Jersey Shore Jumps Past Brooklyn, 5-4, in Walk-Off

Gil collects two hits — including a home run — and two RBI in defeat

By Justin Rocke

June 2, 2023

BOX SCORE
PLAY-BY-PLAY LAKEWOOD, N.J. (June 2, 2023) — 2B Mateo Gil clocked a go-ahead solo home run in the fourth and added a game-tying RBI single in the eighth, but the Jersey Shore BlueClaws outlasted the Brooklyn Cyclones, 5-4, in 11 innings on Friday night at ShoreTown

LAKEWOOD, N.J. (June 2, 2023) — 2B Mateo Gil clocked a go-ahead solo home run in the fourth and added a game-tying RBI single in the eighth, but the Jersey Shore BlueClaws outlasted the Brooklyn Cyclones, 5-4, in 11 innings on Friday night at ShoreTown Ballpark.

Trailing 4-2 entering the eighth, Brooklyn (21-26) mustered a rally to draw even. The Cyclones loaded the bases to start the inning on three-straight singles from SS César Berbesi, RF Omar De Los Santos, and DH Kevin Parada. A double play off the bat of 3B William Lugo brought in a run, pulling the team within one, 4-3.

Following a pitching change, CF Jaylen Palmer coaxed a two-out walk to keep the inning alive. On a 2-2 pitch, Gil hammered a single through the middle. De Los Santos scampered home to tie the game at four.

After Brooklyn stranded the bases loaded in the top of the 11^th, Jersey Shore (25-22) delivered the game-winning run in the bottom half of the frame.

2B Freylin Minyety poked a base hit into center field with one out. C Arturo De Freitas raced home ahead of the throw to score the winning tally, delivering the BlueClaws a 5-4 victory.

Jersey Shore jumped out of the gate quickly thanks to pair of Major League rehabbers. CF Cristian Pache worked a one-out walk in the first and stole second before scoring on C Rafael Marchán’s single.

Trailing by a run, the Cyclones drew even in the second. 1B Chase Estep maneuvered a two-out free pass before LF Eduardo Salazar deposited a ball in the left-center field gap. Estep raced home from first on the 22-year-old’s double, knotting the game at one.

Gil made his impact felt for the first time in the fourth. The former third-round pick walloped a solo home run on to the berm in left field for his team-high-tying fifth blast of the year. Gil’s long ball put the Cyclones ahead 2-1.

It remained that way until the seventh. Three-straight singles began the inning from 1B Rixon Wingrove, Minyety, and RF Leandro Pineda. The latter of which drew Jersey Shore even at two.

After a strikeout, the BlueClaws took the lead on a sacrifice fly to right-center by LF-CF Jared Carr and a run-scoring single by 3B Nick Ward.

Neither starter received a decision on Friday. RHP Christian Scott had his scoreless-inning streak snapped but posted four innings of one-run ball for Brooklyn. Jersey Shore’s RHP Gunner Mayer whiffed a season-best seven over five innings.

RHP Chase Antle (3-0) escaped the bases-loaded jam for the BlueClaws in the 11^th, ultimately winning his third game of the year. RHP Brendan Hardy (0-1) yielded an unearned run in the bottom of the inning, suffering his first loss of 2023.

Brooklyn will take on Jersey Shore in another doubleheader on Saturday afternoon. RHP Tyler Stuart (1-0, 1.15) — the South Atlantic League leader in ERA — projects to get the ball for the ‘Clones in the lid-lifter against the Shore’s LHP Jordan Fowler (3-1, 2.92). Neither side has announced a probable for the finale. The first pitch of game one is slated for 5:35 p.m.