Bird

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.

Two weeks after Violet Ripken was abducted at gunpoint, she said it was "too soon to share any thoughts" about the ordeal as she took in a game Wednesday night at the Aberdeen stadium named for her famous baseball family. Ripken, the 74-year-old mother of Orioles "Ironman" Cal Ripken Jr. and widow of former Orioles manager Cal Ripken Sr., came out of Conrad's Crabs restaurant at Ripken Stadium shortly after the start of the Aberdeen IronBirds game and smiled as she chatted with an usher, her hand on his arm. Approached by a reporter, she spoke briefly before being escorted away by the usher.

Four members of from short-season Single-A Aberdeen have been selected to play in the New York-Penn League All-Star Game. Outfielder Lucas Herbst, shortstop Joel Hutter, first baseman Christian Walker and catcher Sam Kimmel -- all members of this year's draft class -- will represent the IronBirds and the American League in the game Tuesday at Eastwood Field in Niles, Ohio. Herbst was drafted by the Orioles in the 26 th round out of Santa Clara University. He leads the IronBirds with a .476 slugging percentage and is tied for team-lead with four triples.

The Aberdeen IronBirds (17-27) fell in extra innings Thursday night, losing 6-5 to the host-team Williamsport Crosscutters. With the score tied, 5-5, in the bottom of the 10th, Williamsport plated the game-winning run. Aberdeen's Creede Simpson was 1-for-5 with one RBI and one run, while teammate Sam Kimmel was 1-for-2 with two RBIs. Lucas Herbst was 2-for-5 with one RBI in the loss, and fellow IronBird Gregory Lorenzo was 1-for-4 with one RBI. Joel Hutter, Will Howard, Anthony Vega and Scott Kalush all scored once for Aberdeen.

Maryland's first industrial-scale wind energy project would be required under a federal plan issued Monday to slow down its turbines at certain times of the year to reduce the number of endangered bats that might be killed by the long, spinning blades. Exelon Power, which owns and operates the 28-turbine Criterion wind project in Garrett County, also would have to protect one or more bat caves in other states to make up for any federally protected Indiana bats its turbines might harm.

The IronBirds came through with their fourth straight victory Thursday night, beating the visiting Jamestown Jammers, 6-2. The contest was called complete after the bottom of the eighth inning when heavy rains started at Ripken Stadium. Will Howard led the IronBirds' offense, going 2-for-3 with two RBIs. Anthony Vega scored two runs in the victory, while teammates Lucas Herbst and Christian Walker each posted one run and one RBI. Aberdeen starter Juan Guzman (2-0) picked up his second win of the season, surrendering two earned runs on three hits, striking out 11 and allowing one walk over six innings.

Something is eating the leaves on my red twig dogwood. On some leaves, nothing is left but the center rib. I suspect it is a caterpillar that birds like to eat, because I saw a lot of bird droppings. Those bird dropping are the caterpillars. What you see are dogwood sawfly larvae, and technically they aren't caterpillars, which are only the larvae of butterflies and moths. They winter as larvae that are yellowish, but during the summer they molt a few times and develop a white powdery covering that mimics bird droppings so predators won't eat them.

Three IronBirds hurlers combined to toss a five-hit-shutout on Monday night, helping Aberdeen end a five-game losing streak with a 2-0 victory over the Cyclones in Brooklyn. Aberdeen starter Sebastian Vader (1-4) got his first win, going six innings. He surrendered five hits, struck out two and walked five. Jose Nivar tossed two innings out of the bullpen, holding the Cyclones to a pair of hits, striking out one and walking a pair. IronBirds closer Tom Winegardner got his first save by tossing a perfect ninth inning, striking out two of the three hitters he faced.

The Aberdeen IronBirds dropped their fifth straight contest Sunday afternoon, losing 8-2 to the visiting Hudson Valley Renegades. With the loss, the IronBirds fall to 11-23 overall on the season. The visitors took the lead for good during their first at-bat with a four-run rally. Aberdeen's top offensive contributor was Christian Walker, who went 2-for-4 with a solo homer, one RBI and two runs scored in the loss. Taking the loss was Aberdeen starter Cameron Coffey (1-5)

In their Saturday homestand with the Hudson Valley Renegades, the Aberdeen IronBirds came up short, losing to the guests, 4-3. Aberdeen went into the ninth holding a 3-1 lead, but surrendered three runs during the visiting team's final turn at the plate. Christian Walker led the Aberdeen offense, going 2-for-3 with a double and one run scored. Anthony Vega was 1-for-4 with a double and one run in the loss, while Roderick Bernadina, Ryan Adams and Will Howard had one RBI apiece.