Cutters lose as Brooklyn bats provide fireworks
Williamsport's five-game losing streak has been about poor pitching, and the trend stayed true on Coney Island.
Starter Ulises Joaquin was pounded for four runs in the first inning as the Crosscutters again fell into a deep hole early in the game.
But as has been the case for most of the past week, the bats did help the cause for the Cutters. Williamsport rallied back with one run in the second and four runs in the fifth to take a 5-4 lead.
Chris Serritella was an offensive bright-spot, as he hit two doubles and was scored by a Yan Carlos Olmo groundout in the second inning.
Mitch Walding then sent a line drive up the middle to score Brian Pointer, before an Olmo infield single when awry on the Brooklyn infield and allowed Cameron Perkins to score.
Larry Greene has struggled with runners in scoring position coming into the game (3-for-17), but broke out of the funk in a big way. With runners at second and third, Greene sent am opposite field line drive off the wall to give Williamsport a 5-4 lead.
But again, the bullpen couldn't hold, giving the lead back almost as quickly as it was taken.
Nic Hanson started the fifth inning and five pitches later, the lead was gone on a Stefan Sobel home run. Things then got worse for Hanson when he misplayed a bunt later in the inning, allowing Jayce Boyd to score the go-ahead run.
With two in scoring position and Mets' top prospect Brandon Nimmo at the plate, Hanson made a mistake and paid for it. Nimmo parked it in the right field bleachers to give the Cyclones a 9-6 lead that would stick to the end.
Williamsport is in a deep five-game skid as Brooklyn has won six straight.
The Cutters try again tomorrow for game two against the Cyclones. First pitch is at 7:00. You can listen to every pitch on ESPN Radio Williamsport 1050am, 104.1fm, or online at crosscutters.com
Cutters Carvings: Brian Pointer extended his on-base streak to 16 games... Mitch Walding was back in the lineup after sitting out the previous game (elbow bruise)... Jim Birmingham pitched his first inning of relief in over two weeks as he's now recovered from a tweaked elbow... The Cutters have allowed 42 runs on 58 hits in during the five-game losing streak... Stephen Malcolm saw his first action for the Cutters and went 0-for-3 with a walk... The crowd of 6,400 was the largest for a Cutters game this season