Jud Fabian collects five doubles, five RBI in home series vs. Blue Claws

By: Michael Marcantonini

The Aberdeen IronBirds won just two games in their recent seven-game series against the Jersey Shore BlueClaws, but there were plenty of exciting moments throughout the week’s homestand.

The IronBirds trailed in the middle innings of the series opener but tied the game with two runs in the sixth, before the Blue Claws scored six runs over the final two innings and won, 9-3. Max Wagner led the way for Aberdeen with a solo home run, and Jackson Holliday and Jud Fabian both reached base three times.

The two teams split a Wednesday double-header, which featured a make-up game from their last series meeting in April. The BlueClaws earned a 12-10 comeback win in Game 1 after scoring 10 runs over the final three innings. Four different IronBirds had multiple hits, including three from Holliday, who also scored three runs. Fabian, who ripped two doubles and walked twice, and Hudson Haskin, who hit a double and a single, each collected three RBI, while Frederick Bencosme added two RBI. After a tough loss early in the day, the IronBirds bounced back with a 4-3 win in Game 2. Fabian stayed hot at the plate with an RBI and two more doubles to give him four doubles on the day, and Dylan Beavers hit an RBI double as well. Jake Lyons started for Aberdeen and struck out seven batters in five innings and earned his fifth win, while Graham Firoved (hold) and Keagan Gillies (save) each tossed a scoreless inning in relief.

Jersey Shore came back and won 5-2 on Thursday night after the IronBirds grabbed an early lead. Fabian’s double was the only extra-base hit of the night for the Birds, who had just five hits. Kyle Virbitsky pitched four scoreless innings in relief with four strikeouts and only one walk in the loss. The Birds returned the favor on Friday night with a 6-1 win on Marvel’s Defenders of the Diamond Night. Beavers opened the scoring with an RBI single in the third inning and Wagner blasted a three-run homer in the fourth for his team-leading seventh long ball of the season. Jean Pinto (five innings) and Daniel Lloyd (four innings) combined for 13 strikeouts and only one walk, and held the Claws to five hits.

That turned out to be the last win of the series for Aberdeen, as Jersey Shore won the next two games by a combined three runs. The Claws edged out a 3-2 win on Saturday night in a game that was tied entering the top of the eighth inning. All eight of the Birds’ hits were singles by eight different players, including Fabian’s RBI single, which extended his hitting streak to a season-high 12 games. Dylan Heid tossed two scoreless innings in relief with four strikeouts in the loss. The Birds followed that with just two hits in Sunday’s 3-1 series-finale loss. Isaac De Leon’s triple and Jacob Teter’s RBI single produced Aberdeen’s only run, while Trace Bright logged four shutout innings with five strikeouts and only one walk in relief.

The IronBirds return to Leidos Field at Ripken Stadium on Tuesday, June 6 for a six-game homestand against the Asheville Tourists, to begin a stretch of 12 home games in 13 days. The series against Asheville features Wizards & Witches Night on Friday, June 9 and Ferrous’ 21st Birthday presented by Michelob Ultra & Nutrl on Saturday, June 10. The following home series from June 13-18 against the Brooklyn Cyclones is packed with promotions and theme nights as well. The IronBirds will play as the Chesapeake Bay Decoys on Friday, June 16, Teacher Appreciation Night is on Saturday, June 17, and the series concludes with Stache (Father’s) Day presented by Corona Hard Seltzer on Sunday, June 18. For tickets and more information, head over to ironbirdsbaseball.com.