Tuesday, September 03, 2019

Brooklyn Cyclones Clinch Sixth McNamara Division Title

From the desk of:  CONEY ISLAND'S DIVISION CHAMPS!

Cyclones Sweep Yankees 3-0
I - BRK 11; SIY 2
II - BRK 5; SIY 4
III - BRK 4; SIY 1


BROOKLYN CYCLONES
McNAMARA DIVISION CHAMPIONS
2001    2003-2004    2007    2010    2019


Despite being limited to just one run on three hits, the Aberdeen Iron Birds win their season finale in a 1-0 whitewashing of the Hudson Valley Renegades at Dutchess County.  Aberdeen is subsequently eliminated once Brooklyn's victory over the Yankees at Coney Island goes final.  The Renegades appeared on their way towards securing the McNamara Division title with victories over the Ironbirds in games one and two, but fail to execute a sweep.  They finish the season 5-5 over their last ten games and thus end the regular season tied for the division lead with the surging Cyclones.  But Brooklyn owns the tie-breaker and thereby clinch their sixth division title.  More importantly this marks the Cyclones first appearance since 2012 in the New York Penn League playoffs.  The wild card Hudson Valley Renegades will oppose Brooklyn in the first round.  Game one is scheduled for Wednesday at Dutchess County.

LABOR DAY
Yankees    1
Cyclones  4
FINAL

On the last day of the regular season under thundering rain threatening storm clouds, Brooklyn pitchers join together in hurling a gem against the Staten Island Yankees at Coney Island.  Making his eleventh start for the Cyclones Frank Valentino surrenders just one earned run on one hit and two walks with nine strikeouts through 5.1 innings pitched.  He faces 19 batters, throwing 78 pitches with 49 going for strikes en route to his second victory with a 3.41 ERA.  Nick MacDonald throws 1.2 scoreless innings in relief of Valentino with three strikeouts.  Hunter Parsons pitches a scoreless eighth, and Reyson Santos strikeouts out the side in the ninth to earn his first save of the season.  Together they limit Staten Island to one run on just five scattered hits and two walks with 16 strikeouts over nine full innings pitched.


Brooklyn breaks out for three runs in the third and never look back.  Jake Ortega and Antoine Duplantis lead-off with consecutive singles against Yankees starter Alex Mejias.  With one out, Wilmer Reyes and Luke Ritter follow with consecutive doubles giving the Cyclones a 3-0 lead.  After trading single runs in the fourth, Brooklyn shuts down Staten Island for good en route to a 4-1 playoff clinching victory.

Tied with a league best 43-32 record, third year manager Edgardo Alfonzo has now guided the Cyclones to two straight 40-plus win seasons.  They also finish with a league best 24-14 record at home, and post a McNamara best 18-12 record within their own division.



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