Doubledays take game one at Aberdeen 9-5

AUBURN, N.Y. - The Auburn Doubledays (15-7) used a six-run seventh inning to pull ahead of and defeat the Aberdeen Ironbirds (9-14) on Wednesday night, 9-5 at Ripken Stadium.

The six-run seventh saw 10 batters come to the plate for Auburn, but only three of them recorded hits. There were three walks issued in the inning, as well as two errors and two wild pitches. RHP Ken Wise (1-1) was charged for five of the six runs in the inning, and as a result suffered the loss.

Prior to the seventh, the Ironbirds went ahead 4-2 thanks to a three-run fifth. Left fielder Anthony Vega lead off the bottom of the fifth with a solo homerun to right. That was followed by a double by CF Roderick Bernadina. Bernadina advanced to third on a groundout to first, and was brought home by a two out single to center field by DH Christian Walker. That started a string of three consecutive singles, which pushed one more run across the plate, giving the Ironbirds the two-run cushion.

The Doubledays had a solo shot of their own in the top of the fourth. Third baseman Carlos Lopez lead off the inning by going yard over the left field fence. Lopez was playing in his first game since being activated from the seven day disabled list. It was his first homerun of the season and the team's 12th, and it put the Doubledays ahead at the time 2-1.

Auburn also scored the first run of the game, which came in the top of the first. Two singles and a hit batter loaded the bases for CF Wander Ramos. Ramos was able to draw a walk from Aberdeen starter RHP Juan Guzman, which gave Ramos his ninth RBI of the season and put the Doubledays ahead 1-0. The Ironbirds answered that run in the bottom of the third when a leadoff walk to Vega proved detrimental to Auburn, as Vega was able to reach third on two grondouts. Third baseman Torsten Boss then drove Vega home with a single to center field, knotting the score at one.

RHP Jason Smith (3-1) earned the win for the Doubledays, going 1.1 innings and allowing one earned run on two hits and one walk while striking out one. RHP Pedro Encarnacion started for Auburn and went 4.2 innings, allowing four runs (three earned) on 10 hits. He walked one batter and struck out five. RHP Robert Benincasa got his first save of the summer, and he only had to face on batter to do so. He got 2B Jerome Pena to fly out to center field to end the game with the potential tying run awaiting on deck in the bottom of the ninth.

The Doubledays continue their three game series with Aberdeen on Thursday, July 12. Auburn will send RHP David Fischer (0-1) to the mound for his second start of the year. He will square off against LHP Cameron Coffey (0-3) for Aberdeen. First pitch is scheduled for 7:05pm. All Doubledays road games can be heard on WAUB 98.1FM and 1590AM, and online at www.fingerlakesdailynews.com by clicking on the WAUB stream under the "listen" tab.