Cyclones Lose a Heartbreaker, But Still Move into 1st Place
August 31, 2022 – South Atlantic League (SAL) – Brooklyn Cyclones News Release
Brooklyn, NY – It was a tale of two games on Wednesday night, as Brooklyn jumped in front early, but Wilmington roared back late – with a six-run top of the eighth – to come away with an 11-7 win over the Cyclones. Wilmington clubbed three home runs, including an eighth inning grand slam from Leandro Emiliani that provided the winning margin.
Despite the loss, Brooklyn finds themselves in first place in the SAL Northern Division with just 10 games remaining in the regular season.
LHP Lucas Knowles made the start for Wilmington and came into the game having allowed just three runs in five starts during the month of August. But Brooklyn struck early and often against the southpaw, jumping out to a 5-0 lead after one inning. Matt Rudick got things started with a leadoff double and moved up to third when JT Schwartz stroked a one-out single that put runners on the corners. Jose Peroza took advantage of the scoring chance ripping an RBI single into left field to plate Rudick with the game’s first run. After Stanley Consuegra popped out for out number two, Jose Mena drilled the first pitch he saw off the light tower in left field for a three-run blast to extend the Brooklyn lead to 4-0. Two pitches later, William Lugo clubbed his fourth home run of the year off the scoreboard in left to make it 5-0.
Wilmington was able to slice the lead to 5-1 when Justin Connell grounded into a double play, but Viandel Pena scored in the top of the third. But that was all the offense they would muster against Cyclones starter Christian Scott. The righthander tossed 4.0 innings, allowing one run on six hits while striking out six,
Scott departed with Brooklyn leading 6-1 after Matt Rudick scored Shervyen Newton with an RBI single in the bottom of the fourth. But Brooklyn’s last two outs of the inning came at home plate as Jaylen Palmer tried to score from third on a ground ball to shortstop and later in the frame Rudick tried to score from second on a JT Schwartz single but was thrown out by left fielder Ricardo Mendez.
Trey McLoughlin was the first reliever out of the bullpen for Brooklyn and after tossing a scoreless fifth inning, he ran into trouble in the sixth. The righthander issued a one-out walk to Leandro Emiliani before Paul Witt connected on an 0-2 pitch and sent it over the left field wall to cut the Brooklyn lead to 6-3. An inning later, Justin Connell hit another two-run blast to cut the Cyclones lead to a skinny run at 6-5.
Brooklyn pushed their lead to 7-5 in the bottom of the seventh when William Lugo had an RBI single, but in the top of the eighth the wheels would come off for the ‘Clones.
After recording the final out of the seventh for the Cyclones, Sammy Tavarez continued on in the eighth and walked the first two batters he faced to put an end to his night. Dylan Hall was next on in relief and surrendered a bunt single to load the bases before Ricardo Mendez lined a single up the middle to score a pair and knot the game up at 7-7. After a sacrifice bunt moved runners to second and third, Hall intentionally walked Onix Vega to load the bases before striking out Kevin Strohschein for out number two. But Leandro Emiliani was sitting on a first-pitch breaking ball, got one and drilled it deep over the right field wall for a grand slam to give Wilmington their first lead of the night at 11-7.
Despite Brooklyn’s loss, Hudson Valley lost both ends of their make-shift doubleheader, allowing the ‘Clones to move into first place by ½ a game.
The Cyclones will look to rebound on Thursday evening when they send RHP Luis Moreno to the mound. Game time is 7:00 PM.
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