BKN Cyclones ~ Heading To Ohio One Game Out of First Place

From the desk of:   THE CONEY ISLAND NINE

N.Y. Daily News - Brooklyn Cyclones Hand Out ~ 2001 Inaugural Season

Brooklyn Wins Series 2-1

I - BKN 3; BAT 1

II - BKN 7; BAT 1

III - BAT 2; BKN 0

Recaps:  Games One and Two

BROOKLYN CYCLONES:

Batavia Muckdogs Bite Back In Series Finale.

Ohio, Here We Come!

Plus ~ McNamara Division Friday Evening Wrap-Up

Brooklyn caught an early afternoon break.  The Tri Citi Valley Cats took the first game of a double-header against Hudson Valley, allowing the Cyclones to gain a half-game on the first place Renegades before ever stepping on the field.  And so the Brooks entered Friday night's game against Batavia one game behind the Renegades for the McNamara Division lead.  Hudson Valley still had an evening game to play however.


That said, make that three consecutive games this series in which the Batavia Muckdogs jumped out to a 1-0 first inning lead over the Cyclones.  They scored off Brooklyn starter, Luis Cessa, with a lead-off single by Alex Mejia, and a one out RBI double by Garret Wittels.  On the mound starting for Batavia was Joe Cuda.  Over the first four innings, he retired the Cyclones in order.  After the first inning, Luis Cessa matched zeroes with him.


Brooklyn was still looking for their first hit as the teams entered the fifth inning.  Finally, they got it.  A lead-off double by Alexander Sanchez broke the seal.  Or, so it seemed.  Joe Cuba struck out the next three batters to turn back Brooklyn, and raised his total to seven strikeouts for the game.  Luis Cessa then pitched a scoreless bottom half of the fifth to keep the game a 1-0 affair.


In the sixth inning, Batavia made a pitching change and summoned Corey Baker to relieve Joe Cuda. Dimas Ponce then led off with a single.  But Corey Baker retired the next three Brooklyn batters.  Luis Cessa's night was also finished after five innings although he left on the losing side.  Coach Donnelly called on Matthew Bowman to pitch the sixth.  After a lead-off single and a stolen base by Patrick Wisdom, Bowman retired the next three Muckdogs.  Both relievers went on to pitch a scoreless seventh inning as well.  Three strikeout by Corey Baker brought Batavia's total to ten for the game.  And to this point, Brooklyn's Luis Cessa had issued the only walk of the game.


With eight hits in the game, the Batavia Muckdogs were coming up short with runners on base.  Through the first seven frames, they were 1 for 11 with runners in scoring position.  While Brooklyn, still behind by a run, was being limited to just two hits.  The game pressed on and into the eighth inning they went.


After Corey Baker secured the first out in Brooklyn's half of the eighth, Batavia brought Ryan Copeland into the game.  The Cyclones had a runner on second with one out after Juan Carlos Gamboa singled, and moved to second on a wild pitch.  Then with runners on first and second with two outs, up came Brandon Nimmo, who struck out swinging, and was thrown out at first base (K, 2-3) to complete the play.  Gamboa's hit was only Brooklyn's third of the game.


Tyler Vanderheiden took over pitching duties from Matthew Bowman in the home half of the eighth.  With one out, Patrick Wisdom singled.  A batter later, David Washington drove Wisdom home with a clutch, two out double, to give Batavia a 2-0 lead.


To close out the game for Batavia, the Muckdogs called upon Yunier Castillo to pitch the ninth inning.  After issuing a lead-off walk to Phillip Evans, Castillo set down the next three Cyclones in order, striking out Stefan Sabol swinging to end the game.


Although he pitched well, Luis Cessa was tabbed with the loss.  He now has a 2-2 record this season, but lowered his ERA to a 2.78 mark.  Batavia's Joe Cuda, who struck out seven while issuing no walks, gets credit for his fourth win of the season without a loss.  Yunier Castillo notched save number five.


Opportunity Lost:  With tonight's loss, the Cyclones gave back the half-game Hudson Valley afforded them earlier in the day.  That put Brooklyn 1.5 games behind the Renegades again even before Hudson Valley's second game went final.  But as luck would have it, the Tri Citi Valley Cats shut out the Renegades 7-0, to sweep their double-header.  Worth noting about the second game, Tri Citi's starting pitcher, Brian Holmes, took a no-hitter into the ninth inning before Hudson Valley's center fielder, Joey Rickard, broke it up with a clean lead-off single to right field.  Brian Holmes, like Batavia's starting pitcher, Joey Cuda, won his fourth game of the season, against one loss.  He finished out the game pitching a one-hit, complete game shutout.  And with Hudson Valley's game two loss, and suffering a sweep at the hands of the Valley Cats, Brooklyn ends the night only one game behind the Renegades who lead the McNamara Division.


What you should know about New York Penn League rules however, is that each game of a double-header will be seven innings in length, not nine.  That's A-ball folks.


The Cyclones will now continue along with their great western road trip.  Get ready Ohio!  Here comes Brooklyn.  The Seaside Sluggers will play the Mahoning Valley Scrappers over the weekend before returning back home to Coney Island.  The Staten Island Yankees concluded a series against the Scrappers tonight.  They dropped the first game of a double-header 5-3, but had game two cancelled due to weather.  Let's hope the skies clear up in time for Brooklyn's arrival.


Let's Go Cyclones!






Mike.BTB