Blue Rocks Open The 2024 Season With A Resounding 4-1 Win

The Wilmington Blue Rocks started their season strong on Friday, April 5, defeating the Brooklyn Cyclones by a final score of 4-1.

The Rocks wasted no time getting on the scoreboard, as they loaded the bases in the bottom of the first and cashed in with a sacrifice fly hit by Murphy Stehly, making it a 1-0 game.

Then, in the bottom of the second, the No. 7 prospect in the Nationals organization Daylen Lile ripped a triple down the right field line, scoring Jared McKenzie from first and extending the lead to 2-0.

In the bottom of the fourth, Maxwell Romero Jr. hit the first home run of the season for the Rocks, a deep shot over the right field wall that doubled the lead, giving Wilmington a 4-0 advantage.

The Cyclones didn’t go down quietly though, as William Lugo drove in the Cyclones’ first run of the game in the top of the seventh with a single up the middle, scoring Omar De Los Santos and cutting the deficit to 4-1. That was all the offense Brooklyn could put together, as Wilmington’s relievers shut the door from that point forward.

McKenzie led the Rocks’ offense with a 3-4 day at the plate, followed by Daylen Lile who went 2-5 with an RBI. Maxwell Romero Jr. had a team-leading two RBIs thanks to his two-run shot.

Andry Lara got the start on the mound and earned the win, pitching five strong innings while allowing four hits and striking out six. Brendan Collins, Marquis Grissom Jr., and Todd Peterson pitched four innings total in relief and combined for two hits allowed, one run, and four strikeouts.

The Blue Rocks will be right back at it for game two of their three-game series against the Cyclones on Saturday, April 6 at Daniel S. Frawley Stadium. First pitch is scheduled for 6:05 p.m.