Connecticut 3
Cyclones 2
June 23 at Connecticut
The Cyclones suffered another close defeat, this time in a game where starter Harol Gonzalez held the Tigers hitless into the seventh inning, as Brooklyn fell 3–2 on Thursday.
Scoring chances were few and far between although the Cyclones loaded the bases with one out in the second inning. Connecticut starter Alfred Gutierrez struck out Arnaldo Berrios and then got Dale Burdick on a pop-up to end the inning.
A pair of walks accounted for all of the Tigers offense through the first five innings. In the sixth, however, Harol Gonzalez issued a one-out walk to Will Savage and then hit Sam Machonis with a pitch. A groundout moved the runners into scoring position with two outs.
With Blaise Salter at the plate, Gonzalez and Brandon Brosher got crossed up as a pitch went to the backstop and Savage scored to give the Tigers a 1–0 lead on the wild pitch.
With one out in the seventh, and with Gonzalez still working on a no-hitter, Cole Bauml was plunked with an 0–2 pitch. Josh Lester singled to break up the no-no. Gonzalez struck out Andres Sthormes for the second out although a wild pitch moved the runners to second and third.
That was the last pitch for Gonzalez, who was replaced by Taylor Henry. Henry was rudely greeted by Keaton Jones as the Connecticut shortstop singled in both runs to give the Tigers a 3–0 lead.
Brooklyn rallied in the eighth inning against Jose Fuentes as Jacob Zanon walked on four pitches to begin the inning. After a visit from the pitching coach, Fuentes got Colby Woodmansee on a fly out for the first out, but then allowed a single to Ali Sanchez.
Jay Jabs followed with a run-scoring single to cut the lead to 3–1 and put runners on the corners. Brosher’s sacrifice fly made it 3–2, but Fuentes retired Darryl Knight on a groundout to end the inning.
Eduardo Jimenez pitched a 1-2-3 ninth as the Cyclones fell to 2–5.
Brooklyn looks to avoid a sweep at the Cyclones play the Tigers at 7:05 pm
UPS AND DOWNS
The Cyclones run differential through seven games is even, having scored and given up 29 runs. However, Brooklyn is 1_4 in one-run games and is 2_5 overall.
Brooklyn out-hit Connecticut 8_2 in Thursday’s loss. The heart of the order, Colby Woodmansee, Ali Sanchez and Jay Jabs, all had two hits apiece.
