Blue Rocks Fall Short In 5-1 Loss

The Wilmington Blue Rocks were shut down offensively in a 5-1 loss to the Brooklyn Cyclones on Thursday, July 11.

The Cyclones had a chance to score quickly in the top of the first, but Blue Rock’s starter Jose Atencio was able to battle out of the jam without a run.

In the bottom of the second, Jared McKenzie and joe Naranjo laced back-to-back hits to start the frame with two runners in scoring position. T.J. White grounded out scoring McKenzie as the Blue Rocks snagged a 1-0 lead.

Brooklyn’s starter Kade Morris turned the lights out after a tough second inning, retiring the side in order in each of the third, fourth and fifth innings.

In the top of the sixth, luck shined on Brooklyn. What should have been the third out on a simple groundout turned into a runner on as first baseman Joe Naranjo lost the ball in the setting sun. Following the error, a triple by Christopher Suero and a wild pitch from Atencio plated two as the Cyclones jumped out to a 2-1 lead.

Two walks in the bottom of the seventh gave the Blue Rocks a chance to strike back, but a hard lineout from Phillip Glasser ended the inning scoreless.

Atencio set High-A career highs in both innings pitched and strikeouts. He pitched great but left in line for the loss after four hits, 2 unearned runs, seven strikeouts and two walks.

Chance Huff relieved Atencio in the eighth and got into trouble right away. Three of the first four batters huff faced singled. With the bases loaded and only one out, Huff struck out Junior Tiillien and forced Mateo Gil to ground out to end the frame without conceding another run.

Jaren Zinn relieved Huff in the ninth and got himself in the same situation, loading the bases with one out. Zinn was not as fortunate in retiring the side as he walked in two runs to hand Brooklyn the 4-1 lead.

Zinn could not complete the inning, giving way to Thomas Schultz to get the final out. Schultz walked in another run, but escaped the inning after that with the score at 5-1.

Wilmington couldn’t produce a run in the ninth as they dropped the third game of the series.