Aberdeen Axes Báez, Brooklyn In Series Opener
• BOX SCORE ABERDEEN, Md. (June 25, 2024) — 3B Jesús Báez blasted a 108 mph double and scored a run, but the Aberdeen IronBirds spoiled his High-A debut, defeating the Brooklyn Cyclones, 9-2, on Tuesday night from Leidos Field at Ripken Stadium. Aberdeen (3-1, 37-33) wasted no time in
ABERDEEN, Md. (June 25, 2024) — 3B Jesús Báez blasted a 108 mph double and scored a run, but the Aberdeen IronBirds spoiled his High-A debut, defeating the Brooklyn Cyclones, 9-2, on Tuesday night from Leidos Field at Ripken Stadium.
Aberdeen (3-1, 37-33) wasted no time in taking the lead, jumping out to a 2-0 lead after one inning on a 1B Creed Willems RBI single and a sacrifice fly off the bat of SS Carter Young.
After extending the lead to three with a bases-loaded walk to C Adam Retzbach in the third, the IronBirds kept their foot on the gas in the fourth.
3B Angel Tejada started the inning with a double, took third on a ground out, and, after a walk, scored on a fielder’s choice off the lumber of RF Douglas Hodo. CF Reed Trimble capped the two-run frame with an RBI triple into the left-center field gap.
An inning later, Trimble was at it again. In the bottom of the sixth, with two on and two out, the former Southern Miss star powered another ball, this time into the alleyway in right-center field. Both runners scampered around to score on Trimble’s second run-producing three-bagger in as many innings, stretching the edge to 7-0.
Brooklyn (1-3, 34-36) broke up the shutout bid in the seventh. After starting the night 0-for-2, Báez led off the frame with a ringing double that went to the left-center field fence.
Only fitting that after 25 extra-base hits in Single-A, Jesús Báez's first High-A hit comes on a SCORCHER of a double 🔥
— Brooklyn Cyclones (@BKCyclones) June 26, 2024
Welcome to the Cyclones!#AmazinStartsHere #LGM pic.twitter.com/lbx9Xi4AFX
Later in the inning, with the bases full thanks to a pair of walks, LF Jefrey De Los Santos’ infield single brought home the 19-year-old to put the Cyclones on the board.
Jefrey De Los Santos puts us on the board, with our @nationalgridus Safe at Home first run of the game. Still plenty of work to do, down 8-1.#AmazinStartsHere #LGM pic.twitter.com/lMeJPMhT2r
— Brooklyn Cyclones (@BKCyclones) June 26, 2024
Aberdeen tacked on runs in the seventh and eighth innings courtesy of a SS Carter Young triple and a wild pitch, in addition to another RBI knock from Trimble.
The Cyclones added one final tally in the top of the ninth. C Chris Suero walked, took second on defensive indifference, nabbed third on a wild pitch, and scored on 1B Nick Lorusso’s sacrifice fly to right.
RHP Michael Forret (2-1) was superb in his first High-A start for the IronBirds. The 20-year-old tossed five innings of one-hit shutout ball, striking out four, and facing the minimum.
RHP Jonathan Pintaro (0-3) was charged with his third defeat for the Cyclones, yielding three runs on two hits over 2.2 innings.
The Cyclones will try and even the series at a win apiece in game two of the series on Wednesday night. RHP Jonah Tong (2-1, 3.68) — the New York Mets’ No. 20 prospect per MLB Pipeline — is scheduled to take the hill for Brooklyn. Aberdeen is projected to counter with the Baltimore Orioles’ No. 18 farmhand per MLB Pipeline, RHP Jackson Baumeister (1-2, 2.61). The first pitch is scheduled for 7:05 p.m.