BROOKLYN, NY – The Frederick Keys fell to the Brooklyn Cyclones (Mets) in game two of the series by a score of 7-2 at Maimonides Park in Coney Island. The loss snaps the Keys three-game winning streak and drops them to a half-game lead over the Greensboro Grasshoppers (Pirates) for first place in the South Atlantic League North.
Kiefer Lord got the start for the Keys on the mound. He allowed a walk and stolen base to Mitch Voit, and a walk to Corey Collins in the first inning before striking out the side and escaping the inning scoreless.
Brooklyn struck first, scoring five runs in the second inning. Daiverson Gutierrez led off with a single, followed by a triple from JT Benson and a double from Colin Houck. After two walks and a strikeout, Mitch Voit and Houck scored on a fielders choice and throwing error. The Cyclones would round out the five-run effort with a sac fly by Collins to score John Bay.
The Keys found the board in the third inning after a single by Yasmil Bucce was driven in by Ike Irish’s 11th double of the season. Benson walked and Houck singled before Benson was caught stealing third by Lord on the mound.
Lord went just 3.1 innings, surrendering three earned runs on four hits while striking out seven and walking five. He gave way to Ryan Cabarcas who got the final two outs of the fourth inning.
Brooklyn starter Dakota Hawkins went three innings, allowing just one run on three hits while striking out four. The next three Cyclones pitchers would throw four scoreless innings before Wehiwa Aloy hit his 11th homer of the season in the top of the eighth.
The Cyclones added an insurance run in the sixth inning after Voit and Bay each doubled to lead off the inning. Bay, on a single from Ronald Hernandez, was thrown out at home by Elis Cuevas in right field. Brooklyn also scored in the seventh inning on a solo home run by Benson, his first of the season and his second extra-base-hit of the night.
The Keys put two runners on in the ninth with a single from Colin Yeaman and a walk from Bucce. Cuevas and Leandro Arias each struck out before Irish walked to load the bases for Aloy. However, the late rally was ended by Cristofer Gomez’s third strikeout of the inning, giving the Cyclones the game two victory by a score of 7-2.
The Keys and Cyclones meet for the third time in as many days Thursday night for game three of the six-game series, with first pitch set for 6:40 p.m. at Maimonides Park.