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Machado plays well in debut game

IronBirds still lose to Lake Monsters

BY DEWEY FOX

Posted 9/01/10

(Enlarge) Baltimore Orioles' 2010 first-round draft pick Manny Machado (22) warms up before his first game with the Aberdeen IronBirds against the Vermont Lake Monsters Monday night. The Lake Monsters defeated the IronBirds, 11-5. (Russell Tracy for The Aegis)

The Baltimore Orioles’ first-round draft pick, Manny Machado, of Miami, Fla., made his debut in Aberdeen Monday night, going 1-for-3 and making a fine defensive play in the IronBirds’ disappointing, 11-5 defeat at the hands of the Vermont Lake Monsters.

The loss, Aberdeen’s fourth in its last five games, dropped the IronBirds to 32-36 on the year. Heading into Tuesday’s game, Aberdeen sat third in the New York-Penn League’s McNamara Division, 2.5 games behind Hudson Valley, 13.5 games in back of the first-place Brooklyn team, and 1.5 games ahead of last-place Staten Island.

Speaking to the press prior to Monday’s matchup, the 18-year-old Machado, who recently signed a $5.2 million deal after being selected third overall by Baltimore in the MLB’s June draft, said his promotion from the Gulf Coast League to Aberdeen had not elicited any nervousness, so far.

“I’ve never had butterflies in my life,” Machado said. “But, I suppose anything is possible.”

Machado explained that, rather than nervous, he was anxious to get on the field to prove himself.

“I’m excited for tonight,” Machado said. “I’ve been waiting for this day for a long time. It’s going to be a good day.”

After popping out to second base in the opening frame, Machado led off the bottom of third inning by belting a single over second base. In the visiting half of the fifth, the young shortstop got his lone fielding chance of the night, snaring a hard-hit grounder up the middle and pegging the runner at first with an off-balance throw.

Machado was replaced in the top of the sixth, with Michael Rooney taking over shortstop duties for the balance of the game.

After conceding a run in the top half of the first, Aberdeen evened the game, as Mychal Givens roped a leadoff single into left, then scored on Kipp Schutz’s RBI base hit. Later in the frame, Schutz scored the go-ahead run on Adam Gaylord’s ground ball single up the middle.

The IronBirds would not score again until the eighth, when they were trailing 11-2. Schutz started the inning with a walk, stole second, and was driven home by David Anderson’s liner to right.

In their final at bat, Anderson roped a two-out double to left the plated Schutz and Rooney, who had both reached on a base hit.

IronBirds’ starter Justin Anderson (4-5) was charged with the loss after allowing three earned runs on six hits over three innings.

Losing streak snapped

A four-run seventh frame helped the IronBirds to a 7-2 victory over the visiting Vermont squad on Sunday night.

The win marked the end of Aberdeen’s four-game losing snap.

With the score tied 2-2 in the bottom half of the seventh, Joe Oliveira got things going with a leadoff double, and Zach Moore followed with a bunt single. Sammie Starr loaded the bases after taking a pitch off his body, and then Givens was also plunked by the Vermont hurler, driving Oliveira home for the go-ahead run. With the bases still juiced, Schutz rifled a two-RBI single to left, and Gaylord ended the four-run rally by hitting a groundout that allowed Givens to race home from third.

Aberdeen went up 1-0 in the bottom of the first when Schutz knocked in Givens, who had reached via a one-out double.

Down 2-1 in the home half of the third, Aberdeen tied the game up when Givens cracked a homer over the left field wall to start the frame.

The IronBirds added one more in the eighth, with Schutz knocking Oliveira home with a base hit up the middle.

Aberdeen reliever Daniel Klein (1-0) went two innings, striking out three, walking one and holding Vermont to one hit in his first win of the season.

Tyler Sexton made the start and lasted six innings, surrendering two earned runs on three hits, striking out four and allowing a pair of walks. Clayton Schrader struck out two, walked one and didn’t allow a hit in his one inning of work.

Fourth straight loss

Aberdeen dropped its fourth straight game on Saturday night, losing 7-1 to Vermont at Ripken Stadium.

Early on, the game looked to be a pitcher’s duel, as Aberdeen starter Tim Adleman and the Vermont hurler held the opposing hitters scoreless through the first four frames.

Vermont got to Adleman for a pair in the fifth on a two-run homer, then chased him from the game with three more tallies in the sixth. Over 5 1/3 innings, Adleman (2-4) struck out four, walked three and allowed three hits.

The IronBirds saw their lone run come in the seventh. Schutz opened the frame with a double, moved over to third on David Anderson’s single, and scored on Gaylord’s sacrifice fly to center.

Ashur Tolliver allowed four hits over 1 2/3 innings, struck out a pair of hitters and held Vermont scoreless, while Jose Barajas surrendered one run on two hits, struck out one and walked one over one inning. Alex Schmarzo pitched one inning for Aberdeen, striking out two, walking two and allowing one run on two hits.

Shutout loss

The IronBirds managed just three hits on Friday night in a 2-0, road-game loss to Brooklyn.

Starr, Gaylord and Knight accounted for all of Aberdeen’s hits, with each of them rapping out a single.

Justin Moore (3-2) had to settle for a loss despite coming through with a fine start. Over 6 2/3 frames, Moore allowed one earned and one unearned run on five hits, struck out five and did not surrender a free pass.

Jesse Rasner took over in the top of the seventh and finished the game for Aberdeen, tossing 1 1/3 innings in which he allowed one hit and struck out three.

With the loss, Aberdeen’s record against Brooklyn dropped to 1-9.

Beaten in 10

Prior to Thursday night, each of the five times the IronBirds saw one of their games go into extra frames, they had come out as the winning side, but a 4-3, 10-inning loss to Brooklyn ended that streak.

Aberdeen led the game 3-1 heading into the eighth, but the Cyclones posted one run in each of the final three innings to secure the win.

Behind 1-0 in the top of the fourth, Gaylord scored on a passed ball after reaching on a base hit, and moving to third on a throwing error.

Oliveira led off the fifth with a single, Rooney followed that with a bunt base hit, and Oliveira scored Aberdeen’s second run when Starr’s sacrifice bunt was misplayed. With Rooney on third, Knight lofted a sacrifice fly that put the visitors up 3-1.

After scoring the tying run in the ninth, Brooklyn plated the winning tally in the first extra frame with IronBird closer Steven Mazur on the mound. Mazur (1-1) worked one inning and surrendered two runs on two hits in his first loss of the year.

Scott Copeland made the start for Aberdeen and worked through six innings, striking out seven, walking two and holding Brooklyn to one earned run on three hits.