Babey's Shutout Slips Away In the Ninth as RedWings and Pilots Tie in Extras

Ian Babey delivers a pitch. (photograph by Preston Leech)

Geneva, N.Y. — Ian Babey took the mound in the ninth inning, just three outs away from a complete-game shutout that would’ve snapped the RedWings’ 12-game losing streak and delivered their first win since July 4th. But a costly error allowed two runners to score, sparking a 2-out Newark rally that tied the game at 4–4 and eventually led to a 5–5 tie after extras.

Per league rules, extra innings begin with a runner automatically placed on second base — often referred to as the “ghost runner” — to help speed up the game.

The Pilots struck first in the 10th, bringing their ghost runner home to take a 5–4 lead. Geneva quickly responded as Dylan Briggs ripped a leadoff RBI triple down the right field line to even the score. But with the winning run just 90 feet away and no outs, the RedWings came up empty — stranding the runner and settling for a tie.

Before the chaos unfolded late, the RedWings were playing fundamental baseball — getting men on, moving them over, stealing bags and capitalizing with situational hitting. On the defensive side, Jack Turner and Dylan Briggs each made sliding grabs in the outfield that robbed the Pilots of extra base hits.

Geneva struck first in the opening frame. Zach Banks led off the game with a walk, stole second, and advanced to third on a throwing error. Banks showcased some heads-up baserunning, breaking for the plate on a groundout and scoring to give the RedWings a 1–0 lead.

Tim Bowerman got in the hit column and chipped in with an RBI double in the bottom of the second that gave the RedWings a 2-0 lead.

In the fifth, Dylan Briggs came through with a two-out RBI single to make it 3–0. Moments later, the RedWings capitalized on a defensive miscue by the Pilots, as Briggs came around to score on Colin Clark’s RBI knock, extending the lead to 4–0.

Ian Babey was rock solid all night, pitching to contact and letting his defense work behind him. The right-hander tossed 8.2 innings, allowing four runs (three earned) on eight hits while walking two and fanning three. He cruised through the first eight frames and was one out away from sealing the win when disaster struck — a routine single to Jack Turner in left slipped through the wickets and rolled to the wall, allowing two runs to score and giving the Pilots the momentum they needed. What looked like a career night ended in a no-decision.

It was a tough ending for Babey, who delivered the best performance by a RedWings starting pitcher all season — a rarity for a team that’s offered few chances to celebrate dominance on the mound. While the tie technically halts the losing streak, it also leaves Geneva still searching for that long-overdue win.

The RedWings look ahead to Tuesday when they take on the second-place Jamestown Tarp Skunks at McDonough Park. First pitch is scheduled for 6:30 PM.

Story written by Jacob Rodriguez | Red Wings Broadcast & Media Team