IronBirds Drop Third Straight in Loss to Brooklyn

ABERDEEN, Md.-In a game that saw another Orioles top draft pick make his professional debut, the IronBirds dropped game two of their three-game set against the Brooklyn Cyclones, 6-1 on Tuesday night.

A QUICK START: After Keegan Akin struck out two of the first batters he faced, the Cyclones got the scoring started early in the top of the first when a double by first baseman Pete Alonso scored Nick Sergakis to give Brooklyn the quick 1-0 lead.

A QUICK ANSWER: After a walk by Chris Clare and a single by Alejandro Juvier put runners on first and second in the bottom of the first, Jaylen Ferguson hit a double off the left field wall to drive in Clare to tie the game. Juvier attempted to score from first on the double, but was thrown out at the plate.

BREAKING IT OPEN: After three innings of scoreless baseball for either side, Brooklyn used a two-out rally in the top of the fifth to take back the lead. Parker Bridwell, who had set down eight in a row, hit designated hitter Darryl Knight with two outs in the fifth inning. Leadoff hitter Gener Cone followed the hit-by-pitch with a bloop single to put two runners on. Nick Sergakis then launched a three-run home run over the left field wall to break the tie and give the Cyclones a 4-1 advantage.

ADDING ON LATE: Yi-Hsiang Lin came onto relieve Tyler Erwin, who pitched two scoreless innings in the sixth and the seventh. Lin gave up two singles to Pete Alonso and Nick Sergakis, which was his third hit of the contest. Both would score in the inning after an RBI double by Jacob Zanon and a sacrifice fly from Blake Tiberi. Brooklyn held their largest lead of the game at 6-1.

BIRD WATCHING: The Baltimore Orioles 2016 second round pick, Keegan Akin, made his first start of his professional career Tuesday night, going two innings, in which he allowed one run and struck out four…Parker Bridwell retired eight batters in a row, and thirteen in his first two appearances with Aberdeen, but was tagged with three runs in three innings of work…Yi-Hsiang Lin made his fifth appearance of the year, allowing two runs in the last two innings of the ballgame…Ryan McKenna had his six-game hit streak snapped, going hitless in three at bats…Alejandro Juvier recorded two hits, collecting his sixth multi-hit game of the season…Jaylen Ferguson extended his hitting streak to three games after doubling in the first inning…Catcher Chris Shaw appeared in his first game since July 8, going hitless in his three at bats.

UP NEXT: The IronBirds will try to avoid the sweep tomorrow night against Brooklyn when lefty Travis Seabrooke takes the mound for his fifth start of the season.