Brooklyn Cyclones: Saturday Night Winner

From the desk of:   THE SURF AVENUE SLUGGERS

 

BATTLE OF THE BOROUGHS

I - S.I. 5; BK 1

II - BK 11; S.I. 0

III - Sunday

BROOKLYN CYCLONES:  Bums Gain Split on Home Turf.


The Yankees and Cyclones shifted to Coney Island for Game Two of the Battle of the Boroughs.  After dropping a tough game in Staten Island to the Bombers Friday night, the Cyclones jumped out to a first inning 1-0 lead on Saturday.  With one out, Dimas Ponce and Phillip Evans hit consecutive singles.  After Eudy Pina reached safely on an E-6 to load the bases, Kevin Plawecki's sac fly scored Ponce from third.


In the fifth inning, Brandon Nimmo's RBI double and Phillip Evans' RBI single gave Brooklyn a 3-0 lead.


The Cyclones finally knocked Staten Island starter Gabriel Encinas out of the box after 6.1 innings pitched.  But what Brooklyn started against Encinas, Staten Island reliever, Zach Woods, had an even tougher time finishing.  Brooklyn lowered the hammer on the Bombers with eight runs in the seventh inning, similar to the way Staten Island pulled away from Brooklyn late in Friday's game.  In all, Encinas was charged with six runs; five earned; before being removed.  Zach Woods surrendered another five runs, but none earned, even though Brooklyn's Jeff Reynolds tagged Woods for his second home run of the season.


Brooklyn starting pitcher, Hansel Robles, pitched seven full innings, and improved his record to a 5-1 mark.  He only allowed three hits and no runs.  He walked one batter, and struck out eight before giving way to Logan Taylor, who pitched a scoreless eighth inning.  Tyler Vanderheiden pitched the ninth inning, and closed out the Cyclones 11-0 combined three-hit, shutout victory.


You might want to put the celebration on hold however.  Brooklyn received no help.  In Batavia, the visiting Williamsport Crosscutters made their game close with a three run rally in the eighth inning.  But the Crosscutters never managed to push a tying run across the plate. The Muckdogs held on to post a 6-5 final.  Batavia remains three games behind the Cyclones in the Wild Card standings.


In Hudson Valley, the Renegades pulled out a 7-6 win.  They needed eleven innings to do it.  Their victory keeps them six games ahead of the second place Cyclones in the McNamara Division race.


Eleven games remain in the regular season.




Mike.BTB