Tong K's 10, Cyclones Split Twinbill With IronBirds
• BOX SCORE (G1) • BOX SCORE (G2) ABERDEEN, Md. (July 31, 2024) — RHP Jonah Tong punched out 10 or more hitters for the fourth time this season, and the second time as a Cyclone, as Brooklyn and Aberdeen split Wednesday’s doubleheader. The IronBirds won Game 1 in eight
ABERDEEN, Md. (July 31, 2024) — RHP Jonah Tong punched out 10 or more hitters for the fourth time this season, and the second time as a Cyclone, as Brooklyn and Aberdeen split Wednesday’s doubleheader. The IronBirds won Game 1 in eight innings, 3-2, while the Cyclones captured the nightcap, 3-2, from Leidos Field at Ripken Stadium.
After dropping the lid-lifter, Brooklyn (13-19, 46-52) quickly took the lead in the nightcap. RF Nick Morabito started the game with a single and stole second before LF Chris Suero worked a walk. After a double steal and a ground out, 1B Kellum Clark walked to load the bases. A ground out to short from 2B Junior Tilien scored Morabito and provided the Cyclones a 1-0 lead.
In the third, Suero ignited a rally with a leadoff single to center before swiping second with one out. After taking third on a balk and a free pass to Clark, Tilien stung another ground ball, this time to third. The infielder’s only play was to first, as Suero scored to stretch Brooklyn’s cushion to 2-0.
The two-run lead did not last. LF Enrique Bradfield Jr. and RF Douglas Hodo poked back-to-back singles with one out in the bottom of the third before successfully double-stealing second and third. CF Tavian Josenberger’s ground-rule double to right scored both men and tied the game two.
Brooklyn snared the lead for good in the top of the sixth. Tilien started the inning with a pop in the infield that landed between three defenders for a single. Following a one-out fielding error and a wild pitch, C Christian Pregent tapped a soft ground ball to third. The only play, once again, was to first base, enabling Tilien to score on the out, giving the Cyclones a one-run advantage, 3-2.
Tong (4-3) came out for the bottom of the sixth and walked the leadoff man before striking out DH Reed Trimble to end his day. The 21-year-old punched out 10 over 5.1 innings of six-hit, two-run ball, ultimately earning his fourth South Atlantic League win.
RHP Joshua Cornielly entered with a man on and one out in the sixth and induced a pair of flyouts to end the attack. The 23-year-old returned for the bottom of the seventh and retired the side to secure his SAL-high-tying eighth save of the season.
RHP Zach Fruit took a no-decision in the finale for Aberdeen after allowing two runs on two hits over 4.0 innings, walking a season-high five and striking out four. RHP Graham Firoved (1-7) suffered his seventh defeat after yielding one unearned run over 2.0 innings of relief.
In the lid-lifter, the IronBirds (17-15, 51-47) struck first. CF Enrique Bradfield Jr. and DH Douglas Hodo earned walks before a one-out free pass to DH Reed Trimble loaded the bases. With two out, C Adam Retzbach smacked a two-run single up the middle, providing Aberdeen with a 2-0 edge.
Brooklyn started to chip away in the top of the fourth. SS Mateo Gil led off the frame with a towering solo home run that sailed over the Cyclones’ visiting clubhouse in left. The Fort Worth, Texas native’s sixth SAL home run of the season trimmed the deficit to one, 2-1.
Mateo Gil gets Brooklyn on the board with a no-doubter. His sixth home run of the season is the @nationalgridus Safe at Home Run of the Game.#SafeAtHome I #AmazinStartsHere pic.twitter.com/sqlhjKfEdw
— Brooklyn Cyclones (@BKCyclones) July 31, 2024
Gil spearheaded another rally in the sixth, uncorking a one-out double off RHP Nick Avila. Two batters later, 3B Jefrey De Los Santos’ single to right brought him home to knot the score at two.
Jefrey De Los Santos comes through AGAIN.
— Brooklyn Cyclones (@BKCyclones) July 31, 2024
We're tied up at 2-2 in Aberdeen in the top of the 6th.#AmazinStartsHere I #LGM pic.twitter.com/MXrPKyhMsU
The game remained even into extra frames. After Brooklyn could not score the automatic runner in the top of the eighth, Aberdeen capitalized on their chance in the bottom half.
Following a sacrifice bunt that advanced the automatic runner to third, SS Carter Young lofted a sacrifice fly to left to bring in the winning run, as the IronBirds walked off with a 3-2 win.
Neither starter factored into the decision in the opener. RHP Jack Wenninger whiffed five and walked three over 4.0 innings of four-hit, two-run ball for Brooklyn. Aberdeen’s RHP Trey Gibson punched out six and yielded one walk, allowing one run and five hits, in 4.0 frames.
RHP Kyle Virbistky (2-1) collected his second SAL victory of the season out of the IronBirds’ bullpen, striking out three over 2.0 innings of one-hit, scoreless ball.
RHP Justin Lawson (1-3) did not allow a hit or an earned run but was taxed with his third defeat for the Cyclones after permitting the automatic to cross in the extra frame.
Brooklyn will try to make it back-to-back victories in game three of the six-game set on Thursday night. RHP Jordany Ventura (2-1, 4.01) is scheduled to make his first start for the Cyclones since being reinstated from the injured list on Tuesday. The IronBirds have not named a probable starter for the contest. The first pitch is scheduled for 7:05 p.m.