Cyclones Bats Held In Check as Brooklyn loses to Rome, 5-1, on Saturday

BOX SCORE

BROOKLYN, N.Y. - Despite DH Nick Morabito’s 27th multi-hit game of the season, the Brooklyn Cyclones dropped the penultimate game of their nine game home stand to the Rome Emperors on Saturday night by a score of 5-1. Morabito finished the day 2-for-4 with a run scored, while also collecting his 43rd stolen base of the season. 3B Wilfredo Lara also grabbed a pair of hits, collecting a pair of singles, one of which drove in Brooklyn’s only run.

RHP Blake Burkhalter was tremendous for Rome. The 2022 2nd round pick out of Auburn hurled six innings, allowing only one unearned run. Burkhalter allowed no walks, and struck out only one Cyclones batter. RHP Shay Schanaman and RHP Jared Johnson combined on three scoreless innings for Rome’s bullpen.

Brooklyn got the scoring started in the bottom of the third. With a runner on third and one out, Lara knubbed a slow roller down the first base line, evading the tag of the pitcher Burkhalter for an RBI infield single. Unfortunately for Brooklyn, the threat would be neutralized immediately thereafter, as LF Chris Suero rolled into an inning ending double play.

Rome scored the final five runs of the game, beginning with an RBI single off the barrel of 2B Nick Ward to tie the game in the fifth. That was the only run surrendered by LHP Felipe De La Cruz, who lasted 4.1 innings, giving up four hits, while punching out four batters and walking one.

The Emperors pulled out in front in the sixth on LF Stephen Paolini’s double - his second of the night - that plated two runs. RHP Luis G. Moreno surrendered the go-ahead blow, and was ultimately tagged with the loss.

Much like in the sixth, Rome would go on to put up a two spot in the eighth. Paolini’s sacrifice fly would give him his third RBI of the night. The Emperors scratched across another on an RBI groundout from Ward to make it 5-1, where the score would hold for the remainder of the contest. Both of the eighth inning runs came off RHP Joshua Cornielly, who worked two frames and gave up three hits.

The Cyclones can still clinch a series victory with a win in Sunday’s series finale. First pitch from Maimonides Park is slated for 2:00 p.m. The pitching matchup marks a rematch of Tuesday’s series opener - RHP Jonathan Pintaro (0-3, 2.56 ERA) vs. RHP Cory Wall (2-3, 3.10).