Cyclones 14
Tri-City 0
Monday, June 22 at MCU Park
Michael Bernal went two-for-two with a home run, sacrifice fly, walk, and four runs batted and starter Matt Blackham struck out seven in scoreless innings as the Cyclones obliterated the ValleyCats in the teams’ first meeting of the season.
The Clones scored twice in the first and didn’t look back, adding four in the third, two in the fourth, one in the sixth, and five in the seventh.
Lead-off hitter Tucker Tharp, who batted just .213 in 63 games with the Clones last season, went four-for-four with five runs scored and a bases-loaded walk, and took the good night in stride.
“Baseball is an up and down game,” Tharp said. “Fortunately for me, I got some good pitches to hit.”
Jose Garcia and Vinny Siena both added two-run doubles, while Jeff Diehl and Michael Katz each had run-scoring singles. Katz also had a sacrifice fly.
But Cyclones manager Tom Gamboa was most impressed with the efficiency of his pitcher, whom he watched throw during extended spring training two months ago.
“I saw him with this kind of stuff, but not with this kind of command that he had tonight,” said Gamboa. “To go seven innings on 91 pitches is terrific.”
Blackham also showed off his fielding ability. In the first inning with Johnny Sewald on third and one out, designated hitter Anthony Hermelyn hit a tapper back to him on which Sewald tried to score on. Blackham ran towards Sewald and then threw to third baseman Will Fulmer who applied the tag. It would be the best scoring chance of the night for the visitors.
Tri-City starter Harold Arauz did not fare nearly as well, giving up six runs in two-and-two-thirds innings.
Brooklyn tallied 14 hits to go along with the 14 runs. The ValleyCats were held to four hits, with only one coming after the third inning.
Cyclone reliever Christian Montgomery struck out the side in the eighth — all looking — with an error mixed in. Corey Taylor pitched a scoreless ninth.
The Cyclones and ValleyCats play again tonight at 7 pm on Coney Island.
UPS AND DOWNS
Trivia buffs will remember ValleyCats manager Ed Romero as a member of the 1986 Red Sox, the American League champions who lost to the Mets in a classic World Series. Romero led off the ninth inning of Game 7 of the World Series and was retired by Jesse Orosco, who famously threw his glove in the air two outs later, just before the horses came on the field to keep those crazy ’80s-era fans off the field.
