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Colina, Homers Help Cyclones Derail Drive, 6-0

22-year-old ties career best with 10 strikeouts over a career-high six innings in shutout
September 2, 2023
  • BOX SCORE
  • PLAY-BY-PLAY GREENVILLE, S.C. (September 2, 2023) — After being bounced in the first inning last Sunday, RHP Robert Colina responded with arguably the best start of his professional career. The 22-year-old tied a career-high with 10 strikeouts over a career-long six innings of work, as the

GREENVILLE, S.C. (September 2, 2023) — After being bounced in the first inning last Sunday, RHP Robert Colina responded with arguably the best start of his professional career. The 22-year-old tied a career-high with 10 strikeouts over a career-long six innings of work, as the Brooklyn Cyclones shut out the Greenville Drive, 6-0, on Saturday night from Fluor Field at the West End.

Colina (4-5) earned his first win as a starter, scattering five hits without yielding a walk.

With their 11th blanking, Brooklyn (34-25, 62-62) set a new franchise record for shutouts in a single season. The previous mark of 10 had been accomplished on four occasions, most recently by the 2014 squad.

Brooklyn’s win and Jersey Shore’s (33-26, 68-56) 10-8 loss in 10 innings at home to Aberdeen, the Cyclones have regained sole possession of first place in the South Atlantic League North Division with seven games remaining.

After Greenville (26-33, 62-63) struck first in each of the first four games of the series, the Cyclones did the honors on Saturday.

SS Jett Williams worked a five-pitch walk to start the contest and quickly moved to second on a single by CF Alex Ramírez. Following a strikeout, RF Stanley Consuegra delivered the go-ahead shot. The 22-year-old hammered a three-run home run to deep left-center field — his team-leading 20th of the year — to give Brooklyn a 3-0 advantage.

An inning later, C Drake Osborn joined the homer party. With one out, the Corpus Christi, Texas native sent a towering drive on top of the Green Monster in left for a solo shot. Osborn’s 11th home run extended the ‘Clones cushion to 4-0.

In the sixth, Brooklyn added to their ledger. 3B William Lugo and 2B D’Andre Smith collected back-to-back singles to start the attack before a fielder’s choice created runners at the corners. Osborn clocked a sacrifice fly to center field to stretch the margin to 5-0.

The Cyclones added their last long ball in the seventh. Ramírez walloped a drive of his own on top of the Monster in left for a solo home run. The 20-year-old’s seventh of the season capped the scoring with Brooklyn in front by six.

RHP Joe Joe Rodríguez entered in support of Colina in the seventh and completed the shutout to earn his second save of the year and his first with the Cyclones.

Greenville loaded the bases with one out in the ninth, but the Vineland, N.J. native picked up a strike out and a fly out to center to complete Brooklyn’s historic shutout.

RHP Luis Perales (0-2) was saddled with his second defeat for the Drive. The 20-year-old allowed five runs on seven hits, striking out seven, over 5.2 innings.

Brooklyn will look to earn a series split in the finale on Sunday evening. RHP Saúl García (0-0, 3.00 era) is scheduled to take the hill for the Cyclones. The Drive is projected to counter with RHP Noah Song (1-2, 2.81 ERA). The first pitch is scheduled for 6:05 p.m.