(Jacob Resnick/MetsMinors.Net)

The casual observer could make this statement by watching RHP Harol Gonzalez: he can pitch.

Gonzalez proved that once again on Thursday night as he tossed 6 2/3 innings of one-hit ball. Unfortunately for him, the defense was unable to hold up in the Cyclones’ 1-0 loss to the Lowell Spinners.

The 21-year-old mixed fastballs, curveballs, and cutters across 97 pitches. Gonzalez struck out seven batters for the fourth time this season, which includes back-to-back double-digit efforts on 6/26 and 7/3.

LHP Taylor Henry entered in the eighth inning and was an out away from escaping unscathed, but 2B Michael Paez threw away a throw to first that allowed the go-ahead run to score. It was Brooklyn’s 18th game decided by two runs or less, out of 27 total.

The Cyclones were able to muster four hits off Spinners starter LHP Brian Johnson, the Red Sox number six prospect who had been sent on a rehab assignment from Triple-A.

Paez, making his home debut, doubled with two outs in the third, but Arnaldo Berrios was thrown out at the plate to end the inning. That was the closest Brooklyn came to scoring, as only one more batter reached third base.

C Ali Sanchez picked up his fourth multi-hit game of the season and reached on an error in the seventh.

The Cyclones will play game two of their series with Lowell on Friday night. Merandy Gonzalez will take the mound at 7:00 PM.