384 avg) in his last 3 games
-After going 1 for 4 last night, Sam Kimmel also has a 3-game hitting streak. The hit was a lead-off triple in the 6th, but Aberdeen could not capitalize,and looking at the final score, it was a huge missed opportunity for Aberdeen
- RF Manny Hernandez got his 1st hit of the season last night! Expect him to heat up as the year goes along
- For what it's worth, the IronBirds hit for the cycle as a team last night! The team had 3 singles, 2 doubles ( Vega and Richards), the triple from Sam Kimmel in the 6th, and Vega's HR in the 5th.
- IronBirds relievers Jimmy Yacabonis (3 games, 4.2 IP, 0.00 ERA, 6 K's) and Harry Marino (2 games, 4.2 IP, 0.00 ERA, 6 K's) have been outstanding out of the Bullpen so far in the early stages of the season.
- Luc Rennie has pitched very well in his first two starts, recording a 2.79 ERA with 12 K's (T-3rd in NYPL) in 9.2 IP
- The IronBirds pitching staff racked up 14 K's last night, and they still lead the NYPL in K's with 81 through 8 games.
The IronBirds will look to get back in the win column and take this series in Staten Island tonight at 7:00 PM. RHP Austin Urban will take the mound for Aberdeen, while RHP Rookie Davis will get the start for the Yankees. The IronBirds will return to Ripken Stadium after tonight's game to take on the Brooklyn Cyclones in a 2-game series, and look for their 1st home win of the 2013 season.
That's all I have for now IronBirds Nation! I'll post some pre-game notes and tonight's Line-up's a couple hours before first pitch, so be sure to stay posted at IBN! Until then, take it easy Aberdeen!
- Logan Quick