The Aberdeen IronBirds saw their four-game win streak snapped Monday night, falling 3-0 to the Staten Island Yankees in New York-Penn League McNamara Division play at Leidos Field at Ripken Stadium.
Aberdeen (14-17) trails Staten Island (18-13), which ended a five-game skid, by four games. The two will close out the series Tuesday night. The IronBirds have an off day Wednesday, before heading out on an important road trip. The 'Birds will play at Brooklyn (14-17) Thursday through Saturday and then three at Hudson Valley (17-14) Sunday through Tuesday.
In Monday's loss, Aberdeen was shut down on five hits (all singles) by four Yankees pitchers. Starter and winner Adonis Rosa tossed six and two-third innings at the 'Birds, allowing four hits and a walk, while striking out five.
The IronBirds had two runners on in the first and ninth innings, but could not find the plate.
Staten Island, meanwhile, scored all three runs in the sixth inning against Aberdeen reliever Andrew Elliott (0-1). Elliott surrendered three hits, a walk and all three earned runs. Two came off the bat of Mike Ford, who touched up Elliott for an two-run home run.
The other run crossed on Dom Thompson-Williams' sacrifice fly.
Jason Heinrich went 2-for-4 to lead Aberdeen's attack. Ryan McKenna, Cole Billingsley and Chris Clare had the other Aberdeen hits.
Keegan Akin, the Baltimore Orioles second round pick last month, was solid in his second start with Aberdeen.
Akin threw three innings, allowing two hits, while striking out one. Steven Klimek also pitched well in relief. Klimek worked three and two-third innings, yielding two hits and a walk, while striking out one.
Wells is well
Aberdeen took the first game of the series with Staten Island on Sunday, winning 7-3, at Leidos Field at Ripken Stadium.
Alex Wells, the 19-year old, non-drafted free agent from Australia, threw another solid five innings to improve his record to 3-2.
Wells (four hits, two runs-one earned, one walk, two strikeouts) got support in the first inning. Kirvin Moesquit reached on one of four Staten Island errors and raced to third on Ryan McKenna's single. Moesquit scored on Alejandro Juvier's groundout.
Wells escaped trouble in the Yankees first, but set them down with no real issue in the second and third. The fourth inning, however, was a different story. Mike Ford and Timmy Robinson greeted Wells with back-to-back doubles to pull the Yankees even at 1-1. Robinson later scored on a throwing error by shortstop Chris Clare.
Aberdeen answered back in the bottom half of the fourth. Ronarsy Ledesma singled, stole second and moved to third on an errant throw by catcher Jerry Seitz. Mike Odenwaelder came up with the big two-out RBI single, plating Ledesma and re-tying the game at 2.
The IronBirds were back at it in the fifth, scoring twice more and to lead for good. Juvier's one-out walk fueled the rally. Ledesma, moments after fouling a ball off his left lower leg, doubled Juvier home.
Jason Heinrich's soft line drive single advanced to Ledesma to third, but unable to run at 100 percent, Ledesma was replaced with pinch runner Collin Woody.
Woody scored the second run of the inning when Yankees reliever Jonathan Padilla uncorked a wild pitch on strike three to Chris Shaw that should have ended the inning.
The IronBirds had their biggest inning in the sixth, batting around the order and scoring three times. Jerry McClanahan singled, Clare doubled and Moesquit (RBI) singled to begin the inning. McKenna added a sacrifice fly and Heinrich drove in the third run with a single.
Moesquit, Ledesma and Heinrich each had two hits to pace the 'Birds. Tyler Erwin threw two innings, allowing a run on three hits, while striking out three.
Will Shepley threw the final two innings. giving up two hits and striking out three.
A sweep
The IronBirds completed the sweep at Batavia on Saturday, rolling to an easy 9-0 win over the Muckdogs.
Aberdeen scored in the first inning and added more runs in the second, fourth, fifth and seventh innings.
Orioles 2013 first round pick Hunter Harvey, making his third rehab start with Aberdeen, pitched just an inning and a third (23 pitches) before leaving the game with soreness to his right arm. Harvey was to have an MRI Monday to the elbow area of his right arm.
Despite Harvey's issue, Aberdeen used four other pitchers to shut the Muckdogs out on five hits. Jeong-Hyeon Yoon tossed two and two-third innings for the win, while Lucas Brown and Xavier Borde pitched two innings each. Yi-Hsiang Lin pitched the final inning.
Offensively, Aberdeen lit the Batavia pitchers up for 16 hits, four for extra bases. McKenna led the way, going 4-for-6 with four RBIs. Cole Billingsley (two RBIs), Ledesma (RBI) and Moesquit had three hits apiece.
Juvier also had multiple hits with two and also drove in two.