The Aberdeen IronBirds closed out its brief road trip to Connecticut Monday with a 6-3 win, giving the IronBirds the 2-1 series win.
Aberdeen (21-28) scored four times in the opening inning to get ahead and never trailed. Aberdeen was to return home Tuesday night to Leidos Field at Ripken Stadium to begin a six-game homestand. The 'Birds host Staten Island for three and then Lowell for another three.
The New York-Penn League's annual All-Star game is Aug. 16 in Wappinger Falls, N.Y. Left-handed pitcher Alex Wells and outfielder Cole Billingsley will represent the IronBirds at the annual game.
Kirvin Moesquit's leadoff single got the first inning rally started. Ryan McKenna doubled in Moesquit and McKenna came around to score later on Preston Palmeiro's RBI single. Austin Hays added a sacrifice fly RBI and the other run came on a passed ball, allowing Palmeiro to score. Jeff Kemp added a double in the inning as well.
Another Moesquit single ignited the other two Aberdeen runs, scored in the fifth. Moesquit stole his seventh base of the year and moved to third on a wild pitch. McKenna reached on fielder's choice, scoring Moesquit. Hays followed with a single, as did Kemp, driving in McKenna, but Hays was thrown out at third to end the inning.
Connecticut scored single runs in the second, third and ninth innings. Moesquit, Hays, Palmeiro and Kemp each had two hits to lead the 12-hit attack.
James Teague (1-0) threw two and a third innings to register his first win. Teague gave up a hit and a walk, while striking out three.
Another doubleheader
After another rainout Saturday in Connecticut, Aberdeen was forced into another doubleheader Sunday with the Tigers.
The IronBirds suffered a 2-1 setback in the first game, but battled back to take the nightcap, 3-0.
In the loss, Aberdeen starting pitcher Wells (3-5) was the hard-luck loser. Wells was struck in the leg by a line drive off the bat of Will Savage, forcing Wells from the game. Savage ended up scoring, as did Joey Havrilak, as the Tigers got their two runs in the first inning.
Aberdeen was shut out until the final inning. Austin Hays, seeing his first start since July 10 because of an unspecified injury, doubled and scored on a Cole Billingsley single. Moesquit, Jason Heinrich and Daniel Fajardo (2B) added hits for Aberdeen.
Xavier Borde (3 IP, four hits, one run, 5 Ks) and Max Knutson (3 IP, one hit, 4 Ks) pitched three innings each for the 'Birds.
In the win, three Aberdeen pitchers combined on a two-hitter. Starter Keegan Akin worked the first three, allowing a hit and walk, while winner Steven Klimek (2-3) threw the next three, giving up a hit and two walks, while striking out one. Ryan Moseley tossed a hitless seventh for his first save.
Late inning loss
Aberdeen was within an out of winning Friday's home finale with Tri-City, but number nine hitter Alexander De Goti (3-for-4) hit a three-run home run off Aberdeen reliever Jake Bray to send the IronBirds to a 5-4 loss.
The IronBirds scored a pair of runs in back-to-back innings (third and fourth) and led the game 4-2 entering the ninth. Tucker Nathans, in Aberdeen on rehab from Bowie, hit two doubles and drove in two runs.
Fajardo also had two hits and drove in the other two Aberdeen runs. Moesquit, Ryan McKenna, Alejandro Juvier and Jaylen Ferguson also had hits for Aberdeen.
Rodrigo Ayarza also had three hits for Tri-City and drove in the ValleyCats other two runs. They scored single runs in the third and fifth innings.
Extra inning win
Aberdeen needed 11 innings Thursday night at Leidos Field at Ripken Stadium to edge Tri-City, 3-2.
Preston Palmeiro started the rally with a single and scored the winning run on Ferguson's sacrifice fly. Ronarsy Ledesma reached on an error in the inning and Juvier moved the runners into scoring position with a sacrifice bunt.
Tri-City took a 1-0 lead in the first, but Aberdeen tied the game in the fifth on back-to-back doubles by Guillermo Salas and Ferguson. Tr-City jumped back ahead with its second run in the seventh, but Aberdeen came back again to re-tie the game in the eighth. McKenna singled in pinch runner Jason Heinrich with the run. Heinrich ran for Jerry McClanahan, who was aboard with an one-out single.
Moesquit and Ferguson had two hits apiece to lead the offense. Yi-Hsiang Lin (3-0) pitched an inning of relief to get the win.