Reyes Stays Hot as Brooklyn Defeats Bowling Green 5-2 on Saturday

BOX SCORE

Win – Courtney (2-0)

Loss – Dacosta (0-1)

Save – Hejka (1)

Home Runs – Reyes (1)

Time of Game – 2:15 (:06 Delay)

Brooklyn, NY (April 30, 2022) – The Cyclones defeated the Bowling Green Hot Rods on Saturday afternoon by the score of 5-2 at Maimonides Park on Coney Island. Wilmer Reyes was the offensive catalyst for Brooklyn, going 3-for-4 with three runs scored, two RBI and his first home run of the season. The Cyclones shortstop is 8-for-13 over his last three games and is hitting .524 (11-for-21) for the series against Bowling Green.

The Brooklyn bats got started early on Saturday, scoring twice in the bottom of the first. Rowdey Jordan connected on the first pitch he saw for a double into left field to jumpstart the offense and Reyes followed with a line drive to centerfield that chased Jordan home and just five pitches into the game Brooklyn was ahead 1-0. After a pair of outs, Jose Mena added to the lead with an RBI single that made it 2-0 Brooklyn.

Garrison Bryant made the start for the Cyclones and cruised through the first three inning, allowing just one base runner, but in the top of the fourth he ran into trouble. A pair of hits from Osleivis Basabe and Diego Infante put runners on second and third with just one out for the Hot Rods. Tanner Murray took advantage of the scoring chance with an RBI single that made it 2-1. Heriberto Hernandez was then hit by a pitch to load the bases, still with only one out. But Garrison Bryant was able to limit the damage, coaxing a sacrifice fly from Beau Brundage that tied the game and getting Nate Soria to fly out to end the frame with the score tied 2-2.

After the teams traded zeroes in the fifth, Brooklyn took the lead for good in the bottom of the sixth. Reyes started the frame with a single and JT Schwartz followed with a double that put runners on second and third with nobody out. Brandon McIlwain grounded out without the runners advancing, and Jose Mena was walked intentionally to load the bases with just one out. Nic Gaddis took advantage of this scoring chance with a sac fly that put Brooklyn on top 3-2.

In the bottom of the 8th Brooklyn put a bow on their victory with a solo shot from Wilmer Reyes and an RBI single from Warren Saunders that made the final score 5-2.

Justin Courtney (2-0) tossed two shutout innings of relief, striking out three, to get the win and Josh Hejka pitch a scoreless eighth and ninth inning to collect his first save of the year.

The Cyclones and Bowling Green will close out their series on Sunday afternoon at Maimonides Park. RHP Daison Acosta will make the start for Brooklyn. It will be a Sunday Funday with a pre-game catch on the field, post-game kids run the bases, free Dippin’ Dots for the first 500 kids in attendance and the first 1000 people through the gates will get a Cyclone Back in Black t-shirt. Game time is 2:00 PM with gates opening at 1:00. Tickets start at just $10 and are available at the GEICO Online Box Office via BrooklynCyclones.com.