By CORY SCHUETT

cschuett@MorningJournal.com

A disastrous fourth inning put the Ironmen in a hole they could not recover from, as the Butler BlueSox beat the Lorain County Ironmen 11-3 at the Pipe Yard.

Butler (3-4) scored in the first five innings, including six in the fourth after the first two outs were recorded. Second baseman Austin Wulf got things started with a walk followed by an infield single by center fielder Colby Roberts. Designated hitter Kevan Smith, who is batting .435 this season, sent a two-run double to right-center field. After a hit batter and another infield single, catcher John Sulzicki sent a two-run single just to the right of a diving second baseman Matt McAllester in the right field grass.

Third baseman Adam Jury capped off the inning with a double to deep left field, bringing home two more runs to make the score 9-2.

"We’re at a point now where our pitchers are overworked," Ironmen manager Eric Cormell said. "We’ve had some issues with injury and homesickness that have used up a lot of arms in the bullpen."

Ironmen starter Joseph Burnett (0-2) never got in a rhythm, going 3 2/3 innings, allowing six hits and seven runs. The right-hander struck out two, walked two and hit two batters. He also allowed a run to score with an error in the second inning. With a runner on third, Burnett mishandled a ball hit back to him. Burnett’s throw to first brought Brandon Cantrill of the bag, allowing the runner to score.

The Ironmen scored two runs in the second inning on aggressive and opportunistic base running. After a balk moved runners to second and third, a pitch got between Sulzicki’s legs, allowing shortstop William Urban to score. One batter later, right fielder Austin Ingraham and third baseman Nick Hamilton collaborated on a double steal. Both runners were safe, including Ingraham at home. The Ironmen stole five bases on the evening, extending their Prospect League-best total to 28.

Butler starter Ben Rawding (1-0) threw five innings, striking out five and walking three. The southpaw allowed two runs on three hits. Lorain County batters struck out ten times total.

Ironmen pitcher Patrick Mulligan helped save an exhausted bullpen by going 3 1/3 innings, including a scoreless sixth and seventh. He gave up six hits and struck out three.

Lorain County has lost four in a row, falling to 3-6 overall on the season.

"We’ll get better," Cormell said. "We have a few new guys, and we didn’t want to throw them out on the first day, and we’ll be looking to bring in some more pitchers to help."

Eric Knight (Oberlin) and Nate Antone (Potomac State) are new additions to the pitching staff. Pitcher J.R. Osborne has been put on the disabled list.

Next on the schedule for the Ironmen is a home game tonight against the Slippery Rock Sliders at 7:05 p.m.

swalker@MorningJournal.com