Brooklyn Cyclones: Thor Drops Hammer on Pizza Rats

From the desk of:  THE SURF AVENUE SLUGGERS

VERRAZZANO NARROWS 

SHOWDOWN

BATTLE OF THE BOROUGHS

Season Series Tied 4-4

SUNDAY

Yankees    1

Cyclones   2

FINAL

Brooklyn Cyclones: Thor Giveth, and Thor Taketh Away.

We all know New York City rodents aren't skittish around people anymore.  But those Pizza Rats from Staten Island may have come off just a little too damn cocky during their most recent visit to Coney Island.

I'm sure Noah Syndergaard isn't too pleased with himself, either.

Making a rehab assignment start for the Cyclones, Syndergaard issues a walk to the first batter of the game, who then disrespectfully steals second base.  With one out, a solid base hit by Staten Island backstop Josh Breaux puts runners on the corners.  Syndergaard fans the next batter, but then unleashes a wild pitch allowing Pizza Rat Alex Junior to scurry home.

After which, Thor drops his hammer.  He allows the Rats just one more hit in the fourth, and fans six through his final four innings of work.  All told, Syndergaard pitches five innings, allows one earned run on just two hits, walks one, and strikes out seven.  He faces nineteen Pizza Rats, throwing 71 pitches with 46 (65%) going for strikes.

It's a good thing too, because the Cyclones were limited to a pair of runs on just five hits by Staten Island starter Roansy Contreras and reliever Shawn Semple.

JOSE MIGUEL MEDINA IS BIG MAN ON CAMPUSS

BUT SMALL BALL WINS THE DAY

• Brooklyn ties the game at one in the third.  Third baseman Brian Sharp draws a lead-off walk, and is advanced on a sacrifice bunt by Manny Rodriguez.  Sharp then scores on Jose Miguel Medina's double to left.

The game remains locked at one through the seventh.

• Catcher Nick Meyer leads off the bottom of the eighth with a single back up the middle.  Brian Sharp's sacrifice bunt successfully moves Meyer to second base.  After Manny Rodriguez looks at strike three, Jose Miguel Medina singles home Meyer with the go-ahead run.

Reliever Kevin Smith faces ten batters pitching the final three innings for Brooklyn.  He earns his second victory of the season after limiting Staten Island to no walks, just one hit, and striking out four.

With only their second victory in their last seven games, the Cyclones snap a five game losing streak, and avoid falling below par, instead improving to 12-11 on the season.  Although they remain three games back of the Hudson Valley Renegades, Brooklyn slides back into second place past Aberdeen.

Brooklyn also evens the season series against Staten Island at four games apiece.

The Staten Island Yankee Baby Bomber Pizza Rats Baseball Club fall to 10-13 on the season.

The teams head back to Richmond County and the St. George Rat Den for Monday's series finale.