BROOKLYN, N.Y. - C Daiverson Gutiérrez provided the walk-off RBI single in Brooklyn’s 2-1 win over Wilmington on Saturday night. The walk-off was Gutiérrez’s second walk-off hit of the season, good for both of Brooklyn’s walk-off winners. The victory marked Brooklyn’s third straight win, and clinched, at the very least, a series split this week for the ‘Clones.
For a third straight night, Brooklyn pitching was superb. LHP Daviel Hurtado chucked 4.1 frames of one-run ball. The southpaw’s ERA since joining Brooklyn now sits at 1.54. It’s the 8th time in his nine High-A starts that Hurtado has allowed 1 ER or fewer.
In addition to Hurtado’s start, the Brooklyn bullpen was dominant. The trio of RHP Juan Arnaud, Cristofer Gomez and Ryan Dollar combined on 4.1 frames of shutout ball, allowing three hits, while striking out four and walking only one.
Wilmington struck first in the top half of the 3rd. After a groundout started the frame, 2B Miguel Villarroel smoked a solo home run off the video board in left-center, giving the Blue Rocks a 1-0 lead.
Brooklyn bounced back right away. After a 1-out double from 2B Jamari Baylor, LF Sam Biller notched an RBI single to right, scoring Baylor to tie the game.
In addition to his RBI base hit, Biller made not one but two stellar outfield assists to help keep Wilmington off the board for the remainder of the contest. In the 7th, Biller threw out RF Jack Moroknek trying to stretch a double off the wall into a triple. In the 9th, Biller gunned down C Kevin Bazzell, who tried to stretch a leadoff single into a double.
The two teams traded zeroes from there on out all the way until the home 9th. DH Ronald Hernandez was nailed with the first pitch of the inning. 1B Corey Collins then followed suit with a single to put two on with nobody out. After a strikeout, Gutiérrez came through with a liner up the middle to win the game.
Dollar picked up his first High-A win after a scoreless top of the 9th. RHP Jacob Roberts was saddled with the loss for Wilmington.
Brooklyn can capture a series victory tomorrow as they aim for a 4th straight win over the Blue Rocks. RHP Noah Hall (2-6, 5.19 ERA) takes the ball for the ‘Clones. He’ll be opposed by RHP Carson Fischer (2-0, 3.00 ERA), in a rematch of Tuesday’s starting pitching matchup. First pitch is set for 2:00 p.m.