“The problem is in this league, when you have a night game, the guys go to bed at one o?clock in the morning and have to get up at seven o?clock in the morning to take a seven hour bus ride and then go to the ball park and play a game,” Etchebarren said. “You play three games and you turn around and take another seven hour bus ride back.”

“It wears on everybody. I think it is silly to do that,” Etchebarren continued. “There should be a rule in this league that if you travel over four hours the [host] club or the league should pay for the room an extra night.”

Etchebarren does not solely blame the leagues? travel requirements for the recent struggles.

“We are not swinging the bats very well,” Etchebarren said.

The IronBirds have averaged under three runs per game since July 10 and as a team are batting a dismal .225, the fifth worst in the league.

The hot bat of Aberdeen first baseman Chris Vinyard has cooled of as well. “He is tapering off, that happens,” Etchebarren said. “If anybody thought he was going to hit .400 they have got to be nuts.”

“It means the rest of the hitters on the team can?t count on him every single night to drive in two or three runs,” Etchebarren said. “They have got to step up.”

The Ironbirds File

» The three game losing streak was the longest losing streak of the season for the IronBirds.

» The IronBirds lost in extra innings Monday night, 7-4. Aberdeen had a chance to win the game in the bottom of the 11th with no outs and the bases loaded, but outfielder Corey Shafer grounded into the 6-2-3-5 triple play to end the inning.

» Orioles? pitcher Tim Byrdak threw one inning for Aberdeen in a rehab assignment. He gave up two hits, one run and struck out three batters.