Cyclones Can’t Push Past Wilmington, Fall 7-3

• BOX SCORE

BROOKLYN, N.Y. - Despite a two-run blast from C Chris Suero - his seventh High-A home run of the season - the Brooklyn Cyclones were topped by the Wilmington Blue Rocks on Saturday night on Coney Island, 7-3.

Suero’s long ball pulled Brooklyn even in the third at 2-2. The two-run shot continues what’s been an outstanding stretch for the Bronx native. Entering play on Saturday, Suero had safely recorded a hit in 8 of his previous nine games, with an OPS well over 1.000 during the span.

LHP Felipe De La Cruz was tagged with the defeat. The southpaw tossed five innings, allowing five runs, only two of which were earned. The Yamasa, D.R. native walked one and struck out eight, raising his strikeout total on the season to 116.

Wilmington wasted no time starting the scoring. In the top of the first, the Blue Rocks scored two batters in. After CF Jonathon Thomas led off the game with a triple, LF T.J. White drove him home on a sac fly. A couple of batters later, Wilmington doubled its lead on an RBI single from 2B Gavin Dugas, scoring 3B Murphy Stehly, who previously singled in the frame.

It took Brooklyn until the third to pull even, but they knotted things up all the same thanks to Suero’s long ball. It was the second home run Suero hit in the series. The catcher also went yard in the series opener on Tuesday.

The Blue Rocks reclaimed their lead immediately thereafter in the fourth. With two in scoring position and two out, SS Armando Cruz brought home a pair to put Wilmington back in front. After stealing second base, Cruz himself would then come home to score on an RBI single from Thomas.

Wilmington tacked on some insurance in the seventh. After RHP Dakota Hawkins walked a pair to start the frame, 1B Brandon Boissiere singled home a run to push the lead to 6-2. One batter later, Dugas came home to score on an error in the field - one of four committed on the night by the ‘Clones.

Brooklyn did get one back in the eighth - courtesy of an RBI double from 3B Jefrey De Los Santos to trim the deficit to 7-3. The Cyclones could not scratch anything across the rest of the way. Still, RHP Justin Lawson tossed yet another scoreless inning of relief work. The NC State product has a 0.81 ERA and is holding opponents to a .184 batting average since June 15.

The Cyclones and Blue Rocks return to action on Sunday afternoon for the 2024 series finale. Both LHP Zach Thornton (2-2, 2.92 ERA) and RHP Mikey Tepper (0-0, 4.50 ERA) will make their second start of the series. First pitch is slated for 2:00 p.m. from Maimonides Park.