Brooklyn Cyclones: Jose Mena Thrills Coney Island Crowd With Game Winning Hit In Tenth

From the desk: THE SURF AVENUE SLUGGERS

GAME TWO
Jersey Shore  2

Coney Island  3

10 innings

Brooklyn Battery Powers Cyclones To Victory In Game Two  

Stellar pitching and Jose Mena's game-winning hit in the eleventh sends the Coney Island crowd home in a delighted state of mind.  Goes to show good things come to those who wait.

Jersey Shore and Brooklyn duel to a scoreless tie through five.  Toeing the rubber for the Blue Claws,  Ethan Lindow yields just four hits and strikes out five.  For the Cyclones, Alec Kisena similarly allows just four hits with six strikeouts before exiting with one out in the sixth.  While inheriting a runner at second in relief of Kisena, Eric Orze closes out the top half of the frame unscathed.  Meanwhile, Lindow continues the mission with a scoreless bottom half of the sixth.

Eric Orze retires Jersey Shore in the top of the seventh, striking out DH Herbert Iser for out number three.  For the BlueClaws, right-hander Mark Potter takes over pitching duties from Lindow, who exits having allowed just five hits, just one for extra bases.  Suddenly, with two outs in the bottom of the seventh, LT Struble bunts for a base hit, then steals second base.  Next up, Antoine Duplantis lined a triple to center field, scoring Struble with the go-ahead run.  Unfortunately, Duplantis is left stood at third base.

Like an omen, third baseman Brett Baty's errant throw to first base opens the eighth.  With one out, Eric Orze issues a walk and then walks another to load the bases.  Brooklyn makes a change, and with one out into the game comes Mitch Ragan.  The Cyclones come close to executing a 5-4-3 double-play, but a safe call at first and the lead runner scoring from third knots the game at one.  

Jersey Shore right-hander Mike Adams is called upon to pitch the bottom of the eighth.  He pitches himself into, then out of potential trouble, and into the ninth inning, they go.

With one out in the top of the frame, Jose Mena (starting in place of dinged-up Francisco Alvarez) throws out an attempted steal of second.  Mitch Ragan then fans Herbert Iser for the third out.  In turn, Jersey's Andrew Brown throws a scoreless home half of the ninth, sending this contest into extra innings.

Mitch Ragan returns to the bump but does not hold.  The BlueClaws pull the old pinch-runner for the phantom runner who scores on consecutive sacrifice flies routine for a one-run advantage.

Then, facing Andrew Brown, Brooklyn loads the bases with the phantom runner, Ronny Mauricio, Brett Baty HBP, and a walk to Luke Ritter.  After a mound visit, Andrew Brown walks Joe Genord tying the game at two.  Still, with no outs, Jose Mena wields a line-drive single to right field, Brett Baty scores the winning run.

Mitch Ragan earns the win.  Brooklyn evens the battle of the beaches at one.

• BOXSCORE