NYPL Aberdeen IronBirds

Kemp's Big Night Carries IronBirds to Victory

Published on August 3, 2013 under New York-Penn League (NYPL)
Aberdeen IronBirds News Release


Aberdeen, MD- Jeff Kemp, to put it mildly, had himself a ballgame in the second of a three- game set against the Tri-City ValleyCats. Kemp was the key contributor in the IronBirds' 6-2 win, going 3-4, hitting a go-ahead three-run home run and knocking in a career-high five runs.

Mitch Horacek got the start for the IronBirds, his first career start against the Valley Cats. He was touched for an early run when speedy Tri-City centerfielder James Ramsay tripled to right, and came around to score on an error.

The score stayed 1-0 until the fourth inning. The IronBirds had chances in the first and third, each time getting a runner to third base with two outs, but failing to push him across.

In the fourth, the ValleyCats gave the IronBirds a break, and the team took full advantage. Rehabbing first baseman Steve Clevenger reached second base on an error, one of three Tri-City errors on the game. Trey Mancini followed with a single, sending Clevenger to third. Kemp then teed off, sending a fly ball just over the longboard in left-center field, giving the IronBirds a 3-1 lead.

But Kemp wasn't done. In the very next inning, he came to the plate with two on and two out, looking to extend the lead. He did exactly that, sending a two-run double to the same left-center field gap where he had homered the inning before. Kemp scored on an RBI single off the bat of Austin Wynns, and the IronBirds extended the lead to 6-1.

Meanwhile, after a rocky first inning, Horacek was superb. He fanned two in the third, two in the fourth, and one each in the fifth and sixth. After allowing a leadoff single in the third inning, Horacek retired 10 straight batters before allowing another single. Horacek pitched into the eighth inning, giving up just 2 runs on 6 hits. He showed pinpoint command, striking out 6 in his 7.1 innings without walking a single batter.

Austin Urban recorded the last five outs of the game, and the IronBirds have taken the series from the ValleyCats, who have lost nine in a row.

The IronBirds move to 23-21 on the season, and 12-11 at home. The IronBirds will look to sweep the series tomorrow afternoon in a 5:35 Sunday matinee. RHP Jorge Rivera (2-1, 3.04 ERA) will get the start for the IronBirds. He got the win in his first appearance this year against the ValleyCats, pitching 1.2 innings of scoreless relief. The IronBirds will face RHP Zach Morton (1-1, 1.65 ERA).

For ticket information, contact our box office at (410) 297-9292 or visit us online at www.IronBirdsbaseball.com.

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New York-Penn League Stories from August 3, 2013


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