Brooklyn Cyclones Bow to Wilmington Blue Rocks at Frawley Stadium

From the desk: THE CONEY ISLAND NINE

FRAWLEY STADIUM

Brooklyn vs. Wilmington

I - WIL 9; BKN 3

Cyclones Can Not Recover From Early Deficit

After a half-hour rain delay, Brooklyn starter Oscar Rojas issued a walk to the first batter he faced, and two doubles later, the Blue Rocks owned a prompt 2-0 lead.  

An error by the shortstop Shervyen Newton in the second inning helped the Rocks to a third run, and Oscar Rojas was dispatched to the showers.  After a scoreless third, Wilmington manufactured a run in the fourth for a 4-0 lead.

Despite wielding ten hits, the Cyclones were held scoreless through the fifth.  Catcher Jose Mena's hit finally got Brooklyn on the board in the sixth.  Brooklyn then appeared to put this game back up for grabs with two runs in the top of the eighth.  Third baseman William Lugo doubled home a run, and Jose Mena delivered home another, cutting Brooklyn's deficit to one.

However, their confidence was quickly shattered in the bottom of the eighth.  The Cyclones suffered a bullpen implosion as right-hander Nolan Clenney surrendered five runs on three hits and three walks to put the game out of reach.

• BOXSCORE

The Cyclones were not without their chances.  They had runners on the corners with one out in the first and stranded them.  Brooklyn loaded the bases with one out in the second, leaving them stranded again.  With two outs in the third and Stanley Consuegra poised at second, the Cyclones failed to come up with a clutch hit.

With Tuesday's loss, the Cyclones' overall record falls back under .500 but, more importantly, they slip to second place in the second-half standings, one-half game behind the Hudson Valley Renegades.