Trending
ABERDEEN, Md. - On a wet Sunday at IBEW Local 24 Union Field at Ripken Stadium, the State College Spikes rallied in the fifth inning but fell just short as the Aberdeen IronBirds were awarded a 5-3 decision in a game cut down to five innings by rain.
Despite the result, the Spikes (12-8 2nd Half) maintained a half-game lead over the IronBirds (12-9 2nd Half) in the race for the MLB Draft League's second-half title.
After a 48-minute delay at the outset, Aberdeen took a 2-0 lead in the first on back-to-back RBI doubles from Dylan Winebrenner and former Spike Brylan West. The IronBirds then increased the lead in the fourth when Jevin Relaforddrove in a run with a single, then trotted home on Isaiah Parido's first homer of the season, a two-run shot to left field.
However, with the rain steadily growing in the fifth, Justin Journette reached base on an infield single, and Stan DeMartinis III and Jackson Rains were each hit with a pitch to load the bases, at which point the game was halted.
After a further 95-minute delay, the game resumed as Spikes newcomer Blake Bradford was hit by a pitch to trim the margin to 5-1. Nyan Hayes then reached on an infield single to score another run to make it 5-2, and a pitch that bounced past catcher Dylan Winebrenner but was ruled a passed ball brough Rains in to make it a 5-3 game.
Back-to-back strikeouts then brought Camden Ross to the plate, and he was hit by a pitch to load the bases. Ross, who walked and flied out in his previous two plate appearances, saw his 15-game hitting streak end on Sunday.
Ethan Swidler would nearly gave the Spikes the lead one batter later, but his fly ball to left was chased down at the warning track by Aberdeen left fielder Brycen Hammonds.
The game was then called for good one batter into the bottom of the fifth after it had become an official game, the only game of the series after Saturday's game was canceled.
IronBirds starter Ethan Phillips (1-0) was credited with the win after going four innings in a five-inning game, the only way a starter can earn the win going less than five innings. Phillips was charged with three runs on two hits, two hit batsmen and a walk while striking out four batters. Billy Barlow (1) took over on the mound upon the resumption of the game and recorded all three outs in the fifth for the save.
Vincent Spizzoucco (0-1) took the loss for the Spikes after going the first four innings and allowing five runs on seven hits and three walks while recording one strikeout.
After an off day on Monday, the Spikes will begin a six-game homestand at Medlar Field at Lubrano Park with the opener of a three-game series against the Mahoning Valley Scrappers on Tuesday. The Spikes will have three games against the Scrappers and three against the IronBirds during the homestand, with all six games beginning at 6:35 p.m.