BROOKLYN, N.Y. - The Cyclones pulled off their biggest comeback win of the season on Friday night, erasing a five-run deficit to best Wilmington 10-5 at Maimonides Park. Brooklyn took the lead with six runs in the 7th, the most they’ve scored in a single frame all season, despite the fact they had just one hit in the frame.
The Cyclones pulled even and would take the lead in a critical 7th inning thanks to three walks, two hit batters, and a missed catch error by CF Yeremy Cabrera. After a go-ahead bases loaded walk, the big blow came courtesy of RF J.T. Benson’s second hit of the night - an two run single to left - to put the Cyclones ahead 8-5.
RF Sam Biller walked four times, matching a franchise record, and scored twice.
On the whole, the Brooklyn bats had six hits on the night, drew 10 walks and had three hit batsmen in the victory.
The Blue Rocks got the scoring started in the 1st. 2B Devin Fitz-Gerald led off the game with a base hit before later coming around to score on a single by Cabrera. With Cabrera caught in a rundown between first and second base, Fitz-Gerald scrambled home to put Wilmington ahead 1-0.
Wilmington added to their lead in the 2nd. 1B Gavin Dugas connected on a wind-aided two-run home run to increase the Blue Rocks’ lead to 3-0.
RHP Frank Camarillo settled the ship with some help from his defense. CF John Bay fired a strike to nab Fitz-Gerald trying to advance from first to third to end a scoreless 3rd. In the 4th, 3B Yonatan Henríquez made a terrific play on a soft grounder to retire 3B Angel Feliz.
Still, LF Teo Banks extended the Blue Rocks’ lead in the 5th. Banks crushed a two run shot, his first home run of the season, to give Wilmington a 5-0 lead.
The Cyclones responded in the bottom of the inning with two runs of their own. After two walks and a hit batter, Bay drove in Brooklyn’s first run on a groundout before DH Grae Kessinger connected on an RBI double to cut the deficit to 5-2.
With Wilmington threatening in the 6th, Henríquez came through defensively once more, throwing out Fitz-Gerald at the plate to keep the deficit at three.
C Daiverson Gutierrez tacked on a ninth Cyclones run in the 8th when he singled to left. From there, Henriquez followed with an RBI fielder’s choice to give Brooklyn a 10-5 lead.
In the 9th, Henríquez capped off a terrific night in the field with an over-the-shoulder catch on a pop up in foul territory.
RHP Cristofer Gomez finished off 3.1 scoreless innings by the Brooklyn bullpen to draw the Cyclones even in the six game series.
The Cyclones and Blue Rocks will play the fifth game of the series on Saturday at 2:00 P.M. The Cyclones have not yet announced a starting pitcher. RHP Yoel Tejeda Jr. (1-2, 3.80 ERA) will make the start for Wilmington.