Aberdeen IronBirds Crush Auburn Doubledays - Short Season A, NY- Penn League

MLN - THE RAW FEED - www.mlntherawfeed.com - One night after jumping out to an early 7-0 lead, Aberdeen was back at it again on Thursday, scoring four times in the first and twice in the second on its way to a 10-1 win over Auburn at Ripken Stadium.
IronBirds starter Rick Zagone (2-0) got all the run support he would need in the first inning. The left-hander fanned seven batters and allowed just one walk and three hits—all singles—over five scoreless frames to pick up the win in his first professional start. The Orioles’ sixth-round draft choice in the 2008 MLB Draft out of the University of Missouri, Zagone retired 11 of the last 12 batters he faced, including the final four.

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Aberdeen (12-11) got things rolling right away in the first after Auburn starter Evan Crawford loaded the bases with one out on two walks and a hit batsman. Robbie Widlansky drew the IronBirds’ third walk of the frame to push Caleb Joseph across for the team’s first run.
 
It looked as if Crawford might avoid any more damage when he got the next batter, Tom Edwards, to hit a two-hopper to second baseman Carlos Vasquez. But the ball took a nasty hop over Vasquez’s head and into right-center field for a two-run single that scored Tyler Kolodny and Jacob Julius. Brian Bent followed with an RBI single to put Aberdeen up 4-0 and knock Crawford from the game after just two-thirds of an inning.
 
In the bottom of the second, three of the first four batters in the frame singled before Lee Ellis grounded into a fielder’s choice to plate Joseph for Aberdeen’s fifth run. Widlansky then ripped a double down the right field line to score Ellis and put the ’Birds up 6-0. Ellis would add another RBI in the fourth with a two-out double to bring home Julius.
 
The only Auburn run came on an RBI groundout in the seventh by Mike McDade. Designated hitter Adam Amar was the only player to record two hits for the Doubledays (12-11), who have lost five straight.
 
After the first two IronBirds reached base to begin the eighth, Joseph stroked a two-run double, advanced to third on a passed ball and scored on another passed ball to round out the scoring for Aberdeen, which has won four straight and six of its last eight. The victory also put the IronBirds over .500 for the first time since June 25, when the club was 5-4.
 
All nine Aberdeen batters recorded a hit in the win, while Julius led the way with a 3-for-4 night and two runs scored. Joseph, Ellis, Edwards and Widlansky each collected two RBIs.
 
Crawford took the loss and fell to 0-2 on the year after allowing four runs on two hits and three walks.
 

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