Mojica Ignites Rally in Sixth for Baby Bomber Win

The Staten Island Yankees won their second game of the season when they came from behind in the sixth inning thanks to a rally started with a two-run double by Jose Mojica.

The Ironbirds got out to an early lead when they plated a run in the top of the first inning.  LJ Hoes started it off with a one-out double to left and he came home to score on a ground ball single to left by Kipp Schutz.

Kevin Mahoney was thrown out trying to stretch a single into a double - Photo Credit: Robert M Pimpsner

The Aberdeen lead did not last that long as the Baby Bombers responded by plating two runs in the bottom of the first inning.  Eduardo Sosa started it off with a walk before Shane Brown was hit by the pitch before Casey Stevenson struck out for the first out.  Sosa and Brown then pulled off a double steal with Kevin Mahoney at the plate.  Mahoney then grounded a ball into right for a single bringing in Sosa and moving Brown to third.  Mahoney was tagged out at second trying to stretch it into a double.  Kelvin De Leon then singled on a fly ball to right to bring home Brown and give the Yankees a 2-1 lead.

In the bottom of the second the Baby Bombers were able to push another run across the place without registering a hit.  Jose Mojica started it off with a walk and then moved to second on a ground out by Garrison Lassiter and third on a wild pitch.  Isaiah Brown then walked before Eduardo Sosa struck out swinging.  Shane Brown walked to load the bases before Casey Stevenson walked to bring home Mojica for the third Yankees run.

Aberdeen got a run back in the top of the third.  LJ Hoes started it off getting hit by the pitch but was quickly erased when Kipp Schutz grounded into a double play to the shortstop Jose Mojica.  Tyler Kolodny then doubled on a grounder to left and scored on a single by David Anderson.

Shane Greene had a rocky outing allowing 5 runs in 4 innings - Photo Credit: Robert M Pimpsner

The Ironbirds then started hitting Yankees starter Shane Greene in the top of the fourth, plating three runs to take the lead.  After a ground out to start the inning Joe Oliveira singled to center and then went to third on a two-out double by LJ Hoes.  Kipp Schutz then tripled on a liner to right to plate both.  Tyler Kolodny was then hit by the pitch and David Anderson singled on a grounder to right to score Schutz and give the ‘Birds a 5-3 lead.

Green went just four innings allowing 5 runs on 11 hits while striking out 4.  He was relieved by Bryant Cototn who made his professional debut pitching the fifth.  Cotton went one inning allowing a hit.  Mike Recchia followed tossing a perfect sixth inning while striking out one.  Richard Martinez was next on the mound allowing a hit and two walks in his inning of work, pitching well enough to earn the win.

The Baby Bombers made a comeback in the bottom of the seventh.  Shane Brown was hit by the pitch to start it off.  He went to second on a one-out walk to Kevin Mahoney and moved to third when Kelvin De Leon grounded into a force attempt that the second baseman made a throwing error on for all the runners to be safe.  After Jeff Farnham struck out swinging Jose Mojica doubled to right to bring in Brown and Mahoney while moving De Leon to third in the process.  A fielding error by the third baseman on a ball hit by Garrison Lassiter brought home De Leon and give the Yankees a 6-5 fun.

Chase Whitley earned his second save of the year throwing two shutout innings allowing no hits in two innings of work and striking out two.

Notes: Francisco Arcia was taken out of the game in the sixth inning after injuring his thumb on a slide back to first base.  Tomorrow night the Staten Island Yankees and Aberdeen Ironbirds will face off again with Samuel Elam scheduled to make his second start of the season.  The Staten Island Yankees have sold out their third consecutive game of the season.

Robert M. Pimpsner

Robert joins Gotham Baseball after spending 7 1/2 years as the owner and senior writer for Baby-Bombers.com providing independent coverage of the Staten Island Yankees and their alumni for thousands of visitors. In July of 2009 he joined Gotham Baseball, bringing his coverage of the Baby Bombers.

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