Brooklyn, Auburn Split Pair

The Cyclones took one of two on Thursday from Auburn, with a much better offensive and pitching performance from Brooklyn coming in the second game. The break in action did not help the Cyclones in the first game against Auburn, losing 7-0. The Cyclones and Doubledays picked it up in the fourth inning after play was suspended on Wednesday due to rain, but the Cyclones put together just four hits, resulting in their fourth shutout loss of the season. The Cyclones were being no hit into the seventh inning until L.J. Mazzilli connected for a single up the middle to end the bid.

The Cyclones turned everything around in game two, combining for 13 hits in a 4-3 win. Brooklyn’s offense got off to a hot start when they loaded the bases in the second inning. James Roche hit a single into right field that advanced lead runners Matt Oberste and Julio Concepcion to second and third. With the bases loaded and nobody out, Eddie Rohan had a chance to drive in his first run of the season, and he did just that on a line drive single to left field that scored Oberste from third, making it 1-0 Cyclones.

The very next inning Brooklyn connected for two more runs. Ismael Tijerina led off the top of the third with a ground ball single to left field. Two batters later, Jared King doubled to left field putting runners at second and third for Oberste. Oberste connected with a single up the middle that scored Tijerina from third. Concepcion then drove in the second run of the inning on a double to center field, giving the Cyclones a 3-0 lead. Playing in the place of injured shortstop Gavin Cecchini, Tijerina finished with three hits raising his average to .308.

Tijerina helped to add another run in the top of the fourth when he hit a line drive single that scored Anthony Chavez, who had reached on a double. Seven players in the Cyclones lineup had at least one hit, and Tijerina, Oberste, Concepcion, and Roche all had multi-hit games.

With the Cyclones up 4-0 in the bottom of the fourth, the Doubledays began to climb their way back. Dario Alvarez allowed just one hit through three innings, but gave up two runs in the fourth and one in the fifth to cut the Cyclones lead to 4-3. Alvarez pitched well enough to get his first win of the season, tossing five innings, allowing three runs on six hits and striking out one. Darwin Frias replaced Alvarez in the sixth inning, and put together his best outing of the season. Frias recorded his first save of the season pitching two innings and striking out five.

press release