A late-inning rally fell a run short as the Oneonta Tigers lost for the 10th time in their last 15 New York-Penn League games, falling, 6-5, Friday at Brooklyn.
The Tigers trailed, 6-2, entering the eighth inning, when they scored twice.
They scored again in the ninth on an RBI groundout by Carmelo Jaime, but with the tying run at second, Michael Rockett flied to right to end it.
Coupled with Stedler Division-Leading Lowell's 6-5 victory at Mahoning Valley on Friday, the second-place Tigers (28-24) are now two games behind the Spinners (31-23).
Oneonta plays the middle game of a three-game series at Brooklyn at 6 p.m. Saturday. After a 5 p.m. game Sunday, the NY-Penn will take two days off for the All-Star Break, a 7:15 p.m. game Tuesday at State College.
The Tigers will then have 20 game left after the break _ including the completion of a suspended game against Staten Island on Aug. 24 _ beginning Wednesday against Williamsport at Damaschke Field.
The Tigers tied the score at 2 in the fourth inning Friday.
Jamie Johnson led off with this second home run of the season _ a shot to left off winning pitcher Collin McHugh (6-2), who allowed two runs over six innings, striking out seven and walking two.
After Rockett lined out to second, Rawley Bishop was hit by a pitch.
Wade Gaynor followed with a single to center that sent Bishop to second.
Following a flyout by Eric Roof, Alexis Espinoza singled to center to score Bishop. Gaynor was thrown out at third on the play.
Brooklyn answered with two runs in each of the sixth and seventh innings off losing pitcher Mike LaLuna (2-4).
Justin Garber hit a two-out RBI single to center. Garber then stole second and scored on Jake Eigsti's double to left to make it 4-2.
In the seventh, Nick Santomauro singled before LaLuna walked Ralph Henriquez and Alex Gregory to load the bases.
Jose Ortega relieved LaLuna.
Matthew Gaska's groundout to Ortega scored a run and a second run came home on a wild pitch by Ortego.
The Tigers closed the gap to 6-4 in the eighth.
Jaime singled to right to lead off before Johnson walked. Rockett followed with an RBI single to left that sent Johnson to third.
Eric Turgeon relieved Matias Carillo Jr., and Bishop grounded out to third to score Johnson.
Gaynor and Roof then grounded out.
Espinoza doubled to center off Michael Powers to begin Oneonta's ninth. Jimmy Gulliver's one-out single to center sent Espinoza to third. Jaime's groundout scored Espinoza to make it 6-5.
After Johnson was intentionally walked, Rockett flied out to end it.
Espinoza and Jaime had two hits apiece for the Tigers.
Cyclones 6, O-Tigers 5
{"Sports agate MLB teams"/}oneontabrooklyn
{"Sports agate MLB batting"/}abrhbiabrhbi
{"Sports agate body text"/}Johnson cf1211Garber cf5111
Rockett rf5011Eigsti ss5011
Bishop 1b3101Rivera rf4110
Gaynor 3b4010Sntmauro lf3030
Roof c4000Hnriquez dh3101
Espinoza dh4121Gregory 1b3220
Mansilla lf4000Giarrpto 3b3100
Gulliver ss4010Gaski 2b2001
Jaime 2b4121Centeno c4011
Totals33585Totals32695
{"Sports agate MLB 9inning"/}Oneonta000200021""5
Oneonta01100220x""6
{"Sports agate bat stax"/}E""Rockett (4). DP""Brooklyn 1. LOB""Oneonta 6, Brooklyn 9. 2B""Espinoza (12), Centeno (1), Eigsti (3). HR""Johnson (2). S""Gaski. SB""Garber (4).
{"Sports agate body text"/}OneontaIPHRERBBSO
Mendoza562233
LaLuna L,2-4134431
Ortega100000
Faulk100000
{"Sports agate MLB pitching"/}Brooklyn
{"Sports agate body text"/}McHugh W,6-2642227
Turgeon 122212
Carrillo100000
Powers S,12121111
LaLuna pitched to 3 batters in the 7th.
Turgeon pitched to 3 batters in the 8th.
WP""Mendoza. IBB""Johnson (by Powers). HBP""Bishop (by McHugh). Umpires""Home, Gabriel Morales; Field, Garrett Corl. T""2:50. A""8,780.
Print this story
E-mail this story
