Dash and Ironbirds split Sunday Twin Bill

WINSTON-SALEM, N.C. (July 3, 2022) — The Dash and the Ironbirds split a doubleheader in the series finale, leading to a series split as well.

Game one on Sunday was a resumption from Saturday night. Aberdeen got out in front early, when Billy Cook doubled in the first inning. TT Bowens drew a two-out walk, then Shayne Fontana blasted a three run home run to put the Ironbirds up 3-0.

Winston-Salem bounced right back in the top of the second. Harvin Mendoza worked a leadoff walk, then right behind him Ben Norman crushed a two-run home run, his first with the Dash to cut the deficit to 3-2. Later in the inning, with two outs, Duke Ellis jumped on the first pitch and tripled into left field. Tyler Osik then singled with two strikes to plate Ellis, and tie the game at 3-3.

Aberdeen pulled ahead again in the bottom of the frame, on a Ryan Higgins solo blast to left field.

The game was suspended going into the top of the third, and resumed Sunday. After both teams retook the field in the top of the fourth, Duke Ellis lined a two-out single to right field. He then stole second base, and scored on a Tyler Osik single to tie the game up once again. The inning continued with a walk to Oscar Colas which pushed Osik to second base. Bryan Ramos then worked the count full, before he singled into left field to score Osik, and give the Dash a 5-4 lead.

In the top of the fifth, Ben Norman went yard once again, which pushed the Winston-Salem lead to 6-4.

Collin Burns got on base via a walk to start the home half for Aberdeen, but was caught trying to steal second base. However, John Rhodes also reached on a walk, then TT Bowens doubled to put runners on second and third. A walk to Fontana loaded the bases, then Andres Angulo drew a walk as well to force Rhodes home, making it a 6-5 Dash advantage.

Colas drew a leadoff walk to open the sixth inning, then a Ramos single put runners on the corners with no outs. Then, Adam Hackenberg drove Colas home with an RBI fielder’s choice to shortstop.

With Aberdeen down 7-5, Billy Cook opened up the 7th inning with a full count walk. After two quick outs, Shayne Fontana hit his second home run of the game, a two-run bomb to tie the game at 7.

Neither team scored in the eighth or ninth, sending the game into extra innings. Colas was the ghost runner for the Dash, and he was quickly moved to third base on a groundout by Bryan Ramos. Adam Hackenberg then grounded the first pitch he saw into the dirt, but a great defensive play saw Oscar Colas get cut down at home, although Hackenberg did reach first base. Harvin Mendoza then got plunked to put runners on first and second base. Next up, Ben Norman delivered once again with an RBI single to right field, giving the Dash a 8-7 edge.

Skyler Arias was tabbed to handle the bottom of the 10th inning. He did hit a batter, but otherwise got the job done to preserve a win for the Dash in game one of the afternoon. That earned Arias his first save of the season, with Vince Vannelle getting the win and Nick Richmond taking the loss.

In the second game, which was scheduled to be just seven innings, Collin Burnes smacked a leadoff double in the first before Darell Hernaiz launched a two-run home run to give Aberdeen the early lead.

Aberdeen got another run in the second inning, when a series of defensive miscues allowed Davis Tavarez to score.

In the fourth, Burns reached base on a one-out single, then Hernaiz laid down a bunt single. An errant throw allowed Burns to take third base. Then, Billy Cook sat on the first pitch and cranked a three-run home run out to right field, as Aberdeen took a 6-0 lead.

Winston-Salem managed just two base hits in the second game, as the Ironbirds won 6-0 in seven innings.

Wes Robertson was the winner for the Ironbirds, while Garrett Schoenle got the loss.