Cyclones Clip IronBirds, 5-4, to Even Series

Smith collects career-high four hits, while Lugo goes deep

By Justin Rocke

June 14, 2023

BOX SCORE
PLAY-BY-PLAY ABERDEEN, Md. (June 14, 2023) — After a heartbreaking defeat on Tuesday night, Brooklyn showed their resolve on Wednesday evening. 2B D’Andre Smith set a career-best with four knocks and 3B William Lugo homered for the second time in three games, as the Cyclones stranded

ABERDEEN, Md. (June 14, 2023) — After a heartbreaking defeat on Tuesday night, Brooklyn showed their resolve on Wednesday evening. 2B D’Andre Smith set a career-best with four knocks and 3B William Lugo homered for the second time in three games, as the Cyclones stranded the tying and winning runs on base in the ninth to secure a 5-4 win over the Aberdeen IronBirds from Leidos Field at Ripken Stadium.

Brooklyn (25-33) wasted no time scratched across the game’s first run. CF Alex Ramírez led off the contest with a walk and advanced to second on a looping one-out single by Lugo. RF Omar De Los Santos followed with a knock of his own to drive him in, putting the Cyclones ahead, 1-0.

Following a runner picked off second and a walk to LF Jaylen Palmer, Smith clocked the first of his four hits. De Los Santos scampered in to score from second, placing Brooklyn up by a pair.

After Aberdeen (29-29) squeaked across a run on a wild pitch, Brooklyn regained a two-run cushion in the third. De Los Santos started a rally with a single and moved into scoring position on a free pass to Palmer. Smith followed with his second run-scoring knock of the game to place the ‘Clones up by two, 3-1.

In the fourth and fifth, both teams traded leadoff solo home runs.

RF Dylan Beavers hammered a shot out by the video board in right-center field — his fifth of the year and second in as many days — to yank the IronBirds back within one.

In the following half-inning, Lugo demolished the first pitch of the fifth on top of the visiting clubhouse in left for a solo clout of his own. The 21-year-old’s fourth of the campaign put Brooklyn ahead 4-2.

1B Isaac De León started the home fifth with a double and scored on SS Jackson Holliday’s single to make it a one-run contest.

In the sixth, Brooklyn promptly went back ahead by a deuce. SS César Berbesi walked with one out, swiped second, took third on a balk, and scored on C Kevin Parada’s two-out base knock to left.

With the score 5-3, the IronBirds trimmed their deficit to one once more in the eighth. 3B Max Wagner singled off the pitcher’s leg to start the inning and swiped second with one out.

2B Frederick Bencosme added a two-out RBI single to center, but RHP Joshua Cornielly registered a swinging strikeout to keep the lead intact.

RHP Benito García entered in the bottom of the ninth to try and slam the door shut. CF Luis Valdéz reached on a bunt single with one retired but was thrown out trying to advance to third on LF Jud Fabian’s knock thanks to a marvelous throw from center by Ramírez.

Down to their final out, Holliday poked a single through the right side of the infield to push Fabian to third with the tying run. Despite falling behind in the count on Wagner, the 23-year-old battled back to whiff the 2022 second-round selection to end the contest, securing his first save of the year.

RHP Joander Suárez (2-4) matched a career-high with five innings of work, tying a season-best with eight punch outs. The 23-year-old yielded three runs and was credited with his second win of the year.

RHP Daniel Lloyd (2-3) yielded three runs in three innings in his start for Aberdeen, suffering his third loss of 2023.

Brooklyn will try for their second-consecutive victory on Thursday evening. RHP Jeffrey Colón (1-3, 5.75) is expected to take the hill for the Cyclones. The IronBirds are projected to give the ball to RHP Trace Bright (0-3, 5.40). The first pitch is scheduled for 7:05 p.m.