Baby Bombers win two in a row behind Rutckyj
Rutckyj pitched well going 6 2/3 innings, striking out four while only walking two and giving up just two hits and two runs, one of which was unearned. In his last start he struck out seven against the Cyclones but was much more efficient in this start.
Rutckyj said, "I felt I had a better command of my fastball in this start. After I was able to establish my fastball early on I was able to use my slider later on effectively."
When asked what he did differently from his last start- "I was pitching more to contact which enabled me to keep my pitch count down."
He had plenty of offense behind him. Third baseman Fu-Lin Kuo went three-for-four with 3 RBIs in the game. He had a big RBI double in the second which gave the Staten Island Yankees a 3-1 lead.
Saxon Butler continued to show off his power by hitting a solo home run to right in the fifth inning (his second of the season). Catcher Jackson Valera was two-for-five and scored both times he reached base.
The Baby Bomber bullpen worked 2 1/3 scoreless innings. Conor Mullee pitched a scoreless eighth, but Charles made it interesting in the 9th by putting runners on 1st and 2nd with only one out. Fortunately, he was able to get Doug Bream to hit into a 6-6-3 double play to end the game.
The Staten Island Yankees won their third game of the season and move into third place. The IronBirds fell to 2-6. The two teams meet again on Tuesday at the Richmond County Bank Ballpark in St. George.