Next Stop ... Vermont, Where The Lake Monsters Are
The Surf Avenue Sluggers in front of a full house Saturday night at MCU Park clinch their rubber game against Connecticut with a second straight drubbing of the Tigers.
Edgardo Alfonzo's crew strike early and often, opening with three runs in the first, and four more runs in the third. Connecticut scraps together a pair of runs against Cyclones starter Kyle Wilson in the fourth and one more in the fifth. But the Brooks strike back in the home half of each frame, extending their lead to an eventual 10-3 margin of victory.
Chase Chambers and Jose Miguel Medina for a second consecutive game drive in two runs apiece. Anthony Dirocie and Manny Rodriguez each add two RBI, as well. Six Cyclones hitters post multiple hit games as part of Brooklyn's fifteen hit attack. For a second straight game they also post double-digit runs against the Tigers.
Kyle Wilson exits the game after five innings. He surrenders three earned runs on six hits and a walk, and strikes out five en route to his fifth ever win as a pro.
CURIOUS CALL TO THE BULLPEN
Relievers Billy Oxford and Yeudy Colon each are curiously tasked with two innings of work. Maintaining routine, for sake of work, or out of pure desperation, only Coach Alfonzo knows why other members of the pen failed to get the ball in that situation. Now down to their last nine games and final three series of the regular season, the Cyclones need all hands on deck. That being said, is there no other reliever in need of work, fine tuning, or perhaps even a positive outing aimed at boosting confidence? With a seven run lead, planning ahead is a worthwhile gamble not just in this instance, but also as it pertains to setting up the bullpen for the upcoming series at Vermont, and the looming Hudson Valley clash to follow.
WHERE THE WILD TEAMS ARE
Up in Dutchess County the Tri City Valley Cats and host Hudson Valley Renegades battled into extra innings. The Valley Cats two runs in the top of the tenth was negated when the Renegades rallied for three runs in the bottom half of the frame for a 7-6 victory. Thus the Cyclones end the night 2.5 games behind the McNamara Division leading Renegades, but presently own sole possession of the Wild Card. Their victory over the Tigers coupled with Staten Island's loss against Aberdeen gives the Cyclones a one game lead over the Pizza Rats, but only a half-game lead over the Auburn Doubledays, whom on Saturday whitewash State College. The Cyclones next opponent is Vermont, whom on Saturday defeat Lowell to stay just 3.5 games back of Brooklyn. In turn, the fading Spinners fall yet another notch further down the Wild Card standings.
