John From Albany - Brooklyn loses in ninth 5-4, Baty 3 RBIs, now one back in wild card, one back of first. Syracuse loses 6-1, Nimmo ejected, still tied for first.

The best of pitching and the worst of pitching for Cyclones (box).

An “immaculate” inning.  Nine pitches, nine strikes, three strikeouts.  Only two Major League Mets have ever done it.  Nolan Ryan in 1968, and David Cone in 1991.  Friday night Matt Mullenbach, an undrafted 6’4” Righthander from Iowa, turned the trick in the eighth, only to not record an out in the ninth, as Aberdeen came back from a 4-3 deficit to beat the Cyclones 5-4 in a walk-off. 

Brooklyn starter Matt Cleveland allowed a two-run homer in the first.  Then, after a nine pitch at-bat to draw a walk in his first time up as a Cyclone, Brett Baty delivered a bases clearing double in the third.  Baty’s overall line for the night, 1 for 2 with 2 walks. 

After Aberdeen hit another homer against Matt Cleveland in the 4^th, lefty Andrew Edwards came on to pitch for Brooklyn, a 31^st round 2019 draft pick from New Mexico State.  In 3.1 innings, Edwards struck out nine Iron Birds.  Overall Brooklyn pitching recorded 15 K’s.

With Brooklyn losing, Staten Island beat first place Hudson Valley.  Now, Aberdeen and Hudson Valley are now tied for first, Brooklyn is a game out in third, and Staten Island is just a half game behind Brooklyn. 

What’s next?  Aberdeen travels to Hudson Valley, while Staten Island and Brooklyn play the final three games in Brooklyn.  What’s more Saturday’s Cyclones game will feature Matt Allen on the mound and the rehabbing Robinson Cano for Brooklyn.

Syracuse loses 6-1 to the Rochester Red Wings (box). 

Frustrating night for the Nimmo and the Syracuse Mets.  Corey Oswalt gave up a run in the first on a double play and a home run in the second as Syracuse fell behind 2-0.  

In the top of the sixth, Sam Haggerty tripled and was driven in by a Dilson Herrera single cutting the lead to 2-1.  In the bottom of the sixth, Oswalt recorded the first out but was removed for lefty Donnie Hart after giving up a walk and a single.  Hart recorded the final two outs but not before the two inherited runners scored. 

Rochester scored two insurance runs against Matt Blackham in the eighth.

In the ninth, Syracuse loaded the bases with one out for Brandon Nimmo.  Nimmo struck out swinging and was ejected by the home plate umpire.  Sam Haggerty then struck out to end the game.  

Overall Nimmo went 0 for 4 with 3 strikeouts and is hitting .219 in 9 rehab games for Syracuse.  It is possible he will be re-activated Sunday when the rosters are expanded. 

While Syracuse lost, so did the Yankee’s Scranton/Wilkes-Barre Rail Riders.  They lost to Buffalo.  If the season ends in a tie, the tie-breaker goes to Scranton/Wilkes-Barre as they won the head to head series.