Winston-Salem Sweeps DH over Brooklyn, Walk Off in Season Finale

WINSTON-SALEM, N.C. (September 11, 2022) — The Winston-Salem Dash swept a doubleheader over the Brooklyn Cyclones on the final day of the 2022 regular season.

Brooklyn got on the board first in the early game of the twin-bill. Alex Ramirez ripped a single in the top of the first, then advanced to third on an errant pickoff attempt. Jose Peroza promptly drove Ramirez in with a single, to give the Cyclones a 1-0 lead.

Winston-Salem battled back in the bottom of the first though, beginning with a one-out single from Alsander Womack. Ben Norman followed Womack with another single. Then, Colby Smelley pushed a groundball to shortstop, but a defensive miscue allowed all runners to reach base safely, and allowed Womack to cross the plate. During the next at-bat, Ben Norman stole third but the throw down caromed off the bag, and he alertly popped up and sprinted home to put the Dash ahead 2-1 after an inning.

After two quick outs in the top of the second, Juan Loyo and Matt Rudick both singled to put runners on the corners. Alex Ramirez worked the count full, before pushing a single past the second baseman Womack to score Loyo, and tie the game at two.

In the home half of the third, Womack worked a walk then Norman doubled, quickly putting two men in scoring position. Colby Smelley was able to capitalize, as he singled down the third base line to push Womack across. Then, Harvin Mendoza smoked a single back up the middle to drive Norman home, making it 4-2 Winston-Salem.

Joe Suozzi walked to begin the top of the fourth, then advanced to second on a fielder’s choice. Juan Loyo was able to deliver for Brooklyn, with an RBI single to cut the Dash advantage to 4-3.

However, Winston-Salem responded in the bottom of the inning. James Beard ripped a leadoff double, then Andy Atwood recorded a bunt single to push Beard to third base. Alsander Womack tapped into a 4-6-3 double play, but that was enough to push Beard to the plate and make it 5-3 Dash.

Brooklyn got a run back in the top of the fifth on a Suozzi RBI knock, but the combination of Skyler Arias and Luis Amaya combined to preserve a 5-4 Dash win in the first game of the doubleheader. Amaya got the save with Cooper Bradford earning the win, and Junior Santos taking the loss for Brooklyn.

In game two, Winston-Salem got on the board first in the home half of the third. Taishi Nakawake and Brandon Bossard both drew walks, before successfully executing a double steal. A wild pitch then allowed Nakawake to score and Bossard to take third base, before an Alsander Womack sacrifice fly pushed Bossard across to make it 2-0 Dash.

In the bottom of the fourth now, Ivan Gonzalez singled then advanced to second base on a passed ball. Harvin Mendoza then blooped a single into shallow right field to chase Gonzalez home with a 3-0 advantage.

The Dash held that 3-0 edge until the top of the sixth, when things began to unravel. Chase Plymell issued a leadoff walk, then Alex Ramirez singled. After a strikeout, JT Schwartz singled back up the middle. That plated Colina, with Ramirez going first to third. Jose Peroza followed with another RBI hit to score Ramirez, cutting the Dash lead to 3-2. After a mound visit, William Lugo lined a single to push Schwartz across and tie the game at three apiece. That prompted a pitching change to Ty Madrigal, and he escaped without allowing another run.

After a scoreless seventh inning, the game went to “extra’s” in the eighth. Stanley Consuegra was the ghost runner on second base, and he was quickly pushed to third base on a fielder’s choice ground out. Later on, Andy Atwood kept the game knotted at 3-3 when he fielded a grounder at third and fired home to cutdown the go-ahead.

Alsander Womack was the ghost runner for the Dash in the bottom of the eighth, and he moved to third base on a wild pitch with one out. Franklin Sanchez then walked Ivan Gonzalez, and Brooklyn elected to intentionally walk Harvin Mendoza to load the bases for Caberea Weaver. He took a ball, before smoking a ground ball to the second baseman Gregory Guerrero. He bobbled the ball, allowing Womack to score with the winning run. Angel Acevedo got the win, with Sanchez taking the loss.