BRANDON – The Aberdeen Smittys owned an early brief lead before their opponent took control during another contest at the Dakota Classic American Legion baseball tournament on Saturday.

The Smittys fell to the North Winnipeg Pirates out of Canada 9-7. Aberdeen had a 4-1 lead before the Pirates scored eight unanswered runs.

Aberdeen jumped in front with two runs in the top of the first on a Jaxon Ladner RBI single and a Michael Dutenhoffer bases-loaded walk.

North Winnipeg got a run back in the bottom half of the frame before Aberdeen plated two more runs in the top of the second inning. Jehiel Aviles produced a run-scoring single, stole second base, moved to third on a ground out, and scored on a passed ball.

However, that’s when the Pirates took over, scoring five times in the bottom of the second inning, tacking on two more runs in the fourth, and another run in the fifth.

The Smittys closed the gap to within two as they scored three times in the top of the sixth.

Dutenhoffer walked, moved up on a sac bunt from Bennett Eisenbeisz, stole third base and scored on a wild pitch. Karson Borge singled in Eisenbeisz, and Ridley Waldo drove in Borge, all without an out recorded. However, with the bases loaded, the Smittys were retired on a strikeout, a fielder’s choice, and another strikeout to end the threat.

Borge finished with three hits for the Smittys, while Waldo and Aviles each had a pair.

Aberdeen faces a team from Fargo, N.D. in the tournament this afternoon at 1.

Aberdeen Smittys 220 003 0 – 7 10 1

North Winnipeg Pirates 150 210 x – 9 9 2

Joe Cogley, Jared Klootwyk (2) and Lance Siefken; Ronan Tracy, White (6), Elias (7) and Lorenzo Panidisz. 2B – North Winnipeg Pirates, Lincoln Carriere. 3B – North Winnipeg Pirates, Elias.