BROOKLYN, N.Y. - Behind a season-high 6.0 perfect innings from RHP Dakota Hawkins, the Cyclones captured an 11-2 victory over Wilmington on Thursday night. Brooklyn was one out away from finishing off a combined no-hitter, before 2B Miguel Villarroel laced a two-out triple off of RHP Juan Arnaud to right-center field in the 9th. The contest aired on SNY, the TV home of the New York Mets,
Hawkins, RHP Cristofer Gomez and RHP Ryan Dollar combined to chuck 8.0 innings of no-hit ball, while striking out seven and walking only just one. The trio faced the minimum 24 batters over the first eight frames of the ballgame.
Offensively, SS Mitch Voit reached in all five of his plate appearances. The 2025 first round pick was 2-for-2 with a three-run homer. Voit also drew a pair of walks, was hit by a pitch, and stole three bases.
Beyond Voit, CF John Bay and C Daiverson Gutiérrez also whacked home runs, going back-to-back in the first inning to give Brooklyn a 4-0 lead. Gutierrez finished a triple shy of the cycle, while driving in three RBI.
The ‘Clones jumped all over RHP Mikey Tepper, who hit Voit with a pitch and walked 3B Yonatan Henríquez to begin the ballgame, before Bay clubbed his three-run shot. Gutierrez then launched a solo shot.
In the middle innings, Brooklyn padded its lead. In the home 5th, RF J.T. Benson singled to start the frame, before stealing both second and third. Then, Gutierrez brought him home on a sac fly.
In the 8th, Brooklyn’s bats exploded against a position-player pitcher. With INF Elijah Nunez on the mound, the first three men collected hits, including an RBI knock from Gutiérrez. Moments later, 2B Colin Houck drove in a run as two score on the play on a Wilmington error. Later, Voit put the capper on the 6-run frame with his three-run home run, pushing the Brooklyn lead to 11-0.
Entering the 9th, Brooklyn still had the combined no-no intact. Arnaud retired the first two courtesy of a flyout and groundout. However, Villarroel roped a triple to deep right center to spoil the would-have-been second 9-inning no-hitter in franchise history.
The Blue Rocks went on to spoil the shutout moments later, when Cruz laced a two-run triple to a similar spot in right-center field. Still, Arnaud would strikeout 1B Jacob Walsh to end the ballgame and capture the 11-2 win for the ‘Clones. The win snapped Brooklyn’s five game skid, and snapped an 8-game losing streak in the head-to-head department against the Blue Rocks.
The Cyclones will aim to make it two in a row on Wednesday night at Maimonides Park. LHP Nicolas Carreño (0-1, 7.08 ERA) takes the ball for the ‘Clones. He’ll be opposed by RHP Yoel Tejeda Jr. (2-5, 3.62 ERA).