Wilmington Whips Brooklyn in Doubleheader Sweep

• BOX SCORE (G1)
• BOX SCORE (G2)
• PLAY-BY-PLAY (G1)
• PLAY-BY-PLAY (G2)

WILMINGTON, Del. (May 10, 2023) — After a thrilling 11-inning victory on Tuesday, the Cyclones did not find the same success on Wednesday. The Wilmington Blue Rocks used a seven-run second to take the opening game, 7-4, and captured the finale, 7-1, to sweep the doubleheader from Brooklyn at Frawley Stadium.

Wilmington (14-14) erupted in the second inning of the opener. With men at the corners and one out, DH Jared McKenzie dunked a floater into shallow center for a single to give the Blue Rocks a 1-0 lead.

A sacrifice fly to right by SS Yoander Rivero and a wild pitch added two more runs to the ledger, providing Wilmington with a 3-0 advantage.

After a run-producing infield single from LF Jacob Young, CF James Wood provided the biggest blow of the lid-lifter.

The 20-year-old hammered a three-run home run into Wilmington’s right-field bullpen. Wood’s fourth home run of the season expanded the Rocks lead to 7-0.

Brooklyn (10-16) rallied in the seventh and final inning of regulation but could not complete the comeback.

After a base-hit and a fielding error, 1B Joe Suozzi broke up the shutout with a single through the left side of the infield. Following a walk to DH Omar De Los Santos, C Kevin Parada hammered a three-run double into the left-field corner.

With the tying run in the on-deck circle, RHP Miguel Gómez forced CF Alex Ramírez to ground out to short to end the contest.

RHP Andry Lara posted a season-high six shutout innings, earning his first win of the season for the Blue Rocks. Cyclones’ RHP Blade Tidwell was chased in the second inning and suffered his third defeat.

In the nightcap, Wilmington’s bats started off scalding hot, as well. 2B Viandel Peña led off the game by blasting the first pitch off the right-field wall for a double, ultimately scoring on a ground out to first by CF James Wood.

Ahead 1-0, the Blue Rocks continued to apply pressure when DH Onix Vega doubled and moved to third on a 3B Trey Lipscomb single. LF Jared McKenzie brough them both home with a triple to left center, making it a 3-0 affair.

Following a sacrifice fly by Lipscomb in the third that stretched Wilmington’s lead to four, the Cyclones answered in their half of the inning.

On the third pitch of the frame, C Drake Osborn blistered a solo home run beyond the wall in left. The 24-year-old's first home run with the Cyclones trimmed the deficit to 4-1.

In the sixth, the Blue Rocks put the game out of reach. C Wilmer Pérez singled and took third on a double by 1B Leandro Emiliani before a two-run three-bagger by SS Jordy Barley expanded the advantage to five, 6-1. Peña capped off the three-run frame with an RBI single to right.

LHP Lucas Knowles yielded one run over three-plus innings for the Blue Rocks, taking a no-decision. LHP Marlon Pérez registered three shutout innings of relief to earn his first win of 2023.

RHP Jeffrey Colón surrendered all seven tallies for Brooklyn in game two, suffering his first loss of the campaign.

Brooklyn will attempt to even the series at two apiece on Thursday evening. RHP Cameron Foster (0-3, 8.22) is projected to take the hill for the Cyclones against the Blue Rocks LHP Dustin Saenz (2.82). The first pitch is scheduled for 6:35 p.m from Frawley Stadium.