Cyclones 9
Valley Cats 8
Monday, July 6, at Tri City
A rare Monday day game turned into a slugfest for the Cyclones, whose pitching has been so stellar all year.
Starter Collin McHugh was roughed up like never before, giving up nine hits and five earned runs before being chased in the fourth. And usually steady reliever Lance Hoge was battered, too, giving up three earned runs in his 2-2/3 innings.
But the Cyclones bats were always there for the bailout.
The Cyclones got on the board first, thanks to a John Servidio single followed by Nicholas Giarraputo’s first homer of the year.
Another run came in in the second, thanks to Luis Rivera’s single and subsequent fourth stolen base of the season. After he advanced to third on a throwing error, Alex Gregory knocked him in with a SAC fly.
Tri City stormed back with two in the home second on four consecutive singles.
But the Brooks answered back with five in the third — the big blows coming on Doc Doyle’s three-run double followed by Rivera’s two-run homer.
Alas, McHugh gave up three more in the home third — a rally that started with a McHugh error. It didn’t hurt that he also gave up two doubles in the inning.
The Cyclones added what looked like an insurance run in the sixth on a Luis Nieves single, but it was no tack-on, thanks to three more runs by the raging Valley Cats in the home seventh.
The good news? Relievers Mattias Carillo and Mike Powers shut out the Cats over the last 2-2/3 innings. Carillo (1-0) got the win and Powers got his third save.
Your 15–2 Cyclones now head home for a three-game stand against the pesky Aberdeen Ironbirds on Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday. Game times are 7 pm.
