NILES - The Brooklyn Cyclones entered their game Sunday against the Mahoning Valley Scrappers hitting a New York-Penn League-worst .229.
Brooklyn raised its average by five points by pounding the Scrappers' pitching for 16 hits in a 10-5 victory in Game 2 of a three-game series.
The Cyclones got off to a quick start against Mahoning Valley starter Ryan Merritt (3-3). After Brandon Nimmo singled and Jeff Reynolds walked, Philip Evans hit his fourth home run of the season, a shot into Brooklyn's bullpen for a quick 3-0 lead.
After Merritt retired the next two batters, he was removed due to an injury and replaced by Josh Martin.
"Something happened to his wrist," Scrappers manager Ted Kubiak said of Merritt. "We don't know what it is. Something popped in his wrist. I have no idea what it is. We'll have to get the medical report. I don't know if his wrist was bothering him from the start; I don't think it was. I think it was the last hitter that he threw to."
Brooklyn added two more runs in the second inning on back-to-back solo homers by Julio Concepcion and Nimmo for a 5-0 lead.
The Scrappers scored once in the second and third innings, but the Cyclones added two runs in each of the fifth and sixth innings to take a 9-2 advantage.
"It happens; you've got to do it," Kubiak said of having to go to his bullpen early. "Their pitching stopped us. They've got some good pitching; They've got some good arms over there. We battled back pretty well against some pretty good guys. We got behind early and just couldn't catch up."
Nimmo doubled home a run in the sixth and finished with four hits and two RBIs for Brooklyn.
Mahoning Valley scored three times in the eighth to pull within five runs. Andrew Campbell drove in one run with a base hit and Tyler Naquin doubled in two more. Both hits came with two outs.
Naquin broke out of a slump with a pair of doubles to go with the two RBIs and raised his average to .274.
"I've been struggling; everybody can tell," he said. "You gotta lose that. You gotta put that away down in your heart and not bring it back up. It's a new beginning, it's a new chance. It really shows what you're made of. If you can dig deep and say it's a new at-bat. It's my opportunity. You've just got to keep grinding."
Ursuline High School graduate Eddie Rohan finished 0 for 3 with a walk in his first game for Brooklyn.
The Scrappers conclude their series against Brooklyn tonight at 7:05 before beginning a sic-game road trip at Vermont.
