7/30/12

Brooklyn 10, Mahoning Valley 5

Brandon Nimmo led the Cyclones with a 4-for-6 effort, scoring three runs and knocking in two, as Brooklyn pounded the Mahoning Valley Scrappers 10-5.

The Cyclones jumped to an early lead, scoring three runs in the top of the first and two in the second. Brandon Nimmo began the game with a line drive single to center field before Jeff Reynolds walked. Phillip Evans then hit a three-run home run - his fourth of the season - off Mahoning Valley starter Ryan Merritt. Merritt got the next two Brooklyn batters out before being replaced on the mound by Josh Martin.

A ground out by Stefan Sabol ended the inning, but the Cyclones hit Martin for two runs in the second. After getting both Alex Sanchez and Edward Rohan to ground out, Martin allowed back-to-back home runs. Julio Concepcion hit a solo shot to left before Brandon Nimmo sent one out to right to give Brooklyn a 5-0 advantage.

The Scrappers put up a run in the bottom half of the frame. After Aaron Siliga tripled on a line drive to right, Evan Frazar singled on a ground ball to third base to make it 5-1. Brooklyn starter Julian Hilario then got the next three batters out in order to escape the inning.


Mahoning Valley picked up another run in the third on another RBI single by Frazar. Tyler Naquin led off with a double before Joseph Wendle was called out on strikes. Charlie Valerio was then hit by a pitch. Following, Siliga grounded into a force out, which moved Naquin to third; and Naquin was plated on the single by Frazar.

After just 3.0 innings of work, Hilario's night was over. He surrendered two earned runs off five hits with a walk and four strikeouts.

In the fifth, the Cyclones struck again. Back-to-back singles by Reynolds and Evans and a walk by Kevin Plawecki loaded the bases. Jayce Boyd then hit a sacrifice fly to right field. After the run scored, James Stokes came in to pitch out of the Scrappers bullpen. Stokes struck out Stefan Sabol, but then surrendered a single to Sanchez, which brought home Evans and gave Brooklyn a five-run lead.

But, the Cyclones weren't done yet. In the next inning, Concepcion singled and then advanced to second on a throwing error by Mahoning Valley catcher Charlie Valerio. A double off the bat of Nimmo allowed Concepcion to cross the plate. Consecutive singles by Reynolds and Evans later plated Nimmo to make it 9-2.

Brooklyn managed one last run - this time off reliever Luis Encarnacion - in the eighth. Boyd hit a two-out single to score Reynolds, who had also singled.

In the bottom half of the frame, the Scrappers rallied for three hits. With two outs, Erik Gonzalez singled. He advanced to second on a wild pitch by Tim Peterson and scored on a single by Andrew Campbell. Joe Sever then walked before Jairo Kelly singled, moving both runners into scoring position. After that hit, Logan Taylor replaced Peterson on the mound and allowed a two-run double to Tyler Naquin.

Beck Wheeler earned his first win, throwing 3.0 scoreless innings, walking two and striking out six.

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