Brooklyn bounceback: Clones pour on offense in Gamby’s 100th win

Cyclones 14

Tri-City 3

August 8 at Tri-City

That’s one way to come back from a lopsided loss.

A day after giving up 18 runs, the Cyclones responded with an offensive outburst, notching a 14–3 win at Tri-City on Monday night. The win was Tom Gamboa’s 100th as Cyclones manager. It was also the most runs the Clones have scored all season.

Brooklyn jumped out to a first-inning lead against Austin Nicely, who entered the game with a 5–1 record despite an earned run average over 5.00. Michael Paez led off with a walk, moved to third on a Nick Sergakis double and scored on Colby Woodmansee’s sacrifice fly. Pete Alonso followed with a double to score Sergakis. Ali Sanchez singled to right to put runners on the corners. Gene Cone’s single scored Alonso and moved Sanchez to third.

The Cyclones then stole a run – literally. Arnaldo Berrios struck out, but Cone stole second and Sanchez stole home to give the Cyclones a 4–0 lead.

Gabriel Llanes shut out the ValleyCats in the first, but Tri-City cut the lead in half in the second. Taylor Jones singled on a sharp ground ball to Llanes and then moved to second on a throwing error by the pitcher. Two batters later, Spencer Johnson hit a two-run homer to left field.

Brooklyn got the runs back as Woodmansee led off the third with a single and Alonso followed with a two-run homer of his own to left-center. An Ali Sanchez double chased Nicely, but the hits kept coming as the Cyclones scored five more runs and led 11–2 after three innings.

Gabriel Llanes kept the lead safe – giving up three runs in six-and-two-thirds innings – despite allowing 11 hits. The righty improved to 3–5 on the mound with a 3.28 earned run average.

The Cyclones tacked on three runs in the eighth while Taylor Henry and Austin McGeorge combined to record the last seven outs.

Alonso and Sanchez collected four hits apiece while Woodmansee added three. Cone and Sergakis had two hits apiece.

The 25–25 Cyclones return to MCU Park for a 7 pm game with the Vermont Lake Monsters. The first 2,000 fans will receive a Joe Torre Brooklyn Cadets bobblehead.