BROOKLYN, N.Y. - Despite a game-tying solo home run in the bottom of the 9th inning from 2B Colin Houck, the Cyclones were topped by the Keys, 5-4, in 10 innings on Saturday night. Brooklyn failed to plate the automatic runner in the 10th, after Fredrick scored one in the top half of the extra frame.
1B Corey Collins also went yard in the defeat for Brooklyn. The Cyclones defense proved to be costly, as the ‘Clones committed four errors in the defeat.
RHP J.T. Quinn was masterful for the Keys. The right-hander threw 6.0 innings of two-hit, one-run ball. The 2025 2nd round pick walked two and struck out two. RHP Noah Hall pitched well for Brooklyn, firing 5.0 frames of two-run ball, only one of which was earned. Hall walked three and struck out two.
Frederick cracked the scoreboard first in the 2nd inning. C Colin Tuft got the inning started with a collision-aided triple to right center field, as CF John Bay and RF Sam Biller converged on diving attempts to allow Tuft to take three bags. The very next batter, 3B Colin Yeaman would bring home Tuft on a sac fly.
The Keys doubled their lead in the 4th. 2B Alfredo Velasquez whacked a two-out single against Hall. From there, CF R.J. Austin singled on a line drive to right that snuck under the glove of Biller for an E9, allowing Velasquez, who was going on the pitch, to score from first.
Brooklyn grabbed its first run and hit of the game with one swing of the bat in the home 4th, as Collins clobbered his eighth homer of the year - a solo shot to right. That was the only mistake made by Quinn on the evening.
In the 7th, Frederick utilized the long ball as well. 1B Victor Figueroa, who was 0-for-13 with nine strikeouts coming into play this week, belted his 16th homer of the year.
Brooklyn pulled even with a pair in the 8th. With former Cyclones RHP Raimon Gomez on the hill for the Keys, the ‘Clones drew a pair of walks to start the frame. After 3B Nick Roselli struck out, C Francisco Toledo singled in his High-A debut to load the bases. From there, Brooklyn scratched one across on a Gomez wild pitch. SS Mitch Voit was then hit by a pitch to reload the bases, before LF Yonatan Henriquez hit into an RBI fielder’s choice to pull Brooklyn even.
However, the Keys regained the lead in the 9th. With RHP Garrett Stratton on, CF R.J. Austin singled to start the frame. After a strikeout, SS Wehiwa Aloy singled on a grounder to short to put men on the corners. With Figueroa at the plate, Toledo threw behind the runner at 3rd in a pickoff attempt, but the throw got by the 3rd baseman and sailed into left, allowing the go-ahead run to score courtesy of an unearned run.
That said, the Brooklyn bats had one more response in them. In the home half of the 9th, Houck hit a home run for the second straight nine with one out in the 9th to pull the Cyclones even at 4-4 and force extra innings.
In the top of the 10th, Frederick successfully plated the automatic runner. Stratton issued a wild pitch, allowing the automatic runner to take 3rd base before RF Elis Cuevas provided the decisive blow - an RBI single on a liner to center to put the Keys in front for good.
In the home half, Roselli, the automatic runner, did not advance beyond 2nd base as the Cyclones went down in order, falling 5-4.
Brooklyn and Frederick return to action on Sunday afternoon to wrap up the six-game series. RHP Jose Chirinos (0-1, 3.27 ERA) projects to take the ball for Brooklyn. He’ll be opposed by LHP Boston Bateman (3-2, 3.38 ERA). First pitch is set for 2:00 p.m.