IronBirds Set Hits Record In Win

Aberdeen, MD - The Aberdeen IronBirds set a franchise record with 19 hits Monday night as they beat the Lowell Spinners 9-6.

Both Kipp Schutz and Michael Rooney had four-hit nights for the IronBirds and Austin Knight added three hits in the victory.    

Chia-Chu Chen got the scoring started in the second inning on a two-out, solo home run.

The IronBirds would answer right back in the bottom of the second inning.  With the bases loaded and one out, Rooney hit an RBI single to leftfield to tie up the game at 1-1.   

In the top of the third inning the Spinners scored three runs and took the lead back.  With runners at second and third, Kolbrin Vitek hit a single to left that scored Joantoni Garcia.  After a walk, Bryce Brentz grounded into a double play that scored Felix Sanchez from third base.  Brandon Jacobs then hit an RBI single to make the score 4-1. 

Zach Moore got one run back for the IronBirds in the bottom of the third inning on an RBI single. 

The IronBirds would take the lead for the first time in the fourth inning.  With runners at second and third, Omar Casamayor had an RBI groundout.  Then Schutz tied up the game on an RBI triple and with two outs, Michael Flacco hit a single to left that scored Schutz and gave the IronBirds their first lead, 5-4.

They would add to the lead in the bottom of the fifth inning.  Joe Oliveira, Rooney and Trent Mummey hit three straight singles to load up the bases. Casamayor was then hit by a pitch and Oliveira scored.  Schutz then hit an RBI single to right, his fourth hit of the ball game, and it gave the IronBirds a 7-4 lead.

In the sixth inning the Spinners got two runs back.  With one runner on Sean Killeen hit his league leading fifth home run of the season and it cut the lead to 7-6. 

The IronBirds added an insurance run in the sixth inning on an RBI single by Rooney.  It was his fourth hit of the game and gave the IronBirds an 8-6 lead.      

They would add one more in the seventh inning on Flacco's second RBI single of the game to take a three run lead 9-6 and that would hold as the final.

Jason Gurka got the win throwing three innings while giving up two runs and striking out five. 

The loss went to Tyler Wilson who allowed five runs on 11 hits in four innings pitched.

The series will conclude tomorrow with LHP Justin Anderson(1-1, 3.63) going for the IronBirds against the Spinner's RHP Randy Consuegra (0-2, 270.00) with a scheduled first pitch of 7:05. 

The Aberdeen IronBirds have sold out their season tickets for the ninth straight season. Group packages and standing room only tickets, however, are still available for the 2010 season. For ticket information, contact our box office at (410) 297-9292 or visit us online at www.IronBirdsbaseball.com.