'Gades Come Up Short in Extras

ABERDEEN, MD-Playing in extra innings for the first time since Minor League Baseball adopted international rules for breaking ties, the Hudson Valley Renegades fell short of a sweep in a 4-3, 12-inning loss to the Aberdeen Ironbirds Sunday afternoon at Leidos Field at Ripken Stadium.
The game was tied at three entering the 12^th. By rule, each team begins its turn at bat with a runner at second and nobody out. To start the inning, Aberdeen put pinch runner Robbie Thornburn at second. Centerfielder Jake Ring followed with a single to right to move Thornburn to third. With runners at the corners and no one out, designated hitter Randolph Gassaway reached on an infield single to second to bring in Thornburn and give the Ironbirds the win.
Those same rules almost gave the Renegades victory in the 10^th. Hudson Valley started the inning with centerfielder Jake Stone at second. Leftfielder Bryce Brown bunted him to third, before shortstop Tyler Frank singled Stone home to put the Renegades up 3-2.
However, the new rules would benefit the Ironbirds in the bottom of the 10^th. Shortstop Adam Hall started the inning as the runner at second. He went to third on a bunt single to third base by centerfielder Jake Ring, then scored three batters later on a sacrifice fly to center from rightfielder Robert Neustrom.
Though they trailed for most of the day, Hudson Valley rallied from a two-run deficit in the eighth to tie the game. After a fielding error, single and sacrifice bunt put runners at second and third with one out, Brown forced in a run on a groundout to second while the other runner went to third. From there, Ironbirds reliever Jimmy Murphy uncorked a wild pitch to bring in catcher David Parrett from third to tie the game at two.
The Ironbirds jumped on top in the first when first baseman J.C. Escarra singled in Ring from third to give Aberdeen an early lead. They would make the score 2-0 in the fourth when Escarra (1) belted his first homer of the year; a solo shot to right.
Hudson Valley finished with seven singles; two coming from first baseman Allen Smoot. Aberdeen, meanwhile, had 11 hits with Ring registering three of them, including a double. Escarra finished 2-4 with his homerun and two RBI, while third baseman Willy Yahn collected two singles.
Taking the loss in relief for Hudson Valley was Simon Rosenblum-Larson (0-1) who allowed two runs on three hits in two-plus innings. Brandon Bonilla (1-0) got the win for Aberdeen after pitching two hitless innings. Starter Luis Perez dazzled for the Ironbirds after allowing only one hit in six scoreless innings with six strikeouts.
The Renegades now head to Brooklyn where they will take on the Cyclones in the first of a three-game series beginning tomorrow. First-pitch is set for 7:00p.m. Southpaw Blake Pflughaupt (0-0, 0.00 ERA) will start for Hudson Valley against right-hander Jaison Vilera (0-0, 0.00 ERA) for Brooklyn.
The Renegades kick off the home portion of their season when they face the Vermont Lake Monsters on Thursday, June 21 from Dutchess Stadium. First-pitch is slated for 7:05p.m. Tickets can be purchased online at hvrenegades.com or by calling the ticket office at 845-838-0094.