Mon 23 Jun 2008
Aberdeen’s three-run seventh proved to be the difference in defeating the Staten Island Yankees 4-1 Monday night. The loss snapped a two-game win streak for the Baby Bombers, who will try to bounceback in the next two in the three-game road series.
The game featured a 71-minute rain delay after two innings of play keeping Bomber starter Luke Greinke from pitching deeper. He worked the first couple allowing one unearned run on a hit while walking a batter and striking out three.
Meanwhile, Birds’ starter Chris Salbert also permitted a run on a first inning Brian Baisley RBI single which plated second baseman David Adams. Despite that, the 23 year-old southpaw retired all six Bombers by fanning them.
When the contest finally resumed, both Staten Island’s Brad Rulon and Aberdeen’s Stephen Procner pitched extremely well keeping the bats silent. The just turned 22 year-old Rulon out of Georgia Tech continued his run of scoreless relief tossing three hitless frames while whiffing an impressive five. Procner matched zeroes by working the next four giving up two hits while K-ing four.
The Baby Bombers put the first couple on against new pitcher Rich Zagone but he worked out of the jam by striking out the last three.
With the ballgame still knotted in the Aberdeen home half, they finally got to losing S.I. reliever Andy Shive. After he retired the first two batters, a two out rally produced four consecutive singles including Tom Edwards’ go-ahead base hit to center followed by a two-run hit from Kyle Hudson which put them up 4-1.
Staten Island tried to get something going in the eighth but Birds’ reliever Nick Haughian induced Baisley into a 6-4-3 double play following a leadoff walk to third baseman Braedyn Pruitt. As fate would have it, Dan Brewer then singled with nobody on. Haughian got Mike Lyon to line out to second ending the threat.
The Bombers couldn’t rally in their last at bat as Fredy Deza closed it out 1-2-3 getting shortstop Addison Maruszak to bounce out to short for his second save.
Notes: It was a struggle for Bomber batters all night as they struckout 14 times against five Aberdeen pitchers including winner Zagone (1-0), who fanned the side in the seventh. Staten Island pitchers combined to K 11 including three from loser Shive (0-2). … Aberdeen recorded five of their six hits against Shive while the S.I. Yanks had five total hits with no one having more than one. … OF Matt Morris came in as a pinch hitter for leadoff man Ray Kruml but struckout before taking over in center. … Aberdeen drew a solid attendance with 6,470 despite the rainy conditions. … Aberdeen (4-3) is currently tied with the Cyclones for first in the McNamara Division with both the Bombers and Renegades each 3-4 trailing by a game. … Auburn boasts the best league record at 6-1 pacing the Pinckney Division.
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