Palladino’s Strong Start Leads SI Yanks to Sweep

ABERDEEN, MD – The Staten Island Yankees completed their first sweep of the season, defeating the Aberdeen Ironbirds 4-0 at Ripken Stadium.
 
The Baby Bombers got on the board in the top of the third inning.  Thairo Estrada started the inning with an infield single to short, stole second and moved to third on a fly out.  Devyn Bolasky then singled with two-outs to bring him home and give the Yankees the 1-0 lead.
 
There would not be much more scoring in the game until the ninth inning.  Staten Island starters David Palladino had his best start of the season, tossing six shutout innings allowing just three hits and two walks while striking out a season high eight batters to earn the win.  Andury Acevedo was next on the hill for the Baby Bombers, tossing an inning of hit-less ball, allowing just a walk and striking out two.
 
The game remained 1-0 until the top of the ninth when the Staten Island Yankees plated three more runs to solidify their lead.  Devyn Bolasky started it off working a walk.  After Brady Steiger struck out, Chris Breen lined a single to right to move Bolasky to third.  Chris Breen moved to second on defensive indifference before Ty McFarland hit a fly ball to right field for a two-RBI double.  Austin Aune then hit a sharp fly to left for an RBI double that brought home McFarland and giving Staten Island a 4-0 lead.
 
Combined the Yankees had nine hits with two doubles and walked twice.  Devyn Bolasky, Ty McFarland and Austin Aune had two hits each.  Staten Island’s hitters have raised the team’s combined batting average from .209 coming into the series to .224.
 
Rony Bautista earned his first save of the year after pitching two hit-less innings, allowing a walk and striking out three.  Baby Bomber pitchers have lowered the team ERA from 2.78 before the series with Aberdeen to 2.39.
 
Tomorrow night the Staten Island Yankees will return home two open another brief two-game series with the Hudson Valley Renegades.  Right-hander Sam Agnew-Wieland is scheduled to make the start for the Baby Bombers.