Vermont Surges Late and Beats Auburn

BURLINGTON, VT -- The Auburn Doubledays, Short Season Class A affiliate of the Washington Nationals, lost to the Vermont Lake Monsters, Short Season Class affiliate of the Oakland A's, 6-3 on Sunday evening. The win gave the Lake Monsters a series win in the only matchup between the two teams in the regular season.
Auburn (10-16) scored first in the top of the first inning, when Branden Boggetto singled with one out, moved to second on a wild pitch, and came home to score on Oliver Ortiz's RBI single into short right field. Ortiz increased his hit streak to 14 and his on base streak to 17 on Sunday. 
Vermont (17-9) scored the next five runs in the game on two runs in the fifth, two more runs in the sixth, and one single run in the seventh. Aaron Arruda hit a solo home run to tie the game in the fifth, and Ryan Gridley gave the Lake Monsters the lead with an RBI double down the left field line later in the inning. Two singles, a double, and an error in the sixth brought home two more runs, and Jack Meggs hit a sacrifice fly in the seventh to drive in Iolana Akau. Akau finished the game with two runs scored.
Auburn scored two runs in the top of the eighth to cut into the Vermont lead. Andres Martinez brought home the first run with an RBI double to centerfield, and Oliver Ortiz brought in the next on a groundball single into right. Ortiz finished the evening with two RBI.
Vermont tacked on an insurance run in the top of the eighth on an Iolana Akau single, and shut the door in the top of the ninth with a 1-2-3 frame. Ivan Andueza pitched six innings in relief, surrendering two runs on four hits. He earned the win. Alex Troop took the loss in his second start for Auburn. The lefty is now 1-1.
Auburn returns home Monday to start a six-game home stand. West Virginia is the opponent Monday-Wednesday, then Mahoning Valley visits Thursday-Saturday. First pitch against West Virginia on Monday night is set for 7:05.