Felipe’s Fire Not Enough in ‘Clones Walk-Off Defeat

De La Cruz tosses four innings of one-hit shutout ball in 4-2 loss

LHP Felipe De La Cruz tossed four innings of one-hit shutout baseball in his 2024 debut. However, the Wilmington Blue Rocks bested the Brooklyn Cyclones, 4-2, on Saturday night at Frawley Stadium. (Ryan Griffith / Wilmington Blue Rocks)

By Justin Rocke

April 6, 2024

• BOX SCORE WILMINGTON, Del. (April 6, 2024) — LHP Felipe De La Cruz picked up where he left off in 2023 with four shutout innings of one-hit ball. Brooklyn’s bats drew 10 free passes, but LF Jared McKenzie’s walk-off two-run home run in the bottom of the ninth was

• BOX SCORE

WILMINGTON, Del. (April 6, 2024) — LHP Felipe De La Cruz picked up where he left off in 2023 with four shutout innings of one-hit ball. Brooklyn’s bats drew 10 free passes, but LF Jared McKenzie’s walk-off two-run home run in the bottom of the ninth was the difference, as the Wilmington Blue Rocks bested the Cyclones, 4-2, on Saturday night at Frawley Stadium.

With the bases empty, two out, and the game tied at two in the home ninth, 2B Sammy Infante worked a walk to keep the frame alive for the Blue Rocks (2-0).

On the very next pitch, McKenzie sent a low, rising line drive over the right-field fence for a game-ending two-run blast. His first of the season provided Wilmington with a 4-2 win.

After De La Cruz and RHP Brad Lord traded zeroes through the first four frames, Brooklyn’s (0-2) offense was able to provide the lead in the fifth.

C Christian Pregent began the inning with a walk and reached second base safely on a missed catch error off a fielder’s choice.

Following a pitching change and a strikeout, 3B William Lugo powered a rocket over the left fielder’s ahead and off the wall. One run scored on the double, while another scamped across on an errant throw in from the outfield, providing the Cyclones their first lead of the season, 2-0.

However, the advantage did not last as Wilmington drew even in their half of the sixth.

RF Daylen Lile started the rally with a one-out hit-by-pitch, while back-to-back singles from SS Kevin Made and 1B T.J. White loaded the bases. 3B Murphy Stehly promptly smacked a two-strike pitch through the left side of the infield for a two-run single, knotting the game at a pair.

RHP Carlos Romero (1-0) earned the win for the Blue Rocks after tossing a scoreless ninth.

Brooklyn’s RHP Ben Simon (0-1) was saddled with the defeat after allowing two runs over 1.2 innings of relief.

The Cyclones will try and salvage the series finale with RHP Calvin Ziegler (NR) — the Mets’ No. 22 prospect per MLB Pipeline — expected to make his High-A debut on Sunday afternoon. Wilmington is scheduled to counter with RHP Luke Young (NR), also making his debut at the level. The first pitch at Frawley Stadium is slated for 1:05 p.m.