Brooklyn Cyclones: One More Win and They're In

From the desk of: 

THE SURF AVENUE SLUGGERS  &  THE RICHMOND COUNTY RATS

BATTLE of the BOROUGHS

Brooklyn leads series 2-0

I - BRK 11; SIY 2

II - BRK 5; SIY 4

LABOR DAY

Staten Island Yankees

vs.

Brooklyn Cyclones

FROM

Coney Island

Brooklyn Rallies For Ninth Inning Victory at Staten Island; Hudson Valley Clinches Playoff Berth With Win Over Aberdeen.

Brooklyn scores in their first at-bat, but trail the Yankees 4-1 after four.  The Cyclones make it a 4-2 game in the fifth.  Starter Garrison Bryant exits on the losing side after yielding four runs, three earned, on seven hits and one walk with five strikeouts.  After which the bullpen pitches brilliantly whilst the Cyclones mount their comeback.

With two outs in the sixth Joe Genord, Jose Peroza, and Jake Ortega all single consecutively; Genord scores making it a 4-3 game in Staten Island's favor.  In the top of the ninth Yankees reliever Barrett Loseke commits a cardinal sin of baseball when he walks Brooklyn lead-off batter Kenedy Corona, who then advances to second on a wild pitch.  Antoine Duplantis singles putting runners on the corners.  Jake Mangum likewise singles to left scoring Corona.  With Wilmer Reyes at the plate, Barrett Loseke unleashes another wild pitch advancing Duplantis to third, whom then scores on a subsequent throwing error by catcher Carlos Narvaez giving Brooklyn a 5-4 lead and ultimate margin of victory.

Jared Biddy allows just one hit through two innings in relief of Bryant.  Josh Hejika pitches a scoreless eighth for the victory, and Nelson Leon tosses a scoreless ninth with two strikeouts for his fourth save.  The three relievers combine on four scoreless innings of one-hit ball with no walks and four strikeouts.

• New York Penn League

Hudson Valley breaks a scoreless tie with two runs in the fifth.  Aberdeen rallies for two runs in the top of the eighth, and into extra innings they go at Dutchess County.  The Renegades ultimately walk off with a 3-2 win in the tenth.  Hudson Valley clinches at least a wild card.  Heading into the last game of the regular season, the Renegades lead the McNamara Division by one full game over the Cyclones.  The Ironbirds are eliminated from the division race.  With another victory over Aberdeen on Monday the Renegades would clinch the division title.  In turn Brooklyn now leads the wild card race by one full game over the Ironbirds.  One more victory over Staten Island on Monday would stamp Brooklyn's ticket to the playoffs.  As a result of Sunday's loss the Yankees are eliminated from wild card contention.

Dare I contemplate a McNamara Division tie?

Brooklyn Cyclones: Staten Island Yankees Continue Playing Guardian Angel

From the desks of: 

THE SURF AVENUE SLUGGERS  &  THE RICHMOND COUNTY RATS

Cyclones split series with Tigers; 2-2

I - CON 1; BRK 0

II - BRK 4; CON 0

III - BRK 5; CON 0

IV - CON 6; BRK 5

SUNDAY

Vermont Lake Momsters

vs.

Brooklyn Cyclones

FROM

Coney Island

Thank goodness for the Staten Island Yankees.  At least they got things right Saturday night ... insofar as the Cyclones are concerned and the race for the McNamara Division title, that is.

Leading Connecticut 5-2 entering the eighth inning at the Dodd, Brooklyn surrenders two runs in the eighth, and two more in the ninth en route to a deflating loss against the Tigers.  Net result is yet another huge blown opportunity to impact the standings.  That's because despite Hudson Valley's best efforts Tri City prevails in 13 innings for a 4-3 victory at Dutchess County.  Meanwhile the Yankees outlast Aberdeen in a tightly contested 1-0, three-hit whitewashing of the Ironbirds.

• Yankees starter Blakely Brown tosses a gem, allowing no runs on just two hits and one walk with five strikeouts through six innings pitched.  Relievers Nick Ernst, Marcus Evey, and Barrett Loseke, join together on three innings of one-hit ball with one walk and three strikeouts to complete Saturday's shutout over Aberdeen.

While nothing is lost, nothing is gained either.  After an uneventful Saturday night Hudson Valley remains in first place with a one game lead over the Ironbirds and Cyclones.  The Yankees however close within two games of first.  Meanwhile Aberdeen and Brooklyn remain locked in a tie for the wild card with Staten Island now threatening just one game behind.  In the meantime the clock is ticking and time is running short.  Nine games remain in the regular season.

• New York Penn League

NEXT:

• Vermont @ Brooklyn
• Staten Island @ Tri City
• Connecticut @ Hudson Valley
• Aberdeen @ Lowell

This upcoming series marks Brooklyn's third against the Lake Monsters.  The first two take place at Burlington where the Cyclones sweep three games in July, and the Lake Monsters sweep three just over one week ago.  The series now shifts to Coney Island for the first time.

Let's go Cyclones!

S.I. Yankees Win Vintage Duel Versus Mahoning Valley Scrappers

From the desk of:  THE RICHMOND COUNTY RATS

Yankees sweep Mahoning Valley Scrappers

I - SIY 3; MHV 2

II - SIY 5; MHV 4

III - SIY 1; MHV 0

Staten Island Announces Arrival in Division Race With One-Hit Whitewashing and Three Game Sweep of the Mahoning Valley Scrappers

In the first inning Yankees starter Blakely Brown retires the Scrappers in order.  In the bottom half of the frame Staten Island second baseman Ezequiel Duran leads-off with a triple to right, and promptly scores on Josh Smith's RBI sac-fly to center.

With one out in the fifth Mahoning Valley second baseman Joab Gonzalez accounts for the Scrappers lone hit of the game against Yankees pitching.

Combined One-Hit Shutout

Blakely Brown yields no runs and the one aforementioned hit and four walks with six strikeouts through six innings.  He even unleashes a wild pitch, picks off a runner, and for good measure hits a batter as part of a rather full service effort.  Brown earns his second victory of the season against two losses with a 3.14 ERA.  He faces 22 batters throwing 83 pitches with 51 (61%) going for strikes.

Bryan Blanton pitches two scoreless innings of no-hit ball with an impressive five strikeouts in relief of Brown.  Barrett Loseke then closes out the ninth yielding no hits while fanning two for his first save.  Catcher Chase Illig accounts for the only other Staten Island hit of the evening.  Hard luck losing pitcher Carlos Vargas allows one run on two hits and just one walk with five strikeouts through seven innings pitched.

The Yankees are winners of three straight, and with Sunday's victory forge a third place tie with Brooklyn a mere 2.5 games back of first place.