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Oberste’s Clutch Double Gives Brooklyn 5-4 Win In Extras

By Former Writers

July 16, 2013 No comments

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Brooklyn 5, Connecticut 4

After Connecticut rallied to erase a two-run deficit in the ninth inning, sending the game into extra innings, the Cyclones bounced back for a 5-4 win in 12 innings. Matt Oberste’s RBI double in the top of the 12th provided the winning margin.

LHP Carlos Valdez made the start for the Cyclones and quickly found himself in trouble on Monday afternoon. After a scoreless first inning, designated hitter, Dominic Ficociello led off the top of the second with a booming solo blast over the left field wall to give the Tigers a 1-0 edge. The lead would swell to 2-0 in the third when Brooklyn thirdbaseman Anthony Chavez committed a throwing error with two outs in the frame, allowing Curt Powell to score the unearned run.

But the Cyclones responded quickly, coming to the life in the top of the fourth. Juan Gamboa and L.J. Mazzilli started the frame with back-to-back singles before Jared King walked to load the bases with nobody out. After Alex Sanchez failed to advance the runners with an infield pop up, Matt Oberste opened the scoring for the Cyclones with an RBI single that chased home Gamboa and kept the bases loaded for James Roche. Roche took advantage of the scoring chance by sending a fly ball to right field, scoring Mazzilli with the tying run on a sacrifice fly.

In their next turn at-bat, the Cyclones took their first lead of the game. Anthony Chavez and Patrick Biondi started the frame with back-to-back singles and Gamboa moved both runners into scoring position with a sacrifice bunt. L.J. Mazzilli was the next batter, and the second baseman sent a sky-high pop up that was misplayed by Tigers shortstop Curt Powell, which allowed Mazzilli to reach and brought Chavez home with the go-ahead run. Jared King followed with a double to centerfield that chased Biondi home and gave the Cyclones a 4-2 advantage.

With Akeel Morris on the mound for Brooklyn, that is how it would stay, as the righthander tossed three shutout innings and has now tossed 17.2 innings without allowing an earned run to start the 2013 season.

Morris turned the ball over to Johnny Magliozzi for the ninth inning, and the righthander quickly found himself in trouble after allowing a leadoff single and a walk to start the frame. The former Florida Gator seemed like he would be able to wiggle out of trouble though, recording two outs, but with a pair of runners in scoring position Pat Leyland dropped a perfectly placed single into right field allowing both runners to score and knot the game at 4-4 and send it into extra innings.

That is how it would stay as John Mincone and Connecticut reliever Tanner Bailey matched zeroes until the top of the 12th. Jared King started the frame with a leadoff walk and advanced to second on a sacrifice bunt from Eris Peguero. With the go-ahead run at second base, Matt Oberste laced a double into centerfield that scored King and gave the Cyclones a 5-4 advantage.
In the bottom of the 12th, Tim Peterson came in to close out the win for Brooklyn. The righthander from the University of Kentucky tossed a scoreless frame, allowing just one walk, to collect his first save of the season.

Key Stats

L.J. Mazzilli: 2-for-5, 1 RBI, 1 R

Jared King: 2-for-3, 1 2B, 3 BB, 1 RBI, 1 R

Matthew Oberste: 2-for-6, 1 2B, 2 RBI

Akeel Morris: 3.0 IP, 0 H, 3 BB, 0 ER, 1 K

John Mincone: 2.0 IP, 1 H, 0 BB, 0 ER

Tim Peterson: 1.0 IP, 0 H, 1 BB, 0 ER, 1 K

(Team Report)