‘Clones Late Rally Comes Up Short In 6-3 Defeat
• BOX SCORE LAKEWOOD, N.J. (April 19, 2024) — Brooklyn refused to quit on Friday night, but the comeback effort came up a hair short. The Cyclones put the tying run in the on-deck circle in the ninth, but fell to the Jersey Shore BlueClaws, 6-3, from ShoreTown Ballpark. Down
LAKEWOOD, N.J. (April 19, 2024) — Brooklyn refused to quit on Friday night, but the comeback effort came up a hair short. The Cyclones put the tying run in the on-deck circle in the ninth, but fell to the Jersey Shore BlueClaws, 6-3, from ShoreTown Ballpark.
Down 5-0 entering the eighth, Brooklyn (5-8) broke up the shutout. 2B Kevin Villavicencio smashed the first pitch of the inning for a single, stole second, and scored on 1B-RF Ryan Clifford’s one-out knock.
Back-to-back nights with an RBI for Cliff!
— Brooklyn Cyclones (@BKCyclones) April 20, 2024
Still have work to do though, down 5-1 moving to the home 8th from Lakewood.#AmazinStartsHere | #LGM pic.twitter.com/JCyqhCAJvW
After Jersey Shore (8-5) snagged a run back in the bottom of the inning on a CF Emaarion Boyd single, the Cyclones offense put the pressure on the BlueClaws.
DH Nolan McLean started the ninth with a ringing double off the left-center field fence and quickly came home on a subsequent two-bagger by RF-CF Joe Suozzi down the line in right, pulling the ‘Clones within 6-2.
C Drake Osborn singled for Brooklyn’s third-straight hit to start the frame and put runners on the corners. Alas, that would be the Cyclones' final hit of the night.
LF José Hernández chased home a tally with a run-scoring ground out to short, slicing the deficit to three, 6-3, but a ground out to second and a strikeout closed out the contest.
Jersey Shore’s offense was in full gear early on Friday. Two batters into the home first inning, the BlueClaws held a 1-0 lead on a SS Bryan Rincon double and a 2B Otto Kemp single.
⚠️ WARNING TO REST OF THE SOUTH ATLANTIC LEAGUE ⚠️
— Brooklyn Cyclones (@BKCyclones) April 19, 2024
Do not push your luck on Stanley Consuegra.#AmazinStartsHere | #LGM pic.twitter.com/p1WoRZGRVH
After DH Andrick Nava stretched the advantage to 2-0 on a single in the second, the ‘Claws tacked on two more in the fourth on a LF Troy Schreffler solo home run and a wild pitch.
In the fifth, the BlueClaws made it a 5-0 affair thanks to a run-producing infield knock from 1B Felix Reyes.
LHP Felipe De La Cruz (0-1) suffered his first loss of the season for the Cyclones. The 22-year-old was taxed for five runs on 10 hits, striking out five in 4.2 innings.
RHP Nate Karaffa (1-0) earned the win out of the bullpen for Jersey Shore, hurling two spotless frames after RHP Eiberson Castellano tossed four scoreless in his second start of the year.
Brooklyn will try and return to the winner’s circle on Saturday, as RHP Jordan Geber (0-0, 2.57) is slated to make his second start of 2024. Jersey Shore projects to counter with RHP Estibenzon Jiménez (0-2, 9.64). The first pitch from ShoreTown Ballpark is scheduled for 4:05 p.m.