Cyclones Walk Off Winners Thanks to Mena's Heroics

[BOX SCORE](https://www.milb.com/gameday/hot-rods-vs-cyclones/2022/04/26/674220#gamestate=final,game_tab=boxscore,game=674220)_

Win – Hejka (1-0)

Loss – Stinson (2-2)

Save – None

Brooklyn, NY – April 26, 2022 – The Cyclones fought off the rain and the Hot Rods en route to a thrilling 5-4, come-from-behind, walk-off win thanks to Jose Mena’s ninth-inning heroics. Brandon McIlwain went 3-for-5 with a pair of RBI and JT Schwartz scored three runs, including the game-winner in the bottom of the ninth.

After waiting out a 48-minute rain delay, Bowling Green jumped out to an early 1-0 lead in the top of the first after Alika Williams led off the game with a single, advanced to second on a ground out, and came around to score on a two-out single from Diego Infante.

Brooklyn starter David Griffin and Hot Rods hurler Seth Johnson each matched zeroes in the second and third inning before the Cyclones got even in the bottom of the fourth. Schwartz ripped a leadoff double into the right field corner to start the frame and McIlwain roped a triple into left-center field to plate Brooklyn’s first run and put himself just 90 feet away from giving Brooklyn the lead. But Mena lined out and Jaylen Palmer and Jose Peroza both struck out to end the threat with the score still knotted at 1-1 after four.

But in the top of the fifth Griffin ran into trouble. The righthander retired the first two batters he faced, but Williams singled and Ronny Simon hit a mammoth home run into The Backyard in right field to give Bowling Green a 3-1 lead. The Hot Rods tacked on a run in the sixth courtesy of an Osleivis Basabe RBI double to extend their lead to 4-1.

But that’s when Brooklyn started to slice into the deficit. In the bottom of the sixth Wilmer Reyes collected his third hit of the game, this time an RBI single that scored JT Schwartz and made it 4-2. In the seventh, the ‘Clones loaded the bags courtesy of three walks, and McIlwain had an RBI groundout that made it 4-3.

That’s how it would stay until the bottom of the ninth, setting the stage for Mena’s heroics. In the bottom of the 9th, Rowdey Jordan was hit by a pitch to start the frame before Matt O’Neill hit a ground ball that seemed destined for a double play, but Williams made an errant throw to second base allowing both runners to reach safely. Schwartz then walked to load the bases with nobody out. McIlwain hit a hot shot to third that was fielded by Tanner Murray, who threw out to get the first out of the inning and keep the Hot Rods in front. Mena then connected on the first pitch he saw and sent it over the left fielder’s head to score a pair and give Brooklyn the 5-4, walk-off win.

The Cyclones and Bowling Green will continue their six-game series on Wednesday evening for Weenie Wednesday at Maimonides Park with 2-for-1 hot dogs. Junior Santos (0-2) will make the start for the Cyclones as they look to build on Monday night’s win.