Sanford's Extra Inning Walk-off Home Run Lifts Yankees Over Cyclones In Epic Game

STATEN ISLAND, N.Y.-The Staten Island Yankees defeated the Brooklyn Cyclones 7-5 in 11 innings to win the final game of the three-game set at Richmond County Bank Ballpark on Tuesday night.
The Yankees opened the scoring in the first inning as they put two runs on the board with the big hit coming from Mitchell Robinson on an RBI double. Brooklyn would answer in the top of the second inning with a three-run home run from Luke Ritter to give the Cyclones a 3-2 lead.
Staten Island took the lead back with two runs in the bottom of the second as Josh Smith delivered a big RBI single.
It was 4-3 Yankees heading to the sixth inning when a wild pitch scored Yoel Romero to tie the score before an RBI single from Antoine Duplantis gave the Cyclones a 5-4 lead in the top of the seventh inning.
However, this game had a few more twists and turns in store.
In the bottom of the seventh, Ezequiel Duran tied the game at five with a solo home run. Both bullpens would hold their nerve from there and send the game to extra innings.
Both teams had chances in the 10^th inning, but Staten Island's Justin Wilson and Brooklyn's Matt Mullenbach kept it tied heading to the 11^th inning. Wilson would get out of another jam in the top half of the 11^th inning to set up the heroics that would follow.
Jake Sanford led off the bottom of the 11^th inning with a two-run walk-off home run to win the game for Staten Island 7-5 and secure the final game of the series.
Certainly one of the best games the New York-Penn League has seen this season.
The Yankees return to action tomorrow night as they welcome the Lowell Spinners for a three-game series at Richmond County Bank Ballpark. First pitch is scheduled for 7p.m.