Benge Blasts Off, Cyclones Hold Off Late Comeback In 5-4 Win

• BOX SCORE
• PLAY-BY-PLAY

ASHEVILLE, N.C. (May 6, 2025) — LF Carson Benge tallied a pair of hits and an RBI, including his second home run of the season, but it was RHP Saúl García who entered with one out in the ninth and recorded a pair of strikeouts to strand the tying run at second, as the Brooklyn Cyclones defeated the Asheville Tourists, 5-4, on Tuesday night at McCormick Field.

Scoreless after an inning, Benge jump-started the Cyclones' (18-9) offense to begin the top of the second. The 2024 first-round pick walloped a towering solo home run that sailed over the tall right-field fence. Benge's second long ball of the campaign gave Brooklyn a 1-0 advantage.

The lead did not last, though. 3B Drew Vogel started Asheville's (12-16) half of the second with a double, advancing to third on RF Lucas Spence's broken-bat single to right. 1B Will Bush followed with a soft dribbler up the third-base line that stayed fair. Vogel scored on an infield single to tie the score at one.

An inning later, the Cyclones regained the advantage. 2B Marco Vargas smashed a single to right to start the frame and quickly raced to third on 3B Jacob Reimer's single to left, taking second on the throw to third. Benge promptly slapped the first pitch he saw through a hole on the left side of the infield for a hit. Vargas scored to give Brooklyn the lead, 2-1, but Reimer was thrown out at the plate.

It remained a one-run affair until the 'Clones struck for a two-out rally in the seventh. RHP Matthew Linskey departed for Asheville after recording the first two outs of the frame, handing the ball to RHP Railin Pérez. The 23-year-old entered and hit C Chris Suero on the first pitch he threw. After a stolen base and another walk, RF Eli Serrano III launched a 3-2 pitch down the left-field line. Suero and 1B Ronald Hernández came home on the two-run double, giving Brooklyn a 4-1 cushion. Vargas followed with a single to center, scoring Serrano, to extend the lead to four, 5-1.

Asheville would not go quietly, however. The Tourists loaded the bases against RHP Ben Simon with one out in the eighth, but the East Windsor, N.J. native registered a strikeout of C Walker Janek before RHP Justin Lawson entered and induced a ground out to first, ending the threat.

In the ninth, the Tourists continued to apply pressure. Vogel reached on a throwing error to start the frame before a SS Chase Jaworsky single and a Spence triple brought in a pair of runs to cut Brooklyn's lead to two, 5-3. Following a strikeout, 2B Trevor Austin blasted an RBI double to left-center field to bring Asheville within a run, 5-4.

That was as close as Brooklyn would allow them to get. García entered with one out and the tying run at second base, proceeding to strike out back-to-back hitters swinging to secure his second save and the Cyclones' 5-4 victory.

RHP Joel Díaz was outstanding once again for Brooklyn, but fell two outs shy of qualifying for the victory. The 21-year-old yielded one run on 3 hits over 4.1 innings without issuing a walk and striking out a season-high-tying six. Díaz retired the final nine batters he faced in order.

RHP Anthony Nunez (1-0) continued his marvelous campaign, earning his first professional win in relief for the Cyclones. The Miami Springs, Fla. native retired all five batters he faced, striking out four. García registered the final two outs in the ninth for his second save.

RHP Alain Peña (1-4) was saddled with his fourth defeat of the year for Asheville. The right-hander was taxed for two runs on six hits over 4.0 innings, walking two and striking out three.

The Cyclones will try and make it three straight victories in the second game of the series on Wednesday night. RHP Brendan Girton (1-1, 4.50) is expected to make the start for Brooklyn. Asheville is scheduled to counter with the Houston Astros' No. 6 prospect per MLB Pipeline, RHP Anderson Santos (0-0, 3.09). The first pitch is scheduled for 6:35 p.m.