BROOKLYN, N.Y. - In a low scoring affair that aired on SNY, the Cyclones were topped by Frederick, 3-2, on Thursday night. Despite the defeat, LHP Nicolas Carreño struck out nine Keys batters, and allowed only one run over 6.0 full innings of work.
The six innings and nine strikeouts were both career highs for Carreno. The only blip on the 20-year-old’s radar was a solo home run he surrendered in the 5th to LF Elis Cuevas.
Offensively, C Ronald Hernandez continued his hot stretch at the plate. The Venezuela native was 2-for-2 with a couple of walks and a run scored. 2B Diego Mosquera also finished with a couple of knocks, going 2-for-4 at the dish.
The Cyclones got the scoring started right from the jump against LHP Caeden Hunter. Brooklyn immediately loaded the bases on a base hit from SS Yonatan Henríquez combined with a couple of walks. After a flyout, RF J.T. Benson was hit by a pitch to plate the game’s first run.
However, with the bases loaded and still just one out, Brooklyn failed to bring home any additional runs as Hunter struck out the next two men to end the inning.
The teams traded zeroes in the 2nd, 3rd and 4th before Frederick pulled even in the 5th. Cuevas took Carreno deep on a solo shot to center to begin the inning. Still, Carreno responded well, sitting down the next three batters.
Brooklyn regained the lead in the home half of the 5th, mounting a two-out rally. Hernandez singled on a ground ball through the right side, before stealing 2nd base. Then, 1B Corey Collins singled on a ground ball to right field, scoring Hernandez to put Brooklyn back in front.
In the 7th, the Keys pulled even. With the minor-league rehabbing RHP Justin Armbruester on the mound, put the first two men on thanks to a single and walk. A wild pitch advanced both men into scoring position. From there, Cuevas drove in his second run of the day on a sac fly to center.
One inning later, the Keys broke the tie. 3B Wehiwa Aloy laced a one-out triple to center. The very next batter, 1B Victor Figueroa skied a sac fly to left, scoring Aloy to give Frederick a lead it would not relinquish.
In the 9th, Brooklyn put the tying run on base with a two-out single from Mosquera, but failed to pull even.
The Cyclones and Keys return to action on Friday night at Maimonides Park at 6:40 p.m. LHP Daviel Hurtado (1-0, 0.69 ERA) projects to take the ball for Brooklyn. He’ll be opposed by RHP Yeiber Cartaya (0-0, 1.42 ERA).