Pitching Duel Thwarts Wilmington's Efforts In 2-1 Loss

The Wilmington Blue Rocks (30-35) fell to the Aberdeen IronBirds (34-31) by a score of 2-1 in a pitcher’s duel at Daniel S. Frawley Stadium on Wednesday, June 19.

Riley Cornelio got the start for Wilmington and went five innings, allowing four hits and two runs while punching out four. Luis De Leon toed the slab for Aberdeen and allowed one run in four innings while striking out five.

Zach Brzykcy, Cole Henry, Brendan Collins, and Marlon Perez combined for four scoreless innings of relief for Wilmington while Michael Forret struck out eight and allowed just one hit and three walks in three innings of work for Aberdeen. Cody Scroggins came in and earned the save for the IronBirds with two perfect innings.

Aberdeen cracked the scoreboard first after Adam Retzbach grounded into a 6-3 double play which allowed Douglas Hodo III to score from third.

Wilmington knotted the score up at one in their half of the third after Viandel Pena grounded into a 6-3 double play of his own to score Gavin Dugas.

Retzbach delivered his second RBI of the day in the fourth with a double into left field to score Hodo and give the IronBirds a 2-1 lead, which proved to be the difference as the two teams traded zeros the rest of the way.

The Rocks had a chance to put some runs up on the board in the bottom of the eighth as they loaded the bases against Forret with no outs, but Scroggins came in and instantly turned a double play after catching a comebacker off the bat of Kevin Made and then fired it to third to double up Elijah Nunez. Joe Naranjo then grounded into a 6-4 fielder’s choice to end the scoring threat.

Game three of this six-game series is scheduled for Thursday, June 20 with first pitch scheduled for 6:35 p.m.