Tigers Win With Late Clutch Hitting

Aberdeen, MD - The Connecticut Tigers (20-20) defeated the Aberdeen IronBirds (12-27) by a score of 5-2 Thursday night at Ripken Stadium. With the score tied at 2-2 entering the ninth inning, the Tigers were just 1-for-10 with runners in scoring position. LF Rash Brown (0-4) came up to the plate with one out and runners on second and third base. Brown drove in the go ahead run on a sacrifice fly that brought 3B Steven Fuentes in to score what ended up being the game winning run. 2B Brett Pirtle (1-5) followed with a two-run homerun to add two insurance runs before the bottom of the inning.

Starter RHP Chase Edwards suffered a no decision in his eighth start of the season. Edwards pitched six innings while allowing two runs (one earned) on four hits and struck out three. Edwards's one fatal blow was giving up a solo homerun to IronBirds LF Jamill Moquete (2-3). RHP Johan Belisario (4-0) picked up his fourth win of the season as he pitched two shutout innings in relief of Edwards while striking out four in the six outs he recorded. Belisario has recorded 12.2 consecutive scoreless innings. RHP Josh Laxer (S, 1) picked up his first professional save of his career after a perfect ninth inning in which he struck out two of the three batters he faced.

The Tigers entered the fourth inning trailing 2-0. After back to back singles by CF Ross Kivett and RF Mike Gerber, DH Kasey Coffman put the Tigers on the scoreboard with a sacrifice fly. With two outs the Tigers took advantage of having Gerber in scoring position as C Franklin Navarro drove him on an RBI single to tie the game at 2-2. Despite driving in the game winning run in the ninth inning, Brown did not reach base safely in the Tigers victory as his streak comes to an end at 11 consecutive games.

In game two of the series, Tigers RHP Spencer Turnbull (0-1, 4.66) is slated to face IronBirds LHP Bennett Parry (2-0, 1.77). The pre-game show begins at 6:50 p.m. on AM 1310 WICH and cttigers.com.

The Connecticut Tigers are the Class-A affiliate of the Detroit Tigers and play in the New York-Penn League. The Tigers are in their 5th season at Dodd Stadium. Tickets are now on sale! The Box Office is open 9 a.m.-5 p.m. Monday through Friday. In addition, tickets can be purchased over the phone at (860) 887-7962. For more information go online to cttigers.com.