Ramírez Heroics Lift Cyclones to 3-2 Win in Extras on Saturday

BROOKLYN, N.Y. (APRIL 22, 2023) - The Brooklyn Cyclones defeated the Wilmington Blue Rocks, 3-2, in 11 innings on Saturday at Maimonides Park. LF Alex Ramírez’ RBI base knock off the wall to plate SS Kevin Kendall propelled Brooklyn to victory. The win is Brooklyn’s second walk-off victory of the season - and first since Opening Day.

No one on either side crossed home until the sixth inning on Saturday afternoon. Brooklyn starter RHP Jordan Geber enjoyed a nice day on the hill. Geber logged six innings of one run ball, striking out five and walking one. The former Virginia Tech Hokie allowed just two hits. The one run the righty surrendered was via a sacrifice fly off the bat of 2B Viandel Pena, which scored LF Nick Shumpert. The tally gave the Blue Rocks a 1-0 lead.

Brooklyn answered in the bottom of the eighth, when 1B Joe Suozzi doubled home 2B Chase Estep to tie the game at one. The double extended Suozzi’s hitting streak to four games.

With no team scoring in the ninth, the Wilmington offense wasted no time in extra innings. A bunt from C Caleb Farmer put the automatic runner, DH Jeremy De La Rosa, on third base with one out. De La Rosa would then come home to score on a wild pitch. The next two Blue Rocks batters would record a hit, but no further runs would score in the frame for Wilmington.

Trailing by one entering the bottom half of the frame, Brooklyn also opted to bunt to get the automatic runner, 3B Jaylen Palmer, to third base. With one out, Estep struck out swinging, with the tying run still 90 feet away. Then, Suozzi completed his strong day at the plate with an RBI infield single to tie the game at two. The next batter, Kendall, grounded out to end the frame and send the game to the 11th.

Wilmington did not scratch a run across in the top half of the 11th. After the automatic runner advanced to third base on a deep fly ball to start the frame, Brooklyn native RHP Manny Rodriguez induced a 1-2 fielder’s choice to keep the game tied. The Blue Rocks did not score in the frame.

In the bottom of the 11th, Ramírez came up to bat with one out and runners on first and second. The Mets’ No. 4 prospect ripped a ball to the left center field gap to plate Kendall and win the game for Brooklyn. The game-winner extended Ramírez’ hitting streak to nine games, and was good for his team-leading 11th RBI of the season.

The Cyclones will try to make it consecutive wins for the first time this season tomorrow against Wilmington at 2:00 p.m. from Maimonides Park. RHP Blade Tidwell (0-1, 5.68 ERA) will take the mound for Brooklyn, where he’ll oppose RHP Chance Huff (0-1, 9.00 ERA) for Wilmington.