The long break is over, and the Aberdeen IronBirds were ready to get back to work.
Headed to play the Greenville Drive for the unofficial second half start, the IronBirds would take the series, two games to one.
This series featured good offense, so-so pitching and good fortune, as the IronBirds improved to 13-11 (56-34 overall) in the second half. They also improved to 7-8 against sub-.500 clubs, something that will need to keep improving to defend their first half title.
Toby Welk, who is on a rehab assignment, showed that he is rounding into form with a 5-for-13 (.385 BA) series that included a home run, two doubles and six RBIs.
It’s hard to decipher which game was better, as he had two multi-hit games in the series, both Aberdeen victories.
In July 22, an IronBirds 9-5 victory, Welk would go 2-for-4, nailing a three-run homer in the game, while also picking up an RBI-single and a run scored.
Collin Burns had another outstanding series, collecting multiple hits in each game. His best game came in Greenville’s 8-6 victory Saturday.
In that game, Burns would score three runs and collect two hits, including a solo home run and one RBI.
Burns is now hitting .285 with six home runs, 29 RBIs and 10 stolen bases. He also has a .385 OBP for the year.
Pitching was on restrictions to open the second half, so most pitchers would throw an inning here or there, and some would be extended to three innings.
In Friday’s 9-5 victory, Houston Roth would come on in relief and pitch three innings of two-hit ball with five strikeouts. He would throw 48 pitches, 33 of them coming as strikes.
Roth would pick up the victory, making him 6-3 on the season. He has a 4.52 ERA on the season in 18 games, pitching 71.2 innings with 80 strikeouts.
The IronBirds still carry a winning record in the second half but will be looking to strengthen that as well. With new draft picks being signed, we should see some promotions coming soon, which should help to only improve a strong team.
The IronBirds are back in action when they visit the Ashville Tourists Tuesday, with game time at 6:35 p.m. EST.
Who stood out to you for Aberdeen this weekend? Let us know in the comments below! And make sure to follow The Baltimore Battery on Facebook and Twitter, and use the hashtag #baltimorebattery when sharing our content!
Like Stephen’s content? Follow him on Twitter – @SrHeckman
The Baltimore Battery 