by Defense was the key to the game for the Staten Island Yankees as they limited the Aberdeen Ironbirds to just one run allowing 16 runners to reach base, ten via the walk.
2010 first round pick Cito Culver and third rounder Rob Segedin were in the middle of the action making great defensive plays throughout the game. The 17 year old Culver was able to ease into his new assignment as there was just an intimate crowd of 1,503 fans in attendance. “I just try to play defense how I know how,” he said after the game, “Defense is going to be defense wherever you go, maybe its hit a little bit harder but I just try to play like I was taught.”
The Baby Bomber offense was lead by Kyle Roller who was 2-for-4 with a monster three-run homerun that cut through the heavy winds. Shane Brown, Rob Segedin, Gary Sanchez, Cito Culver and Kelvin Duran counted for the other five Yankee hits.
Staten Island was the first to get on the board when they put a three-spot up in the bottom of the fourth inning. Shane Brown started it off with a walk but was quickly erased when Casey Stevenson laid down a hard hit bunt that the pitcher fielded and went to second for the force out. Stevenson went to second after Rob Segedin singled to center and both runners would score on the hard hit homerun to right field by Kyle Roller.
In the bottom of the fifth the Yankees added another run to their lead. Mike Ferraro had a one-out walk and then went to second on a wild pitch before moving to third on a single by Kelvin Duran. Ferraro came home to score when Shane Brown hit a ground out to the shortstop.
Staten Island starter Nik Turley earned the win throwing 79 pitches over five innings allowing just two hits but walking six and striking out four. Turley sat between 88-91 MPH with his fastball throughout the night. He was followed by Richard Martinez who walked two and allowed a hit in his two innings of relief work. St. John’s University product Dan Burawa followed on the mound allowing a run on three hits and walk in the eighth inning and sitting between 94-96MPH with his fastball.
In the bottom of the eighth inning the Staten Island Yankees plated another run. With two-outs in Rob Segedin was hit-by-the-pitch before moving to second on a passed ball. He scored when Kyle Roller legged out his third triple of the season.
Notes: Left-handed pitcher Matt Jernstad is making a spot start tomorrow for Staten Island. Jernstad was 4-2 with a 2.23 ERA over 40.1 innings in six games for the Windy City Thunderbolts of the Frontier League. All six were starts and he went a minimum of six innings in each start and going seven innings four times. Right-handed relief pitcher and All-Star Preston Claiborne earned a promotion to the Florida State League as he was sent to the Tampa Yankees after the game.
