IronBirds earn first walkoff win of 2025 in series against Hot Rods
By: Michael Marcantonini The Aberdeen IronBirds lost five out of six games in last week’s home series against the Bowling Green Hot Rods, but their one win was their first walkoff victory of the 2025 season. Five of the six games were decided by three runs or less and three
By: Michael Marcantonini
The Aberdeen IronBirds lost five out of six games in last week’s home series against the Bowling Green Hot Rods, but their one win was their first walkoff victory of the 2025 season. Five of the six games were decided by three runs or less and three of the six were decided in the ninth inning or later.
After the Hot Rods took each of the first two games of the series, the IronBirds responded in a big way in the third game on Thursday night. The IronBirds had just three base runners through the first seven innings and trailed 1-0 entering the bottom of the eighth when they finally broke through. The first five batters of the inning walked to force in two runs and give Aberdeen its first lead. Bowling Green tied the game with two outs in the top of the ninth, but that was all they managed. With the game tied 2-2 and the bases loaded for the Hot Rods, IronBirds utility man Angel Tejada came in to pitch and got the final out of the inning to set up a thrilling finish.
Ryan Stafford ripped a double into the left field corner to open the bottom of the ninth and reached third on a sacrifice bunt, then two batters later, Jalen Vasquez brought home the winning run on a squeeze bunt past the pitcher’s mound to secure a 3-2 victory. The good vibes kept rolling for Vasquez as he was promoted to Double-A Chesapeake the next day. In other news, this was the IronBirds’ first walkoff win since August 25, 2024 against Winston-Salem, when Thomas Sosa hit a game-winning RBI single in the 11th inning.
BALLGAME!
— Aberdeen IronBirds (@IronBirds) May 2, 2025
Jalen Vasquez with a walk-off squeeze play to win it for the 'Birds!@OsPlayerDev | @MIKEdUpSports pic.twitter.com/7RfSjPBs5x
Even with the series loss, there were plenty of individual performances to be excited about for the IronBirds. Nestor German gave up just two runs and tied a season-high with seven strikeouts and no walks in five and one-third innings in his lone start, Trey Gibson set a new career-high with 10 strikeouts in relief on Saturday, Blake Money added seven more strikeouts in four innings of one-run ball in his only start, and Riley Cooper tossed four shutout innings in relief across two outings. On the offensive side, Aron Estrada went 7-for-17 in five games, Vance Honeycutt collected his first career three-hit game, and Griff O’Ferrall hit his third home run of the season while driving in four runs in the series.
In Orioles news, Zach Eflin and Andrew Kittridge both made rehab appearances for the IronBirds on Sunday. Eflin started and tossed four shutout innings with four strikeouts while Kittridge struck out two and gave up one run in one inning of relief. It was the first rehab outing for both pitchers as they work their way back to Baltimore.
The IronBirds are on the road for the next two weeks against the Jersey Shore Blue Claws and Hudson Valley Renegades, before returning home for a six-game series against the Wilmington Blue Rocks from Tuesday through Sunday, May 20-25. To purchase tickets and for more information about upcoming games and promotions, please visit goironbirds.com.