Walk-Off Wild Pitch Helps 'Claws over 'Clones, 5-4
SAL Brooklyn Cyclones

Walk-Off Wild Pitch Helps 'Claws over 'Clones, 5-4

Published on September 3, 2025 under South Atlantic League (SAL)
Brooklyn Cyclones News Release


LAKEWOOD, N.J. - DH Matt Rudick, who had not appeared in a contest since September 15, 2024, with Double-A Binghamton, reached base three times and drove in a run in his first minor league rehab game. However, the Jersey Shore BlueClaws rallied for a run in the ninth to tie and another in the 10th to walk off the Brooklyn Cyclones, 5-4, on Wednesday night at ShoreTown Ballpark.

Scoreless after one, Jersey Shore (35-26, 60-64) jumped in front in the bottom of the second. RF John Spikerman worked a walk to start the inning before stealing second and advancing to third on a throwing error with one out. After a free pass to 3B Trent Farquhar, SS José Colmenares sliced a ball down the left-field line that banged off the fence and trickled toward center field. Both runners scored, while Colmenares was given the green light toward the plate. The relay throw to the dish eliminated a potential inside-the-park home run, but the 23-year-old was awarded a two-run triple, providing the BlueClaws a 2-0 lead.

In the fourth, Brooklyn (25-37, 71-57) was able to draw even. CF Yonatan Henríquez started the inning with a single to center before Rudick roped a ball into the right-field corner. Henríquez scored easily, while the 27-year-old slid in safely at third with a run-scoring triple, pulling the Cyclones within a run, 2-1. With 3B Colin Houck at the plate, a balk allowed Rudick to come home and tie the game at two.

The BlueClaws regained the advantage in the fifth. 1B Brock Vradenburg scalded a leadoff single to center before taking second on a passed ball and third on a wild pitch. CF Dante Nori collected a sacrifice fly to left, putting Jersey Shore back in front, 3-2.

However, the lead did not last. Against the BlueClaws bullpen in the sixth, Rudick, Houck, and 1B Ronald Hernandez coaxed three-straight walks to load the bases with nobody out. Before LF Yohairo Cuevas could set himself in the batter's box, another balk was called, allowing Rudick to score again and tie the game at three. Cuevas put Brooklyn in front for the first time in the series, carrying a sacrifice fly to left, to make it a 4-3 contest.

The Cyclones maintained that one-run lead until the ninth. Farquhar collected a one-out walk, and Colmenares followed with his second crucial extra-base hit of the game. The Venezuela native hammered a drive off the fence in left-center field for a game-tying double, knotting the contest at four. RHP Irving Cota stranded the winning run in scoring position, inducing a pair of fly outs to force extras.

After Brooklyn failed to score their automatic runner in the top of the frame, Jersey Shore managed to walk it off in the bottom half.

Following an intentional walk to the leadoff batter, the Cyclones nearly escaped trouble by inducing a double play ground ball to short off the bat of DH Devin Saltiban. Alas, following another intentional free pass and the runner moving up on defensive indifference, a wild pitch on a 2-1 count allowed the automatic runner to scamper home from third, providing the BlueClaws a walk-off, 5-4, victory.

Neither starter factored into the decision on Wednesday. RHP Channing Austin, a Prospect Lefferts Gardens, Brooklyn native, made his Cyclones and High-A debut, allowing two runs on one hit over 3.0 innings, walking two, and striking out three. Jersey Shore's RHP Brandon Beckel yielded two runs on three over a season-high-tying 5.0 innings, walking two, and punching out a season-best six.

RHP Saúl Teran (3-0) collected his third victory at the High-A level for the 'Claws, striking out two, while working a scoreless 10th.

RHP Brett Banks (2-1) suffered the tough luck defeat, his first with Brooklyn in 2025. The 23-year-old did not allow a hit and was charged with an unearned run in the extra frame after issuing two intentional walks.

Brooklyn will try and snap the three-game slide on Thursday evening. RHP Noah Hall (5-6, 2.42) is expected to make the start for the Cyclones. The BlueClaws are projected to counter with RHP Sam Highfill (1-1, 4.68). The first pitch is scheduled for 7:05 p.m.

Check out the Brooklyn Cyclones Statistics

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South Atlantic League Stories from September 3, 2025


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