Brooklyn Cyclones: All Alone in First Place

From the desk of:  THE CONEY ISLAND NINE

Cyclones Sweep Lake Monsters 3-0

I - BKN 2; VER 1*

II - BKN 5; VER 1

III - BKN 9; VER 1

* 10-innings

How about those Hudson Valley Renegades!  Now there's an example of a good neighbor unlike those rats from Richmond County.  Our Dutchess County friends to the north take two of three from Aberdeen with their rubber game defeat of the Ironbirds on Sunday.  Coupled with Brooklyn's victory over the Lake Monsters, the week long mathematical voodoo spell cast over the recent McNamara Division standings is broken.  The Brooklyn Cyclones once again own a full game lead over both the Renegades and Ironbirds as of close of business Sunday.  Said another way, fractions be damned.

For a third straight game Brooklyn pitching limits Vermont to just one run.  They also hold them to just three hits; five hits in game two; and just two hits in game one.  That's three runs and just ten hits through three games.  Sunday's was a group effort.  Manager Alfonzo tasks five pitchers to cover the load.  Starter Colin Holderman kicks things off will three scoreless innings of no-hit ball with four strikeouts, although he did not factor in the decision.  Next in Corey Gaconi yields just one hit through three scoreless innings with two strikeouts, and is credited with his second win of the season.  Justin Lasko yields the Monsters lone run of the game in the seventh.  Matt Mullenbach chips in with a scoreless eighth, and Luis Silva closes out the ninth with two strikeouts.

Brooklyn tallies nine runs on 15 hits, striking four extra-base hits including home runs from shortstop Wilmer Reyes and Gavin Garay (making the start at first).  The two account for five RBI all with two outs.  The Cyclones hit 7 for 12 with runners in scoring position and strand just four runners on base.

The Kids from Coney are now winners of five straight.

TUESDAY
Brooklyn Cyclones

vs.

Lowell Spinners