Blue Rocks Drop Extra Innings Game To IronBirds 3-2

After playing some extra baseball on Saturday night, the Wilmington Blue Rocks (21-20) were once again unable to pull out the win against the Aberdeen IronBirds (30-12) as they were defeated 3-2 in 11 innings.

The Blue Rocks were the first ones to get on the board early in the bottom of the first when Yasel Antuna hit a solo home run, his fourth of the season.

Wilmington’s 1-0 lead didn’t last long though as Davis Tavarez hit an RBI-single to center field in the top of the second to bring home Donta’ Williams. This run would be unearned for Blue Rocks starter Seth Shuman as Williams only reached first on a throwing error from third baseman Jose Sanchez earlier in the inning.

Shuman would be saved from adding an earned run to his line when Jacob Teter hit a single with Colby Cowser on first. Luckily for Shuman, center fielder Jeremy Ydens was able to hit his cutoff man, second baseman Cole Daily, who completed the relay home to catcher Onix Vega, who would tag out Cowser.

Wilmington’s starter would leave the game with the game tied after four innings of work, recording three hits, one walk, and one strikeout.

The game would remain tied until the bottom of the sixth when Omar Meregildo hit a ground rule double to drive in Ricardo Mendez on third. This would be the game’s second unearned run as Mendez was only on base due to a fielding error from Aberdeen third baseman Colby Mayo.

Wilmington would hold onto the 2-1 lead going into the top of the ninth, where Darell Hernaiz hit a triple with one out off relief pitcher Malvin Pena. Cowser would groundout the next at-bat, allowing Hernaiz to score and tie the game at 2-2.

After the Blue Rocks were unable to score in the bottom of the ninth, the game went into extra innings.

Aberdeen quickly had a man on second and third with no outs in the top of the tenth when Williams hit a grounder straight into his teammate on second, T.T. Bowens. The ball would go into the outfield, allowing Bowens and the man on third, Billy Cook to run home. After some confusion and a review between the umpires, those runs didn’t count as Bowens would be called out for obstruction and Cook would be sent back to third.

Wilmington was able to get out of the inning unscathed, but still didn’t capitalize in the bottom of the tenth, extending the game even further.

The top of the eleventh was when Hernaiz hit an RBI-single that would give the IronBirds the 3-2 lead. It would be all they needed to win the ballgame after the Blue Rocks weren’t able to add anymore runs in the bottom of the inning.

The two will faceoff one more time this series on Sunday, May 29 with first pitch set for 1:05.