Courtesy Vermont Lake Monsters

ABERDEEN, MD — The Aberdeen Ironbirds spotted Vermont a 4-0 lead before scoring eight unanswered runs in their final three inning at bat for an 8-4 New York-Penn League victory over the Lake Monsters on Tuesday night at Ripken Stadium.

Vermont took a 2-0 lead in the third inning on a two-out, two-run groundball single to leftfield from Trace Loehr, extending his hitting streak to nine games (second nine-game hit streak of season). The Lake Monsters then scored two more runs in the fourth on four straight two-out singles, including RBI singles from Jesus Lopez and Steven Pallares for the 4-0 lead.

Lake Monsters starter Corey Miller allowed just one Aberdeen hit over the first five innings as Vermont built an 11-1 hit advantage thru 5 1/2 innings, but the Ironbirds then scored the eight unanswered runs and outhit the Lake Monsters 10-1 from the bottom of the sixth inning on. Aberdeen scored three runs (one earned) on three hits and the help of three Vermont errors to cut the deficit to 4-3 after six innings.

The Ironbirds then took a 5-4 lead in the seventh on a one-out walk and three straight singles to rightfield off of Miller (2-3), who finished with five runs (three earned) on seven hits with two walks and four strikeouts over 6 1/3 innings to take the loss. Aberdeen added three insurance runs off reliever Derek Beasley in the eighth, including a Oswill Lartiguez two-run double.

Lartiguez was 3-for-5 with two runs and the two-run double, while Alejandro Juvier was 3-for-4 with an RBI and Drew Turbin 2-for-3 with two runs scored for Aberdeen (36-34). Three Ironbird relievers combined to toss five scoreless innings, including two scoreless innings in the seventh and eighth from Garrett Cleavinger (5-1) to earn the win. Tom Gavitt was 2-for-4 with two runs and a double for Vermont (29-39), while Seth Brown, Chris Iriart and Skye Bolt each had two hits.

The Lake Monsters return to historic Centennial Field for their final four home games of the season, beginning with a Wednesday doubleheader against the Hudson Valley Renegades beginning at 7:05 pm. The nightcap of the twinbill is a makeup game from a rainout at Hudson Valley back on June 27th in the finale of a three-game series. Vermont will then host the Renegades on Thursday and Friday also starting at 7:05 pm. All four games will be heard on AM 960 the Zone.