Cyclones 3
Valley Cats 2
Friday, July 3, at Keyspan Park
The Cyclones haven’t needed late-inning theatrics this year — but they got them in the form of a walk-off, bases-loaded single off the wall in left by pinch-hitter Nick Santomauro.
The blast capped a two-run ninth that started with the Cyclones down 2–1 and looking dead.
But newcomer James Ewing led off with a double to the gap in right, and later moved to third on a sacrifice by Sam Honeck. After Nick Giarraputo was hit by a pitch, Ralph Henriquez tied the score with a hard single. A wild pitch and an intentional walk loaded the bases for Santomauro’s heroics.
The Clones would have never even been in the game were it not for the team’s single run in the second. Giarraputo led off with a double and Henriquez was hit by a pitch. Giarraputo then tagged up on a fly ball to right to put a runner on first and third with one out. When Alex Gregory grounded to second, it looked like an inning-ending double play. But Henriquez stopped in the basepath and forced a rundown, allowing Giarraputo to score. It was a heads-up baserunning move that doesn’t show up in the boxscore, but does show up in a Brooklyn Paper game summary.
Cyclone pitching was stellar, thanks to four two-hit innings by converted reliever Wes Wrenn, who struck out six. Darin Gorski gave up a run in his four innings, and Lance Hoge got the win with a shutout ninth.
The win moves the Cyclones to 12-2 and keeps the team undefeated at home.
