In return to mound, Bundy allows one run for Aberdeen

Less than a year since he underwent Tommy John surgery, right-hander Dylan Bundy returned to a pro mound tonight as he gave up one run over five innings for short-season Single-A Aberdeen at Hudson Valley. Bundy gave up five hits and threw 65 pitches in his outing for the IronBirds. He walked none and struck out six. He left with Aberdeen trailing 1-0. Bundy's fastball was sitting in the 91 to 93 mph range. Bundy threw 10 pitches in a 1-2-3 first, getting three groundball outs. He gave up a two-out single, but struck out the side in the second. Hudson Valley scored one in the third with a leadoff single that was followed by a ground rule double and an RBI groundout. Bundy gave up a triple in the fourth and double in the fifth, but no more runs. After pitching in several games in Florida at extended spring training, Bundy pitched in a game that counted for the first time since Sept. 25, 2012 when he threw a scoreless inning for the Orioles against Toronto. He had hoped to make it to a minor league affiliate by June 27, one year to the day when he underwent ligament reconstructive surgery performed by Dr. James Andrews. At a press conference earlier this week at Ripken Stadium, Bundy said his comeback was going very well and he had touched 93 and 94 mph with his fastball in his last two extended spring starts. "My arm feels great," Bundy said Thursday morning at Ripken Stadium. "Excited to get back out there and pitch again. They've told me three or four starts (with the IronBirds). I was going to be happy to be out here by June 27. Got out of Florida about two weeks early. Definitely excited for that. Can't wait to finally toe the rubber again." The plan calls for Bundy to likely make his next two starts in Aberdeen on June 21 and 27. He's pitching as part of the IronBirds' six-man rotation. Click here to read more from Bundy's press conference earlier this week.