Aberdeen Ironbirds

The game provided an opportunity for fans who might not otherwise attend Ripken Stadium to see the facility for the first time and for the teams to renew their friendly rivalry for the 31st consecutive year. It also offered the chance for Cal Ripken to announce his hope for acquiring more attractions like it to Aberdeen. "We [the Single-A Aberdeen IronBirds] only have a 38-game home schedule, so there are a lot of openings," Ripken said while the USA Baseball national team beat the Japanese Collegiate All-Stars, 6-1, last night before 3,964.

Mention Aberdeen to most Marylanders -- especially Baltimore Orioles fans -- and its most famous native son, Cal Ripken Jr., typically comes to mind. Indeed, the baseball Hall of Famer and his family have deep roots in this tight-knit community of nearly 15,000 residents, and they've left their imprint with Ripken Stadium (home of the Minor League team, the Aberdeen Ironbirds) and philanthropic works. Yet there's more to this small, incorporated city of 6.5 square miles, bordered by the Chesapeake Bay and the Bush River.

In the beginning, there was just a man, a ball and a tire on a rope. Really, Alan Mills, now the Aberdeen IronBirds' new pitching coach, probably thought it was the beginning of the end. By the end of the 1989 season, Mills had pitched for four seasons, primarily in the New York Yankees organization, and he hadn't climbed out of Single-A. One coach in the organization spelled it out for Mills: like so many minor-league pitchers, he simply wasn't throwing enough strikes to make anything of himself.

After a fine all-around performance in their season-opener, when the Aberdeen IronBirds gave new manager Leo Gomez a victory in his debut, the Baltimore Orioles' Class A New York-Penn League team hasn't been back in the win column, losing its next three games by a combined four runs. "It's really nice to win that first game," Gomez said after his team's 7-2 win over Hudson Valley Friday. "We did pretty good tonight, pitched the ball well, hit the ball pretty good, and I'm happy with what I saw," Gomez, a former Major Leaguer who spent six seasons with the Orioles, said.

In the final matchup of their three-game road set with Tri-City, the Aberdeen IronBirds held off a ninth-inning blitz from the host-team Valleycats to take a 7-6 victory. The victory pushed Aberdeen to 5-20 on the season, which puts the IronBirds 7.5 behind Hudson Valley at the bottom of the New York-Penn League's McNamara Division. Aberdeen, which had held Tri-City scoreless since the third, surrendered four tallies in the final frame, which allowed the Valleycats to get within one, but with the tying run sitting on third, reliever Angel Cespedes was able to retire the final two hitters to end the game.

A self-proclaimed baseball nut, Jon Stetina has come a long way in a short time to become a pivotal part of Havre de Grace's program in his senior year. As a junior, Stetina started the season as a reserve first baseman, but he worked his way into the starting lineup as an outfielder because of his athleticism, good bat and team-first approach. This year, first-year coach Sean Welch immediately recognized those attributes and named Stetina a captain as the Warriors try to improve on last year's 2-14 season.

The kid came pretty much as advertised. Mid-90s fastball with all sorts of hop. A back-breaking change-up that had batters swinging 20 minutes early. All sorts of poise, the kind that comes from having a ton of God-given talent and playing for a big-time college program like LSU's. Yeah, Kevin Gausman, the Orioles' top choice in the 2012 draft, pretty much dazzled in his home debut Sunday at Ripken Stadium in the Aberdeen IronBirds' 3-1 win over the Connecticut Tigers. Working as if he had a plane to catch, the tall right-hander held the Tigers to one hit over three innings, striking out three and walking none.

Playing in the first game of a five-date road set on Wednesday night, the Aberdeen IronBirds dropped their second straight game, going down 9-1 to the host-team Staten Island Yankees. Through Wednesday's contest, the IronBirds, who snapped a nine-game losing streak on Monday, are 2-11, which puts them at the bottom of the New York-Penn League's four-team McNamara Division, 3.5 games behind the third-place Hudson Valley squad. Staten Island struck the first blow in the home half of the fourth, as the second Yankee hitter of the frame smacked a one-out, solo homer off Aberdeen starter David Baker.

Orioles managing partner Peter G. Angelos said he didn't turn down Hall of Famer Cal Ripken Jr.'s offer to join the club's front office and, in fact, he said no such request occurred. However, if Ripken wanted to return to the organization and accept a position under president of baseball operations Andy MacPhail, Angelos said he certainly would listen. "Cal could make a contribution to any ballclub. I just don't see Cal Ripken as being an assistant to anyone in a baseball context," Angelos told The Sun on Saturday.

Welcome to Chris Zinser as a new reader to my column. Chris works over at the Bayou in Havre de Grace. Over the years he has helped with a banquet, a rehearsal dinner and a baby shower. Thanks Chris and enjoy! St. Paul's Lutheran Church held the Affirmation of Baptism Sunday. Those confirmed were Madelyn Brainard, Shannan Curry, Sarah Frick, Sierra Johnson, Nathaniel Miller and Alexandra Savin. Sierra and Alexandra are Perryville Middle School students. Joyful Noiz, the contemporary group at St. Paul's Lutheran Church, will perform at "Heavenly Waters Coffee House" on June 8. The music and fellowship starts at 7 p.m. in the Fellowship Hall of St. Paul's Lutheran Church.