Despite four home runs, IronBirds drop second straight game to Bowling Green
Jul. 29—The Aberdeen IronBirds dropped their second straight game to Bowling Green Wednesday night, falling, 7-5, in High-A East action at Leidos Field at Ripken Stadium.
Game three is set for Thursday night at 7:05 p.m.
Wednesday night's loss had an eerie similarity to Tuesday's opener. The Hot Rods led 6-0 early and the 'Birds just couldn't come all the way back.
"We're really struggling to get zeros those first three frames, I think it's been like the last 10 or 15 games, it's just like you give up a crooked number maybe in the first and then in the second, maybe a zero, and the third, we just can't seem to solve it, second time through the lineup," Aberdeen manager Kyle Moore said.
Bowling Green (52-22) scored twice in the first and four times in the third. Five-of-the-six runs were charged to Aberdeen starter Brandon Young, who was making his first start for the 'Birds.
Young pitched 2.2 innings, allowing four hits, three walks and five runs. He did strike out seven.
"I think it's a little bit of nerves because we've got some new guys pitching up here from Delmarva and I also think they are not used to the quality of hitter we're facing," Moore said. "Hudson Valley and Bowling Green both really quality teams."
Down 6-0, Aberdeen (38-35) cut the lead in half in the bottom of inning three. Two of the Orioles highly drafted prospects, Jordan Westburg and Gunnar Henderson, hit back-to-back home runs to get Aberdeen on the board.
Chris Shaw doubled and J.D. Mundy singled to continue the inning. Shaw came in to score when Andrew Daschbach grounded into a double play.
Aberdeen got a run closer in the fourth with Andrew Martinez drilling a solo home run.
Bowling Green, though, added its final run in the fifth, while Aberdeen added a final run in the seventh. Dylan Harris, who took over for Shaw in left field, lined a solo home run to right field.
Westburg, who waked three times, drew a two-out walk in the ninth. Henderson, however, struck out to end the game.
Bowling Green's Hill Alexander (3-4, three RBIs) was the only batter for either team with multiple hits.
Jake Prizina pitched five innings in relief. Prizina scattered five hits and allowed one unearned run. He walked one and struck out four.
Clayton McGinness threw 1.1 innings of relief, allowing one hit, three walks and one run. He struck out three.
