Last night, Natalie and I went to see the Aberdeen Ironbirds play at Ripken Stadium. I had won a pair of tickets, with meal vouchers, at the North Plaza Mall Festival. The Ironbirds won, beating the State College Spikes 2 to 1. Really a nice prize. The food was good. They had salmon and some other kind of fish, good side dishes, fresh fruit and chocolate cake. You also got free soft drinks but we were drinking beer. They have a good selection of beers too. Natalie was drinking a pale ale from Greenville, Deleware and I drank Ram's Head IPA. Good stuff.
Aberdeen, MD- The IronBirds shut down an offense that ranked as one of the best in the New York-Penn League, beating the State College Spikes by a final of 2-1. The win moves the IronBirds to 13-10 on the year, and move into first place for the first time all season.
The Spikes came into the game with a league-leading .287 batting average and .355 on-base percentage, but on this night, IronBirds pitching mowed them down with ease.
Mitch Horacek, making his third professional start, looked exceptionally sharp in earning his first professional win. In 5 strong innings of work, Horacek struck out six, allowing just one run on three hits.
IronBirds relievers continued where Horacek left off, as Williams Louico and Jimmy Yacabonis combined to throw four innings of sterling relief.
The IronBirds struck early, taking the lead before they had made an out. Jared Breen started off the first with a single through the right side. The hit extended Breen's hit streak to 13 games, tied for the third-longest hit streak in IronBirds history. He then stole second, Mike Yastrzemski doubled him home, and the IronBirds had the lead.
The Birds scored again in the third. With two outs, Yastrzemski was hit by a pitch, then stole second, putting himself in scoring position. Trey Mancini followed with a bloop single to right, and the lead extended to 2-0.
Horacek had been excellent through four innings, but ran into trouble in the fifth. He allowed a leadoff single, threw a wild pitch, then gave up another single, putting runners at the corners with no outs. But Horacek would find his way out of the inning with the lead intact, inducing two ground balls to the shortstop, one of which turned into a double play. The Spikes scored in the inning, but the IronBirds led 2-1.
The IronBirds would not score again in the game, but as it turned out, they didn't need it. IronBirds relief pitchers on this night would be perfect, recording four innings of no-hit ball. Louico pitched the sixth and seventh, striking out two.
Yacabonis would follow, recording a six-out save, the second of his professional career. After setting down the side in order in the eighth, Yacabonis would strike out the first two batters before allowing a two-out walk. The walk broke a string of 14 straight batters retired by IronBirds pitching. The next batter, however, flied out to center, and the IronBirds had the victory.
The IronBirds would strike out 11 State College batters tonight, a dominant performance against a very tough offensive team.
After starting off the season 0-5, the IronBirds have won 13 of their last 18 games. With an 8-4 loss by the Hudson Valley Renedgades moved into first place, leading the Renegades by a half-game.
The IronBirds will look to win their fourth consecutive series tomorrow night in the second game of a three-game set against State College. RHP Austin Urban (0-2, 6.23 ERA) will go for the IronBirds, while the IronBirds will face Spikes' RHP Andrew Pierce (0-0, 3.12 ERA).
Aberdeen, MD- The IronBirds shut down an offense that ranked as one of the best in the New York-Penn League, beating the State College Spikes by a final of 2-1. The win moves the IronBirds to 13-10 on the year, and move into first place for the first time all season.
The Spikes came into the game with a league-leading .287 batting average and .355 on-base percentage, but on this night, IronBirds pitching mowed them down with ease.
Mitch Horacek, making his third professional start, looked exceptionally sharp in earning his first professional win. In 5 strong innings of work, Horacek struck out six, allowing just one run on three hits.
IronBirds relievers continued where Horacek left off, as Williams Louico and Jimmy Yacabonis combined to throw four innings of sterling relief.
The IronBirds struck early, taking the lead before they had made an out. Jared Breen started off the first with a single through the right side. The hit extended Breen's hit streak to 13 games, tied for the third-longest hit streak in IronBirds history. He then stole second, Mike Yastrzemski doubled him home, and the IronBirds had the lead.
The Birds scored again in the third. With two outs, Yastrzemski was hit by a pitch, then stole second, putting himself in scoring position. Trey Mancini followed with a bloop single to right, and the lead extended to 2-0.
Horacek had been excellent through four innings, but ran into trouble in the fifth. He allowed a leadoff single, threw a wild pitch, then gave up another single, putting runners at the corners with no outs. But Horacek would find his way out of the inning with the lead intact, inducing two ground balls to the shortstop, one of which turned into a double play. The Spikes scored in the inning, but the IronBirds led 2-1.
The IronBirds would not score again in the game, but as it turned out, they didn't need it. IronBirds relief pitchers on this night would be perfect, recording four innings of no-hit ball. Louico pitched the sixth and seventh, striking out two.
Yacabonis would follow, recording a six-out save, the second of his professional career. After setting down the side in order in the eighth, Yacabonis would strike out the first two batters before allowing a two-out walk. The walk broke a string of 14 straight batters retired by IronBirds pitching. The next batter, however, flied out to center, and the IronBirds had the victory.
The IronBirds would strike out 11 State College batters tonight, a dominant performance against a very tough offensive team.
After starting off the season 0-5, the IronBirds have won 13 of their last 18 games. With an 8-4 loss by the Hudson Valley Renedgades moved into first place, leading the Renegades by a half-game.
The IronBirds will look to win their fourth consecutive series tomorrow night in the second game of a three-game set against State College. RHP Austin Urban (0-2, 6.23 ERA) will go for the IronBirds, while the IronBirds will face Spikes' RHP Andrew Pierce (0-0, 3.12 ERA).
