AUBURN - They got everyone involved and they finally earned more hits than their opponent, but it wasn't enough for the Auburn Doubledays to avoid losing their second straight game on Monday.
Glenn Gaston / Special to The Citizen
Auburn Doubledays' starter Luis Perez delivers a pitch to home during Sunday's game against Aberdeen at Falcon Park in Auburn.
Auburn Doubledays' starter Luis Perez delivers a pitch to home during Sunday's game against Aberdeen at Falcon Park in Auburn.
The Doubledays just about went through their bench, giving 13 different batters a chance to hit, but they only racked up seven hits in the 3-2 loss to Aberdeen at Falcon Park. After hitting in just about every key opportunity in their recent seven-game win streak, the Doubledays had only two clutch cracks of the bat, in the first and ninth innings. Uncharacteristically, they left six runners stranded in the last four innings when they were down just two runs. And when a runner did reach a bag - in three instances - they were caught trying to advance. Luis Sanchez and Darin Mastroianni were both caught by IronBirds catcher Jordan Wolf trying to steal second. After nailing a leadoff double in the eighth, Sanchez was again caught, this time on a 7-5 throw as he tried to make it a triple.
“When you get into small-ball games like we have been in the last couple of nights, everything kind of stands out,” Auburn manager Dennis Holmberg said. “The base running, maybe a throwing error becomes semi-paramount. The base running mistake by Sanchez in the eighth was big, but the ball was right there in front of him. I even thought he might have been safe, but the umpire saw the tag. Either way, it was a bad decision.”
Starting pitchers for both teams lasted five innings, but it was Zach Jevne that got his first win with four strikeouts, one walk, two hits and a run.
Kyle Walter took his second loss after scattering four walks, five hits, three runs and just three strikeouts. Two IronBirds walked in the first inning alone, including leadoff batter Matt Angle, who scored on an RBI groundout by Ryan Adams.
Doubledays catcher JP Arencibia tied up the score in the bottom of the inning on a single to center field to score Mastroianni.
Two hits, one walk and a hit batter spelled trouble again for Walter. Robbie Widlansky came home as Wolf grounded out to a 6-4-3 double play, the first of two for Auburn's defense. Angle brought in Aberdeen's final run in the fourth, a single to right field to score Widlansky, who reached on another walk.
“Walter has a tendency to struggle in his first inning of work, but when he does, he usually finds a way of getting out of some jams,” Holmberg said. “Certainly, you don't want to live on that tightrope, but you have to give him credit. He got out of some trouble, a bases-loaded jam in Batavia the other night in the game where we won in 11 innings. You've got to get off that tightrope though. He's got to throw more strikes and pitch ahead, but if you take some of the first innings out of his starts, he does a great job.”
Cody Crowell and Ron Lowe split the rest of the work on the mound, going two innings each. A leadoff walk thrown by Crowell, who also hurled three strikeouts, was the only base runner allowed by either pitcher as IronBirds batters were retired in order in every inning following their final score.
Against John Mariotti and Scott Mueller, the Doubledays picked up most of their hits, but just one was key. With two outs and no one on in the bottom of the ninth, Adam Calderone cracked a shot to right field for his second home run of the season. Wes Stone then walked on a full count, but Sanchez struck out swinging to end the rally and the game.
With many of the Doubledays struggling to get a hit in the last couple of games, the silent bat of first baseman Manny Rodriguez has stood out in volumes. The experienced slugger has thrived in Falcon Park this season, but hasn't picked up a hit in his last nine at-bats.
“Manny isn't the same Manny he was the first part of the season,” Holmberg said. “He's trying to force some things at the plate. It doesn't make being in a slump any easier, but I'm sure he'll come out of it.”
At 13-8, the Doubledays are still tied for tops in the Pinckney division. After a day off today, they begin their next series on Wednesday at Staten Island, who has lost four of its last seven.
“I wish we were playing tomorrow,” Holmberg said. “With a day off, it's harder to pick up where you left off. The changes to the adjustments and talking about the things we should have done to possible win tonight, perhaps. It's always nice to get a day off in the schedule, though.”
D-days Today
Record: 13-8
Standings: Tied for first place
Streak: 2 losses
Next: at Staten Island, Wednesday, 7 p.m.
“When you get into small-ball games like we have been in the last couple of nights, everything kind of stands out,” Auburn manager Dennis Holmberg said. “The base running, maybe a throwing error becomes semi-paramount. The base running mistake by Sanchez in the eighth was big, but the ball was right there in front of him. I even thought he might have been safe, but the umpire saw the tag. Either way, it was a bad decision.”
Starting pitchers for both teams lasted five innings, but it was Zach Jevne that got his first win with four strikeouts, one walk, two hits and a run.
Kyle Walter took his second loss after scattering four walks, five hits, three runs and just three strikeouts. Two IronBirds walked in the first inning alone, including leadoff batter Matt Angle, who scored on an RBI groundout by Ryan Adams.
Doubledays catcher JP Arencibia tied up the score in the bottom of the inning on a single to center field to score Mastroianni.
Two hits, one walk and a hit batter spelled trouble again for Walter. Robbie Widlansky came home as Wolf grounded out to a 6-4-3 double play, the first of two for Auburn's defense. Angle brought in Aberdeen's final run in the fourth, a single to right field to score Widlansky, who reached on another walk.
“Walter has a tendency to struggle in his first inning of work, but when he does, he usually finds a way of getting out of some jams,” Holmberg said. “Certainly, you don't want to live on that tightrope, but you have to give him credit. He got out of some trouble, a bases-loaded jam in Batavia the other night in the game where we won in 11 innings. You've got to get off that tightrope though. He's got to throw more strikes and pitch ahead, but if you take some of the first innings out of his starts, he does a great job.”
Cody Crowell and Ron Lowe split the rest of the work on the mound, going two innings each. A leadoff walk thrown by Crowell, who also hurled three strikeouts, was the only base runner allowed by either pitcher as IronBirds batters were retired in order in every inning following their final score.
Against John Mariotti and Scott Mueller, the Doubledays picked up most of their hits, but just one was key. With two outs and no one on in the bottom of the ninth, Adam Calderone cracked a shot to right field for his second home run of the season. Wes Stone then walked on a full count, but Sanchez struck out swinging to end the rally and the game.
With many of the Doubledays struggling to get a hit in the last couple of games, the silent bat of first baseman Manny Rodriguez has stood out in volumes. The experienced slugger has thrived in Falcon Park this season, but hasn't picked up a hit in his last nine at-bats.
“Manny isn't the same Manny he was the first part of the season,” Holmberg said. “He's trying to force some things at the plate. It doesn't make being in a slump any easier, but I'm sure he'll come out of it.”
At 13-8, the Doubledays are still tied for tops in the Pinckney division. After a day off today, they begin their next series on Wednesday at Staten Island, who has lost four of its last seven.
“I wish we were playing tomorrow,” Holmberg said. “With a day off, it's harder to pick up where you left off. The changes to the adjustments and talking about the things we should have done to possible win tonight, perhaps. It's always nice to get a day off in the schedule, though.”
D-days Today
Record: 13-8
Standings: Tied for first place
Streak: 2 losses
Next: at Staten Island, Wednesday, 7 p.m.
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