Cyclones lose on balk in 10th!

Staten Island 3

Cyclones 2

July 15 on Staten Island

Here’s something you never thought you would see at the old ball game: the Cyclones lost on a walk-off balk while trying to issue an intentional walk.

With two outs and runners on the corners in the 10th inning of a 2–2 game, Tom Gamboa called for an intentional walk demanding southpaw Carlos Valdez to toss four balls to Jake Hernandez to load the bases with two out and get to lefty Drew Bridges — who was hitless in four at-bats.

Valdez began to throw the ball on a what would have been ball one but didn’t release it and home plate umpire Freddie DeJesus called a balk and a win for the hated Staten Island Yankees — marking the second time the Clones have messed up an intentional walk in a week.

“It’s just a painful way to give a game away,” Gamboa said. “But that’s what we’ve been doing of late.”

But the balk wasn’t the only reason the Brooks lost a third-straight game — Brooklyn left a plethora of runners on base in the early innings.

The Cyclones loaded the bases in the first on two walks and a hit batsman, but Yoel Espinal got Jeff Diehl to ground out to end the inning.

In the second, two more walks and a wild pitch put runners on second and third for Tucker Tharp. Tharp broke his bat on a ball that Espinal caught before hitting the ground and doubled Zack Mathieu off third.

It would not be the last mistake on the bases.

Jeff Diehl was picked off first base in the fourth.

With the game tied in the ninth, Tharp came to the plate with runners on the corners and one out. His liner was caught by shortstop Kyle Holder who threw to first to double off Alfredo Reyes.

“We shot ourselves in the foot with three huge base running errors,” Gamboa said.

There was also a missed opportunity in the third. Vinny Siena led off with a walk and looked like he had a stolen base with one out. But Brandon Brosher was called out for batter’s interference for leaning into the catcher and Siena was sent back to first.

Staten Island jumped out to a 1–0 lead when David Thompson’s throwing error scored Kyle Holder from second.

The Cyclones took the lead in the sixth. With Brosher on first with one out, Thompson hit a fly ball to center which, with the help of swirling winds, dropped in front of Jeff Hendrix for a double.

After Diehl walked to loss the bases, Mathieu hit a grounder to first. Jake Hernandez got the force at second but Diehl’s takeout slide caused Holder’s throw to be wild and two runs scored.

Blake Taylor entered the game in the sixth after Andrew Church pitched the first five innings. Taylor gave up a single and then a double to strapping right fielder Jhalan “ Action” Jackson to tie the game. Jackson went to third on the throw but was stranded when Taylor got a ground out, strikeout and another ground out to escape further damage.

The Cyclones almost took back the lead in the seventh.

With Tharp on third with one out, Vinny Siena hit a grounder to second, which Tharp tried to score on even with the infield in. Tharp was out in a rundown but kept it alive long enough for Siena to get to second.

It looked like he would score when Michael Bernal hit a flare to shallow center, but Hendrix made a diving catch to take away a hit and a potential Brooklyn lead.

The Cyclones return to MCU Park for another showdown with the hated Staten Island Yankees tonight. The 7 pm game will be broadcast on SNY with Brooklyn native Nelson Figueroa working as the analyst.