Birds Falter Just Short of Win Against Renegades

ABERDEEN, MD- The IronBirds faced the Hudson Valley Renegades in the final game of the three-game series and the final IronBirds home game of the 2012 season. Runs were put on the board early in the game on Sunday. Renegades scored first in the top of the first inning with a grand slam and in the top of the third inning with an individual run. An IronBirds home run in the bottom of the third cut the Renegades lead in half, 6-3. The Renegades added three runs in the top of the fifth inning and another individual run in the top of the sixth. Birds plated six runs in the sixth and ended the inning one run short of evening the score. Renegades secured the win after scoring two final runs in the top of the eight taking the win, 12-9.

LHP Lex Rutledge (0-2, 6.35) started on the mound for the IronBirds on Sunday while Jeff Ames (5-1, 1.67) started on the mound for the Renegades.

With bases loaded, in the top of the first inning,C Luke Maile blasted a grand slam to right field and brought 1B Ryan Dunn,2B Thomas Coyle, and 3B Richie Shaffer to home plate. Renegades exited the inning with a 5-0 lead.

In the bottom of the third inning, LF Will Howard doubled on a fly ball to centerfield and allowed CF Anthony Vega to score. 2B Creede Simpson then homered and sent Will Howard to home plate. Birds left the inning trailing the Renegades, 6-3.

Renegades added to their score in the top of the third after DH Justin O'Conner doubled and allowed Shaffer to score. Three Renegade runs were also added in the top of the fifth and an individual run in the top of the sixth, bringing the score to 10-3.

With bases loaded in the bottom of the sixing inning, Vega was walked by pitcher and sent 1B Hector Veloz to home plate. Howard singled on a ground ball and allowed C Chase Weems to score. A Simpson triple, his third of the season, sent Vega and Howard to home plate. IronBirds left the inning trailing, 10-9.

In the top of the eighth inning, O'Conner singled on a ground ball and allowed two runs to score, securing the lead and the win, 12-9. IronBird's manager, Gary Allenson, was ejected after the eighth inning after arguing a possible strike three breaking ball to Justin O'Conner called in for a ball.

Ames grabbed the win for the Hudson Valley, improving to 6-1, and Rutledge was assigned the loss for Aberdeen, falling to 0-3. LHP Jose Molina got the save for Renegades, his second save of the season.

IronBirds travel to Vermont to face the Vermont Lake Monsters to begin their final series of the 2012 season. RHP Branden Kline (0-0, 5.00) will start atop the mound for the Birds while the Lake Monsters will turn to LHP Brent Powers (0-7, 5.88). First pitch is set for 6:05 p.m. Coverage on the IronBirds Radio Network will begin at 5:50 p.m.