Brooklyn Cyclones Game Recap: Cyclones Clinch Series with 9-1 Rout of BlueClaws

 

JT Benson, photo courtesy of the Brooklyn Cyclones

Benson's grand slam and Hawkins' dominant start power Brooklyn to series victory

Brooklyn Cyclones Press Release By Dan Quinones (reprinted from milb.com/brooklyn by permission)

Box Score: Mitch Voit  SS 1 for 4; 2 runs; 1 walk; 2 Ks; 1 double; Ronald Hernandez#  DH 0 for 3; 2 runs; 2 walks; 1 K; John Bay  CF 1 for 4; 1 run; 1 K; Jamari Baylor  3B 0 for 2; 1 run; 1 walk; 1 K; Daiverson Gutierrez  C 2 for 4; 1 run; 1 RBI; 1 double; JT Benson  RF 2 for 3; 1 run; 4 RBIs; 1 walk; 1 K; 1 HR; Colin Houck  2B 0 for 4; 2 Ks; Trace Willhoite  1B 0 for 4; 2 Ks; Yohairo Cuevas*  LF 1 for 4; 1 run; 1 RBI; 1 K; 1 HR; Dakota Hawkins  (W, 2-0) 5 innings; no runs; 4 hits; 1 K; Robert Stock   2 innings; no runs; 2 Ks; Josh Blum   1 inning; 1 run; 1 ER; 1 hit; 2 walks; 1 K; Ryan Dollar   1 inning; no runs; 2 Ks; 

CONEY ISLAND, BROOKLYN, N.Y. (June 27, 2026) — The Brooklyn Cyclones clinched a series victory over the Jersey Shore BlueClaws with a convincing 9-1 win on Saturday night at Maimonides Park.

LF Yohairo Cuevas hit his first High-A home run, while RF JT Benson launched Brooklyn's first grand slam of the season to power the Cyclones' offense.

RHP Dakota Hawkins (2-0) turned in his best outing of the year, earning his first victory as a starter since 2024. The third-year Cyclone fired a season-high 5.0 scoreless innings, allowing four hits while striking out one.

Brooklyn (4-4, 29-44) broke a scoreless tie in the fifth inning. Cuevas opened the scoring with a solo home run to right-center field before the Cyclones loaded the bases with two outs. C Daiverson Gutiérrez then lifted a fly ball to the gap in right-center that glanced off the glove of center fielder Carter Mathison for a three-base error, allowing three runs to score and extending Brooklyn's lead to 4-0.

The Cyclones put the game away with a five-run seventh inning.

After RHP Titan Kennedy-Hayes walked two batters and hit another to load the bases, Gutiérrez lined an RBI single to left to make it 5-0. Benson followed by crushing a grand slam—Brooklyn's first since Carson Benge on April 25, 2025, at Jersey Shore—to blow the game open, 9-0. Benson finished 2-for-3 and extended his on-base streak to 24 consecutive games.

Brooklyn also flashed the leather behind Hawkins. In the third inning, CF John Bay made a diving catch in the right-center field gap to rob 3B Tyler Pettorini of extra bases. On the next pitch, 2B Colin Houck made a diving stop up the middle to take another hit away and end the inning.

The bullpen kept rolling from there.

RHP Robert Stock struck out two over 2.0 perfect innings, and RHP Ryan Dollar retired the side in order in the ninth to finish off the victory. Since May 14, Brooklyn's bullpen has posted a 2.93 ERA (55 ER in 168.2 IP), the best mark in Minor League Baseball.

Jersey Shore (2-6, 29-44) broke up the shutout in the eighth inning. After a pair of walks, Pettorini rifled an RBI double to right-center field. However, a foul pop out to first and a fly out to right ended the inning.

The Cyclones will look to earn their fifth win of the six-game series — and third straight — on Sunday afternoon. LHP Nicolas Carreño (0-1, 6.30 ERA), the New York Mets’ No. 30 prospect per Baseball America, is scheduled to start for Brooklyn, while Jersey Shore is expected to counter with RHP Reese Dutton (4-3, 3.12 ERA). First pitch from Maimonides Park is scheduled for 2:00 p.m. ET.

LUCKY NUMBER 13!

Yohairo Cuevas’ first home run as a Cyclone is a go-ahead solo shot to right-center!#LGM | #AmazinStartsHere | @MetsPlayerDev pic.twitter.com/a6Oj519r42

— Brooklyn Cyclones (@BKCyclones) June 27, 2026

THEY’RE OFF TO THE RACES!

Daiverson Gutiérrez clears the bases with a line drive off the center fielder’s glove!

We hold a 4-0 lead at stretch time in Brooklyn.#LGM | #AmazinStartsHere | @MetsPlayerDev pic.twitter.com/HuRME93hW2

— Brooklyn Cyclones (@BKCyclones) June 27, 2026

GUTI AGAIN! 😤

Daiverson Gutiérrez stretches our lead to five with a run-scoring single to left in the 7th!#LGM | #AmazinStartsHere | @MetsPlayerDev pic.twitter.com/hsuaATABNM

— Brooklyn Cyclones (@BKCyclones) June 28, 2026

DETECTIVE BENSON ON THE CASE! 👮‍♂️ @jtbensonn clubs his third home run of the series and our first grand slam of the season!

The ‘Clones are in charge, 9-1, as we head to the bottom of the 8th.#LGM | #AmazinStartsHere | @MetsPlayerDev pic.twitter.com/HSqMw3EVL5

— Brooklyn Cyclones (@BKCyclones) June 28, 2026