Brooklyn Cyclones Suffer Crushing Defeat at Hudson Valley as Passive Manager Blankmeyer Looks On

From the desk: THE CONEY ISLAND NINE

BROOKLYN vs. HUDSON VALLEY; 1-2

I - HVR 3; BRK 2

II - BRK 11; HVR 7

III - HVR 6; BRK 5

Cyclone Skipper Draws a "Blank"

Trailing 5-4 Entering the Home Ninth, 

Hudson Valley Hits Two-Run Walkoff Home Run

In match number three between New York City's rival affiliates, the Renegades serve with single runs in the first and third innings.  Brooklyn return serves with a run in the fifth and four aces in the sixth.  But the Renegades volley with a run in the bottom of the sixth and two more in the seventh, tying the game at five.

Hudson Valley starter Edgar Barclay is knocked out of the box with two outs in the top of the sixth, but not before surrendering four runs on four hits and a walk with five strikeouts through 5.2 innings pitched.  Making his fifth start for the Cyclones, J.T. Ginn allows three runs on three hits and one walk with three strikeouts through six full innings pitched while exiting on the winning side of a 5-3 affair.

Facing Brooklyn's Connor O'Neil in the home seventh, Hudson Valley is helped to a pair of runs.  O'Neil surrenders a leadoff hit, then advances the runner with an errant pickoff attempt.  The Renegades then score on a fielder's choice.  Afterwhich, Connor O'Neil issues four consecutive bases on balls forcing in a second run and tying the game at five.  Manager Blankmeyer finally removes O'Neil in favor of Evy Ruibal, who closes out the seventh without further damage.

Hudson Valley's Charlie Ruegger and Evy Ruibal then pitched a scoreless eighth inning.

Leading off the ninth, second baseman Luke Ritter doubles, and Jose Mena singles putting runners on the corners with one out.  Ritter then scores on Antoine Duplantis' fielder's choice to second, but Jose Mena is thrown out at second base on the continuation to end the inning, not before the Cyclones take a 6-5 lead.

Evy Rubial is sent blackout for the home half of the ninth and promptly yields a leadoff single.  That right there usually serves as a red flag, but an unconcerned manager Blankmeyer makes no move.  His ambivalence proves unfortunate, if not costly.  Because the very next batter, designated hitter Anthony Volpe launches a game-winning two-run home run over the left-field wall.

A deflating loss, for sure.  I'm left with little choice but to call manager Ed Blankmeyer on the carpet over this one.  Back in the seventh, Conner O'Neil clearly lacked effectiveness/control and perhaps was left in the game too long.  Insofar as Evy Rubial, he did his job in the seventh and again in the eighth.  Sending him out again for the ninth was already a questionable move.  But blame for not removing Rubial once the leadoff hitter singled safely falls squarely on the manager.

Luke Ritter finishes 2 for 4 with two runs batted in, and with one hit Ronny Mauricio also drives home two runs giving him 52 RBI in 84 games to date.  Third baseman Jose Peroza goes 2 for 4 with a double and one run batted in.

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