Jamestown 7, Brooklyn 6

The Brooklyn Cyclones fell to the Jamestown Jammers in the first game of the best-of-three NYPL Semifinals on Tuesday, losing by a score of 7-6 in a game that saw the Cyclones overcome a five-run deficit, and a nearly-two-hour rain delay. Brooklyn must now win the last two games of the series -- to be played at MCU Park on Wednesday and, if necessary, Thursday -- to keep the team's season alive and advance to the championship series.



The Cyclones took an early 1-0 lead in the first inning when Darrell Ceciliani led off the game with a single, stole second base, and was moved to third on a ground ball, before Jeff Flagg belted a triple that plated Ceciliani.



Yohan Almonte surrendered a solo home run in the second inning that tied the game, and then gave up four more runs in the third inning on a walk, two singles, an error, and a double. Almonte's control became more of a problem in the fourth inning, when the Jammers scored another run, thanks in part to a walk and two wild pitches.



In the top of the fifth inning, Flagg struck again, with an RBI single to score J.B. Brown. Flagg then raced all the way home from first base on a double by Joe Bonfe to cut the Cyclones' deficit to three.

In the seventh inning, Cory Vaughn led off with a triple, and Flagg skied a high fly ball that the Jamestown right fielder -- slugger Marcell Ozuna -- could not handle, as it fell untouched for another RBI single -- Flagg's third hit and third RBI of the night. With Flagg running, Bonfe then laced a single to give Brooklyn first and second with no one out. After two outs were made, the game was delayed for nearly two hours, and when play resumed, James Schroeder struck out to end the Cyclones rally.



The Cyclones started chipping away again in the eighth inning, though, when Wilfredo Tovar walked, and Ceciliani followed with a base hit to again give Brooklyn first and second with no out. Both runners were sacrificed one base ahead by Brown, and Vaughn walked to load the bases. With two outs, Bonfe  then stepped to the plate and delivered a clutch two-run single for his fourth hit of the game to tie the game at 6-6.



Jamestown, however, rallied back to score a run in the bottom of the eighth off of reliever Wes Wrenn to again take the lead, and Brooklyn could not mount another comeback.