BKN Cyclones ~ The Brooks Fend Off Renegades For Sweep

From the desk of:   THE CONEY ISLAND NINE

BROOKLYN CYCLONES:  The Seaside Sluggers Sweep Series Over Hudson Valley Rivals.  Open Up Three Game Lead in McNamara Division.


In the third and final game of this home-and-home series, Hansel Robles started against Hudson Valley.  Jeff Ames started for the Renegades.  For the Cyclones, they had an opportunity to open a three game lead over their second place rivals.  For Hudson Valley, a chance to salvage a game in this series, and close to within a game of the Cyclones again.

Brooklyn struck first.  Brandon Nimmo's third inning sac-fly scored Jonathan Clark for the first run of the game.  Phillip Evens followed with an RBI double.  And Cole Frenzel gave Brooklyn a 3-0 lead with an RBI single.  But in the bottom half of the third, Hudson Valley struck back.  With two outs, the Renegades mounted a three run rally to tie the game at three.

Hudson Valley went up by a run in the fifth and effectively ended Hansel Robles' night.  The Brooklyn starter pitched five full, allowed four earned runs on six hits.  He walked one and struck out one.  His ERA ballooned from 0.84 before this game, to a 2.87 mark after.

Matthew Bowman took over for Hansel Robles in the sixth, and Rob Finneran followed Jeff Ames for the Renegades.  After a scoreless sixth inning, trouble came Hudson Valley's way in the top of the seventh, when Cyclones' Dimas Ponce scored on an E-6 to tie the game at five apiece.  Then with two outs, Cole Frenzel singled home the go ahead run against Finneran.  But not so fast.  Stubbornly, once again the Renegades tied the game at five in their home half of the seventh.

Brooklyn mustered one last rally off the third Renegades pitcher, Jose Molina, in the eighth.  Nelfi Zapata walked, and Jonathan Clark singled.  After a sacrifice bunt moved them over, Juan Carlos Gamboa singled home Zapata.  Brandon Nimmo reached safely on an E-3, and Clark scored on the play, giving Brooklyn a 7-5 lead, and an eventual final.  Paul Seward pitched the eighth and ninth innings for Brooklyn, and earned his first save.  Matt Bowman was credited with the win.

With this victory, the Cyclones sweep the series, and establish a three game lead over the Hudson Valley Renegades in the McNamara Division standings.

Next up on the schedule, the Williamsport Crosscutters come to Coney Island for a 4th of July three game series.





Mike.BTB