Brooklyn 4 - Lowell 3

 

The Cyclones beat the Lowell Spinners for the second straight night 4-3, thanks to two doubles by Jared King who knocked in the go ahead run in the eighth inning. John Gant didn’t give up a hit until the top of the sixth inning, a seeing eye single that just made it by L.J. Mazzilli ranging to his left.

Lowell was able to put up a run in the top of the first inning, thanks to a slow start by John Gant and the Cyclones defense. Gant walked leadoff man, Tzu-Wei Lin who then attempted to steal second base and on catcher Colton Plaia’s throw down the ball short-hopped L.J. Mazzilli, caroming into short right-center field, advancing Lin to third base with no out. Manuel Margot then flew out to right field, allowing Lin to tag-up and give the Spinners a 1-0 lead.

 In the top half of the second inning, poor defense contributed to another Spinners run. Reed Gragnani led the inning off with a walk and stole second base with Cleuluis Rondon batting. After Rondon struck out, Williams Jerez grounded out to Gant, advancing Gragnani to third with two out. With Nick Moore at-bat, Gant threw a pitch in the dirt that was smothered by Plaia, but Gragnani strayed to far from third and Plaia tried to pick him off but the throw went into left field scoring Gragnani and giving Lowell the early 2-0 lead.

 Brooklyn responded in the bottom of the second as they hit three doubles in the inning. Jared King led things off with a double to right before moving to third on a single by Matt Oberste, breaking an 0-for-16 slump. Plaia then atoned for his two errors by doubling to right, scoring King and moving Oberste to third. James Roche kept the lining moving as he hit the third double of the inning to right, scoring both Oberste and Plaia, giving the Cyclones a 3-2 lead.

 Lowell would tie the game up in the top of the eighth inning at 3-3. Manuel Margot led the top of the eighth inning off with a walk and moved to second on a sac bunt by Kevin Mager. Aaron King then singled to right field and tried to advance to second on the throw home but Plaia quickly threw down to second nailing King, preventing the leading run from being in scoring position.

 Just like in many other late inning games, Patrick Biondi led the bottom of the eighth inning off with a walk and moved to second on a sac bunt by Juan Gamboa. After a Mazzilli strike out, King hit a soft liner into left center that caused center fielder Manuel Margot and right fielder Aaron King to collide as the ball landed just in front of both players who attempted to dive to make the catch.

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