masn-baseballs-orioles.jpgAberdeen’s own Cal Ripken Jr. was not there to greet them, but the New York Yankees made an unscheduled stop in Ripken’s hometown on their way north early this morning as they were leaving Baltimore after Game 2 of the American League Division Series.

Yankees manager Joe Girardi, on a conference call with reporters to take questions about the ALDS, explained what happened after last night’s game.

“I would say we got to the train station around 1:10 or 1:15,” Girardi said. “We took off…Aberdeen’s own Cal Ripken Jr. was not there to greet them, but the New York Yankees made an unscheduled stop in Ripken’s hometown on their way north early this morning as they were leaving Baltimore after Game 2 of the American League Division Series.

Yankees manager Joe Girardi, on a conference call with reporters to take questions about the ALDS, explained what happened after last night’s game.

“I would say we got to the train station around 1:10 or 1:15,” Girardi said. “We took off at two because I guess there was an electrical problem at the station, but the thought was once we took off from the station, the train was fine. Then, about 2:30 or 2:35, you noticed that we started having some electrical issues again, and the train was slowing down and we started coasting. We kind of coasted into Aberdeen, I guess.

“At about 3:15, we were fortunate that our buses were headed back to New York, and they were going parallel. So about 3:15, 3:30 we got back on the buses and got to New York city about six o’clock in the morning.”

I assume Girardi was referring to buses carrying the club’s gear and equipment that they got on to go the rest of the way up the interstate.

Girardi said his team handled the travel issues just fine.

“I think our guys made the best of it. Kind of laughed at it,” he said. “It’s interesting where we stopped, in Aberdeen. I’m not sure what level that is for the Orioles, but I think it’s a minor league affiliate. That was kind of interesting.

“But our guys made the best of it. They laughed and there were some pictures taken. Just something you have to deal with. Similar to getting in from the West Coast some days is what it was like.”

Aberdeen is not only the home of one of the Orioles all-time greats, but the team Ripken and his family own, the IronBirds, the Orioles’ Short-Season Single-A New York-Penn League affiliate.

Game times: MLB has set the tentative start times for the next two, or possibly three, ALDS games. The Orioles and Yankees are scheduled to start at 7:37 p.m. Wednesday and Thursday, and at 5:07 p.m. Friday if that game is necessary.

Click here to see more, and note that Wednesday and Thursday games could be moved back an hour, and Friday’s to 7:07 p.m., pending other possible results.