Claws Rally to Win Opener; Split Double-Header with Aberdeen on Wednesday

ABERDEEN, MD - The BlueClaws rallied for a 12-10 win in game one and ended up splitting a double-header with Aberdeen on Wednesday from Leidos Field.

Jersey Shore (19-19) has taken two of the first three games from the IronBirds (19-21).

Game One

The BlueClaws came from 8-2 down to win the first game 12-10.

Caleb Ricketts hit a third inning solo home run, his first as a BlueClaw, to tie game at two. Aberdeen, however, re-took the lead with two runs in the third on an RBI double by Hudson Haskin. They added another for a 4-2 lead and scored four times in the fourth for an 8-2 lead.

The BlueClaws began to get back in the game in the fifth, scoring four times including an RBI single from Marcus Lee Sang and a two-run single from Leandro Pineda.

Aberdeen got two on a wild pitch in the bottom of the fifth before the BlueClaws stormed back with five runs in the top of the sixth. A passed ball scored one run. Lee Sang singled home two and Casey Martin doubled in the tying run. Martin then scored on a wild pitch to give the BlueClaws an 11-10 lead.

Jace Vines, on a rehab assignment, pitched around trouble in the bottom of the sixth to preserve the 11-10 lead.

The BlueClaws added a run in the seventh and Orion Kerkering struck out two in the bottom of the inning for his second save.

Lee Sang led the offense with four hits and three RBIs. Nick Ward had two hits in the win while Martin had a hit, drew two walks, and drove in two runs.

Game Two

Aberdeen won the second game 4-3.

Lee Sang hit a two-run triple in the first but the IronBirds got two back off starter Jon Duplantier. After Martin homered in the fourth to give the BlueClaws a 3-2 lead, the IronBirds scored twice off Carlos Betancourt in the bottom of the inning. They tied the game on a wild pitch and took the lead on a groundout by Luis Valdez.

Betancourt took the loss to fall to 1-3 on the season. Keagen Gillies got the last three outs to earn his second save.

The teams continue their series with a single game on Thursday night beginning at 7:05 pm.

-Jersey Shore BlueClaws-