ONEONTA _ Michael Rockett's slumps don't seem to last too long.
Rockett went hitless in his first three at-bats Monday but came through with a two-out, two-run triple in the bottom of the seventh inning as the O-Tigers rallied for a 5-4 New York-Penn League victory over the Aberdeen IronBirds.
The O-Tigers (10-5) completed the sweep of Aberdeen in front of an announced crowd of 691 on Sam Nader bobblehead night at Damaschke Field.
"Not a lot surprises me with him," O-Tigers manager Howard Bushong said of Rockett. "He'll look bad at times, but he's such a competitor and he'll find a way to beat you."
The O-Tigers have won five of six against the IronBirds this season. Oneonta increased its Stedler Division lead to three games over Lowell (8-9) and Vermont (8-9) and five games over Tri-City (5-10). All three division rivals lost Monday.
Oneonta opens a three-game set with Vermont at 7:05 p.m. today at Damaschke Field.
The Tigers, who rallied twice Monday, faced a 4-3 deficit heading into the seventh.
Jim Gulliver drew a leadoff walk but was forced out at second when Matt Mansilla's sacrifice-bunt attempt went back to pitcher Stephen Procner, who threw to shortstop Garabez Rosa for the out at second.
Carmelo Jaime then grounded to Rosa, who threw to second baseman Michael Mooney to force Mansilla out at second. Jaime reached on the play and moved to second when Jamie Johnson walked.
That brought Rockett to the plate. Rockett, who is batting .392 this season, failed to get the ball out of the infield and was hitless to that point.
"Coming to the plate, I was struggling," Rockett said. "I knew I had to settle down and barrel up."
Rockett, a right-handed batter, said he got a fastball away about belt-high. He went with the pitch, driving it down the right-field line. The ball bounced into the corner as Jaime and Johnson scored easily on Rockett's triple.
"I tried to stay back and I got a pitch to drive," Rockett said. "I squared up well. As soon as I made contact, it was a matter of running. ... With a guy on first, I knew we would try to score him, so I was going for three."
Winning pitcher Mike LaLuna (1-1), who struck out two in the eighth, allowed a leadoff triple to Levi Carolus (4-for-4) to start the ninth. With Oneonta's infield playing in, LaLuna got Brian Ward to ground to second baseman Jaime, who looked Carolus back to third before throwing to first for an out.
Bushong then went to the bullpen for Kenny Faulk, who got Arthur Bonevacia to fly out to shallow right field for the second out. Rockett threw a one-hopper to the plate after making the catch, but Carolus stayed within 10 feet of third.
Faulk then struck out Mooney looking to end the game and earn his third save.
"That was our first come-from-behind win," Bushong said. "Our kids have to learn not to quit and they did two times tonight and we did it with a two-out hit again."
Aberdeen (5-12) opened a 3-0 lead in the second off starter Jeff Gerbe. Carolus and Ty Kelly each had RBI singles and Ward an RBI triple.
The O-Tigers made it 3-1 in the bottom of the inning when Rawley Bishop led off with a home run to left field off Brandon Erbe. It's Bishop's third homer this season and third in three games. He hit two homers in a 7-2 victory over Aberdeen on Saturday.
"My college coach always said home runs come in bunches," Bishop said. "I've been pretty good wood on the ball. ... I got a fastball and (Erbe) caught too much of the plate and I tried to yank it. I never know when I hit it, but it felt pretty good. Playing here, you never know."
Wade Gaynor had an RBI single in the third to make it 3-2 and the Tigers pulled a double-steal for the tying run. With Johnson on third and two outs, Gaynor went to steal second. As soon as Aberdeen catcher Ward threw to second, Johnson broke home and scored standing up without a throw.
Aberdeen took the lead back in the sixth on an RBI single from Carolus.
Bushong also credited relief pitcher Kevan Hess, who threw 3 2/3 innings in relief of Gerbe. He allowed one run on four hits. LaLuna followed with three innings of scoreless ball, allowing three hits and striking out three and walking one.
___
P.J. Harmer can be reached at pharmer@thedailystar.com or 607-432-1000, ext. 229.
O-Tigers 5, Ironbirds 4
{"Sports agate MLB teams"/}AberdeenOneonta
{"Sports agate MLB batting"/}abrhbiabrhbi
{"Sports agate body text"/}Mooney 2b4020Johnson cf3210
Kelly 3b4011Rockett rf4012
D Oleo cf4000Gaynor 3b4011
Twnsend 1b3110Bishop 1b4111
Baxter lf2100Espinoza dh4010
Rosa ss4000Hrnandez c4000
Carolus dh4142Palacios ss1011
Ward c4111Gulliver ss1000
Rook rf2000Mansilla lf3000
Bnevacia ph1000Jaime 2b3210
Totals32494Totals31574
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Oneonta012000200""5
{"Sports agate bat stax"/}E""Townsend (2), Procner (1). DP""Oneonta 2. LOB""Aberdeen 6, Oneonta 5. 2B""Mooney (2), Espinoza (4). 3B""Ward (1), Carolus (1), Rockett (1). HR""Bishop (3). SB""Carolus (5) 2, Baxter (3), Gaynor (4), Johnson (2). CS""Baxter (1), Palacios (1).
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{"Sports agate MLB pitching"/}Oneonta
{"Sports agate body text"/}Gerbe1ª23321
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LaLuna W,1-1330013
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HBP""Townsend (by Gerbe). Umpires""Home, John Collins; Field, Jose Rivera. T""2:47. A""691.
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