Brooklyn Cyclones: Playoff Hopes Fading Fast

HUDSON VALLEY RENEGADES

McNAMARA DIVISION CHAMPIONS

2018

Brooklyn Cyclones: Last Chance at the Coney Island Saloon.

In defeating the Brooklyn Cyclones and completing a series victory Friday at Coney Island, the Hudson Valley Renegades clinch this year's McNamara Division title, and thus begin their quest to repeat as New York Penn League champions.

After splitting the first two games against the defending champs at MCU Park, Brooklyn bows out of game three with a whimper.  Renegades starter Christopher Sanchez allows one run on just one hit and three walks, with six strikeouts through five innings for the victory.  Three Hudson Valley relievers join to pitch the final four innings, allowing just a hit, no walks, and striking out six.

Brooklyn starter Kyle Wilson is tagged with the loss after allowing all four Hudson Valley runs on seven hits and a walk in just 3.2 innings pitched.  Otherwise, four Cyclones relievers join to pitch 5.1 scoreless innings, allowing just two hits and fanning four.

With three games still left in the regular season, Hudson Valley captures their fifth ever division flag by five games over the Cyclones and six over Staten Island Yankees.  I would argue Brooklyn's five game disparity is congruent to a pair of recent and most ruinous road trips wherein they were swept at Troy, and lost two of three at Vermont.

Due to Friday's loss, the Cyclones also now find themselves trailing in the Wild Card race.  They enter Saturday's action one-half game behind the Auburn Doubledays, who play an early afternoon game against the Batavia Muckdogs.  The Staten Island Yankees are 1.5 games back of the lead, and this evening open a season ending home-and-home series against the Brooklyn Cyclones.

The Cyclones have failed to qualify for the post-season in each of the last five seasons, the longest such drought in their history.

However, there are still important games to be played.

Let's Go Cyclones!