Cyclones Rally From Six Down Before Falling Late, 10-8

JT Benson drives in two as Brooklyn's comeback effort falls just short in Frederick

By Justin Rocke

July 4, 2026

BOX SCORE
PLAY-BY-PLAY FREDERICK, Md. (July 4, 2026) — LF JT Benson collected three hits and drove in two runs, while CF John Bay and 3B Colin Houck each homered, but the Brooklyn Cyclones could not complete a six-run comeback in a 10-8 loss to the Frederick Keys

FREDERICK, Md. (July 4, 2026) — LF JT Benson collected three hits and drove in two runs, while CF John Bay and 3B Colin Houck each homered, but the Brooklyn Cyclones could not complete a six-run comeback in a 10-8 loss to the Frederick Keys on Saturday afternoon from Nymeo Field at Harry Grove Stadium.

Brooklyn (7-7, 32-47) came out swinging, taking a 2-0 lead in the opening inning.

With one out, Bay launched a solo home run off the batter's eye in center field. The Shattuck, Okla., native's team-leading 12th homer of the season gave the Cyclones a 1-0 advantage.

Benson kept the rally going with a single to center before taking second on a wild pitch and scooting to third on DH Ronald Hernandez’s single to right. After Hernandez stole second, a passed ball allowed Benson to score from third, stretching Brooklyn's lead to 2-0.

Frederick (8-6, 49-29) answered in the second.

After a pair of walks and stolen bases put runners at second and third with two outs, RF Ike Irish lined a two-run double into right-center to tie the game at 2-2.

The Keys seized control in the third with a pair of home runs.

LF Colin Tuft broke the tie with a solo shot to left, his ninth homer of the season. Later in the inning, with two runners aboard, C Yasmil Bucce belted a three-run homer over the right-center field fence, his 6^th of the year, extending Frederick's lead to 6-2.

Frederick added to its advantage over the next two innings. SS Wehiwa Aloy walked, stole second, advanced to third on another walk, and scored on a wild pitch in the fourth before adding an RBI single in the fifth to give the Keys an 8-2 cushion.

Brooklyn began to chip away in the sixth.

2B Jamari Baylor reached on catcher's interference with one out and moved to second on a wild pitch. Houck then crushed a two-out, two-run home run to left-center. The Lilburn, Ga., native's seventh homer of the season cut the deficit to 8-4.

In the eighth, the Cyclones drew even.

Houck opened the rally with a one-out double to left-center and scored on 1B Trace Willhoite's single into right-center. SS Mitch Voit followed with a single before Bay drew a walk to load the bases.

Benson then ripped a two-run double down the left-field line, trimming the deficit to 8-7. Hernandez followed with a high chopper to second, and although the throw home was on target, Bay slid in safely under the tag to tie the game at 8-8.

Brooklyn had an opportunity to take the lead after loading the bases with a one-out walk, but a strikeout and a lineout to first ended the threat.

The tie score did not last long.

CF Vance Honeycutt led off the inning with a solo home run to straightaway center, his ninth of the season, giving the Keys the lead back at 9-8. Later in the frame, DH Randal Díaz added insurance with a two-out solo homer to left-center, his sixth of the campaign—and first with the Keys—extending the advantage to 10-8.

The Cyclones brought the tying run to the plate in the ninth. Voit drew a two-out walk and advanced to second on defensive indifference, but RHP Tyson Neighbors struck out his third batter of the inning to earn his first save and secure Frederick's 10-8 victory.

Neither starter factored into the decision. LHP Nicolas Carreño allowed four runs on two hits over 2.1 innings for Brooklyn, walking five and striking out two. Frederick starter LHP Boston Bateman yielded two runs (one earned) on three hits across 4.0 innings, walking two and striking out six.

LHP Riley Cooper (1-0) earned his first High-A win after recording the final two outs of the eighth inning. He walked one and struck out two.

RHP Cristofer Gomez (0-3) was saddled with the defeat for Brooklyn after allowing two runs on two hits in 1.0 inning, striking out two.

Brooklyn will look to salvage a split of the six-game series on Sunday evening. LHP Daviel Hurtado (4-1, 1.57) is scheduled to start for the Cyclones, while Frederick is expected to counter with LHP Caden Hunter (1-0, 1.71), the Baltimore Orioles' No. 20 prospect according to Baseball America. First pitch from Nymeo Field at Harry Grove Stadium is scheduled for 6:00 p.m. ET.