BATTLE ON THE BOARDWALK
BlueClaws Bullpen Stops Brooklyn Comeback Cold In Its Tracks
Jupiter Pluvius does the Brooklyn Cyclones no favors ...
.. and so it is, the Jersey Shore BlueClaws are triumphant in their first-ever venture into Coney Island.
Oh, the shame ...
Insofar as the game, once both starting pitchers are yanked from the mound, the whole complexion of this contest changes - as if to say, all is well, nothing more to see here; go back to your homes.
Unfortunately for Brooklyn, an early and rather large deficit proves too much to overcome.
In the second inning, Jersey Shore third baseman D.J. Stewart says hello to Kings County with a home run against starter Jaison Vilera who in the very next frame yields six more runs, all earned. Once the dust settles, Vilera is charged with seven earned runs on seven hits, including two home runs, and three walks, in a mere 2.2 innings pitched.
After wielding just two hits through the first three innings, Brooklyn finally gets on the board against Blue Claws starter Dominic Pipkin when Francisco Alvarez laces a double down the left-field line scoring Ronny Mauricio (single) and Brett Baty (double). Joe Genord singles home Alvarez, and center fielder Adrian Hernandez plates two more, making it a 7-5 game.
Francisco Alvarez leaves the game (leg) and is replaced behind the plate by Juan Uriarte as they head into the fifth. Perhaps asking your backstop who is built like a Mack truck to catch in 72% humidity (as I listen in from nearby Bensonhurst), leg out a double, then race from second to home was a bit much on the legs. The announcers were sticking to a precautionary, and proactive explanation, but they did mention he was limping in the dugout. Put that through the translator. Otherwise, I hope it was just cramps. Stay tuned ...
In relief of Vilera, right-hander Colby Morris puts forth his longest outing this season. His previous high was 2.2 innings pitched. He faces twelve batters and throws 51 pitches, with 30 (58.8%) going for strikes. He strikes out the side in the fifth as part of three innings of no-hit, no-run ball. All told, he strikes out four but clearly tires in the sixth inning, walking two batters before making his exit. With two out and two runners on base, Michel Otanez enters the game and closes out the frame.
With the game in the hands of Jersey Shore's Manuel Silva and Otanez for Brooklyn, the score remains unchanged through the seventh as Brett Baty bounces into an inning-ending double play to close out the frame. Otanez exits after 1.1 scoreless innings pitch with one hit allowed; into the game comes Allan Winans, who twirls a scoreless top eight. Silva, in turn, tosses three scoreless innings for the Blue Claws. He is relieved by Aneurys Zabala, who likewise closes out the home half of the eighth.
Winans goes out for the ninth and proceeds to retire Jersey Shore in order. Zabala likewise climbs the bump for the home ninth. First up, Joe Genord strikes out swinging. Next, LT Struble works the count full and draws a one-out walk. Antoine Duplantis then strikes out swinging. Finally, like Genord and Duplantis before him, Cody Bohanek caps off an 0 for 5 night with a strikeout of the swinging variety. It was Brooklyn's twelfth strikeout of the game, yet another double-digit demonstration.
File this under the comeback that wasn't. Brooklyn's five-run outburst in the fifth was all there was, two runs short. The Jersey Shore bullpen made sure of that.
- Quick Note: spell check keeps wanting to turn Aneurys Zabala's name into Aneurysm!
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