KINSTON, N.C. (May 29, 2026) – The Down East Bird Dawgs trailed by four in the fourth inning but erupted for eight unanswered runs across four innings to pull away from the Ottawa Titans 12-6 Friday night at Historic Grainger Stadium, taking a commanding 3-1 series lead and improving to 8-11 on the season.

Ottawa jumped ahead 5-1 after a Myles Smith RBI double in the second and a Jackie Urbaez solo homer headlined a four-run fourth, but the Bird Dawgs answered immediately.

Colby Backus scored on a wild pitch in the fourth to begin the rally before Down East took over in the fifth as Lyle Miller-Green singled in a run, Yeniel Laboy launched a home run, and Christian Adams followed with one of his own to flip the scoreboard to 6-5. Tyler Blaum doubled in a run in the sixth and Kalae Harrison and Laboy each drove in runs in the seventh to push the lead to 9-5.

Ottawa cut it to 9-6 on a bases-loaded walk from Chris Davis in the eighth, but the Bird Dawgs responded with three insurance runs as Miller-Green singled in a run and Backus added a two-run base hit to close out the 12-6 final.

Rolando Heredia-Bustos earned the win in a complete-game-like effort, allowing five runs on nine hits with four strikeouts and no walks. Tanner Duncan collected his third save of the season, allowing one hit and one walk over 1⅓ innings.

Kevin Miranda took the loss for Ottawa, surrendering six runs on six hits over five innings with six strikeouts and three walks.

The Bird Dawgs (8-11) and Titans (11-7) meet in Game Five Saturday, May 30, at 7 p.m. ET at Historic Grainger Stadium.