Wilmington Scores 10 in the 8th to Beat BKLYN 12-5

BOX SCORE

Win – Stainbrook (1-1)

Loss – Morris (0-1)

Save – None

Home Run – None

Time of Game - 3:00

Brooklyn, NY – (May 10, 2022) It was a tale of two games at Maimonides Park on Tuesday night. Jesus Vargas made the start for Brooklyn as was perfect through the first 5.0 innings before surrendering a base knock in the top of the sixth. Brooklyn had a 5-1 lead after seven, but in the top of the eighth, the Wilmington Blue Rocks scored 10 runs to run away with a 12-5 victory over the Cyclones.

The Cyclones jumped in front early on, scoring three in the bottom of the second courtesy of a two-RBI double from Rowdey Jordan and an RBI double from JT Schwartz that made it 3-0.

That seemed like it would be more than enough as RHP Jesus Vargas was dominant over his 6.0 innings on the mound allowing just one base hit while striking out eight.

But when Vargas left, the Blue Rocks came to life. Nolan Clenney came on to pitch the seventh and allowed a single run to trim the Cyclone lead to 3-1. Brooklyn answered in the bottom of the frame however, as Nic Gaddis tallied an RBI single and Jose Peroza worked a bases-loaded walk to extend Brooklyn’s lead to 5-1 after seven.

But in the top of the eighth, it all came undone for the ‘Clones. Clenney started the frame and walked a pair before turning it over to Colby Morris who issued a free pass to the first batter he faced to load the bases with nobody out. Morris then got an RBI groundout that made it 5-2 before walking another batter to reload the bases with one out. Wilmington catcher Israel Pineda would then single to chase home another run and make it 5-3 before Morris struck out Omar Meregildo for out number two, putting the Cyclones on the verge of escaping the jam. However, Drew Mendoza hit an opposite-field double off the left-field wall to clear the bases and give the Blue Rocks their first lead of the game at 6-5. Morris then walked two more batters to reload the bases before departing.

Brendan Hardy entered the game with the bases loaded, and Brooklyn trailing 6-5, before Cole Daily had an RBI single and Jordy Barley added a three-RBI triple to extend the Wilmington advantage to 10-5. Hardy would later uncork a wild pitch to allow Barley to score and make it 11-5. When it was all over, the Blue Rocks had sent 13 batters to the plate, and scored 10 runs on just four hits while walking six times to take a commanding lead.

Brooklyn’s offense went down in order in the eighth, while Wilmington added a run in the top of the ninth to push the lead to 12-5 when Mendoza ripped an RBI single to center field for his fifth RBI of the night. In the bottom of the ninth, the Cyclones earned a double from Nic Gaddis but did not score.

The Cyclones will look to rebound on Wednesday when they send LHP Nick Zwack to the mound, making his Maimonides Park debut.