The Aberdeen IronBirds bid to take game three in its series with division leading Staten Island Tuesday night came up a few runs short after an 11-inning, three hour and 36 minute New York-Penn League contest at Leidos Field at Ripken Stadium.
Staten Island (19-13) scored three times in the top of the 11th inning and went on to beat the IronBirds (14-18), 8-5, in the back-and-forth McNamara Division game. The loss completed a six-game spurt that saw then IronBirds go 4-2, dropping the final two.
"In general we've had a good week, you know we had a good week sweeping those three in Batavia, coming home and getting that first one here," Aberdeen manager Kevin Bradshaw said. "Our last two nights, a little disappointing, especially this one. We kept fighting back, the boys didn't give up, we played hard."
Aberdeen led 1-0 into the fifth inning on Alejandro Juvier's sacrifice fly, scoring Kirvin Moesquit, who had walked. Back-to-back doubles by the Yankees against plated the tie run against Aberdeen starter Travis Seabrooke in his final inning of work. Seabrooke finished with five solid innings, giving up the lone run on just three hits. He also struck out two.
Max Knutson came on to pitch the sixth and gave up a solo home run to Dalton Blaser. The Yankees 2-1 lead didn't last long, though, as Cole Billingsgley singled in the bottom of the sixth and rode home on Juvier's two-run shot to right.
Aberdeen's 3-2 lead disappeared as well in the eighth. IronBirds reliever Ryan Moseley, making his first appearance in Aberdeen, gave up a two-run shot to Timmy Robinson that pushed the Yankees back in front, 4-3.
In the bottom of the ninth, consecutive two-out walks to Moesquit and Ryan McKenna allowed Billingsley to step in and deliver a game-tying single to right, scoring Moesquit.
Staten Island scored again in the 10th on three straight walks and a sacrifice fly against Daniel Ayers. Lucas Brown came on to induce the sac fly, but Ayers had walked the bases loaded. Brown escaped further damage by snagging a line drive and turning it into a double play.
Down but not out, Jason Heinrich led off the bottom of the 10th with a solo blast onto the visiting clubhouse roof in left field. Yankees reliever David Palladino, who was charged with two blown saves, retired the next six batters in order to earn the win.
His teammates put him in the win column by scoring three unanswered run in the 11th. Drew Bridges doubled and scored the first run and Blaser singled in two more. Blaser went 3-for-5 to lead the Yankees.
Brown (0-2) was charged with the loss, allowing three earned runs on four hits and two walks. He struck out one. Moesquit (two runs, two stolen bases), Billingsley (RBI, run) and Heinrich (RBI, run) each had two hits for Aberdeen.
The IronBirds are off Wednesday and will hit the road Thursday to begin an important six-game road trip against division rivals. The 'Birds will play at Brooklyn (14-18) Thursday through Saturday and then three at Hudson Valley (18-14) Sunday through Tuesday.
"This day off is gonna really help a lot of these guys tomorrow, to recharge a battery. So when we do go on the road, both teams Brooklyn and Hudson Valley are in our division, so they're games we're going to have to win to move up the ladder into first place," Bradshaw said.
Aberdeen has another off day next Wednesday before returning home for another brief homestand. The IronBirds will welcome the Mahoning Valley Scrappers for three games, July 28-30.