Brooklyn Cyclones Even Their Series With Winston-Salem Dash

From the desk: THE SURF AVENUE SLUGGERS

Winston-Salem vs. Brooklyn

I - WSD 4; BKN 2

II - WSD 8; BKN 0

III - BKN 5; WSD 1

IV - BKN 2; WSD 0

Cyclones Hurl Six-Hit Shutout; Claim Share of First Place

Three Brooklyn pitchers joined together in hurling a six-hit shutout over Winston-Salem on Friday to even their first-ever series against the Dash at two games apiece.

The Cyclones mustered just four hits all game but timed them perfectly.  With one out in the second, center fielder Stanley Consuegra tripled and scored on Jose Peroza's double to center field, and with one out and the bases loaded in the third, catcher Juan Loyo scored on a fielder's choice giving the Cyclones a two-run lead.  Designated hitter Rowdey Jordan and Juan Loyo accounted for Brooklyn's other two hits.

Starter Keyshawn Askew and the bullpen took care of the rest.  

Making his first start with Brooklyn after thirteen appearances and four starts with the St. Lucie Mets, southpaw Keyshawn Askew limited the Dash to three hits, and no walks with six strikeouts in 4.1 innings but did not qualify for a decision.  Right-handed reliever David Griffin surrendered just two hits with four strikeouts in 3.2 innings for the win - his second of the season, and Dylan Hall closed out the game with a scoreless ninth to preserve the shutout and earn his third save.

This was Brooklyn's 100th game in which they posted an even 50-50 record.  Friday's victory gives the Cyclones a 20-14 second-half record, tying them for first place in the South Atlantic League North Division with the Hudson Valley Renegades.

Brooklyn Cyclones Take Series Opener From Bowling Green Hot Rods

From the desk: THE SURF AVENUE SLUGGERS

Brooklyn leads Bowling Green; 1-0

I - BK 5; BG 4

Cyclones Stage a Thriller at Coney Island 

Down by a run entering the ninth, Brooklyn rallies for the tying and winning runs to seize their series-opening game against the Bowling Green Hot Rods.

The Hots Rods took a prompt 1-0 lead in the first, and the score remained unchanged until the fourth inning.  First baseman JT Schwartz led off the frame with a double and scored on right fielder Brandon McIlwain's triple to left.

However, Bowling Green retook the lead on second baseman Ronny Simon's two-run home run in their next at-bat.

The teams then traded single runs in the sixth.  With two outs and the bases jammed, shortstop Wilmer Reyes singled home JT Schwartz, but Brandon McIlwain was thrown out at home to end the threat.

Brooklyn closed to within one when Rowdey Jordan singled and scored in the seventh on a fielder's choice. 

Then, into the home ninth, they go ...

Leading off, Rowdey Jordan is hit by a pitch; catcher Matt O'Neill reaches on an E6; and JT Schwartz draws a walk to load the bases.  Brandon McIlwain bounces into a fielder's choice; Bowling Green throws out the lead runner at home.  With one out and the bases still loaded, designated hitter Jose Mena singled to left field, scoring O'Neill and Schwartz for the win.

Starter David Griffin escapes with a no-decision, allowing three runs on five hits and no walks with six strikeouts in five innings pitched.  Right-hander Josh Hejka pitched a scoreless ninth for the win.

I'd be remiss if I didn't mention they struck out 15 times.

Let's Go Cyclones!

Brooklyn Cyclones Even Series at Hudson Valley

From the desk: THE CONEY ISLAND NINE

Brooklyn vs. Hudson Valley; 1-1

I - HVR 5; BKN 3

II - BKN 4; HVR 3

Feel the Breeze..!

Here we go again ...

Baseball's indifference to striking out is ponderous to me.

In Tuesday's series opener, the Cyclones struck out 17 times in 33 at-bats.  On Wednesday, they struck out 18 times in 32 at-bats.  That's 35 strikeouts in their last 65 at-bats.  

Through their first eleven games, the Cyclones as a team are striking out at a rate of 35% (108/308), which I find crazy.

Clinging to a 3-2 lead entering the ninth inning, Brooklyn pushed across what would prove to be the game's decisive run.  Left fielder Matt Rudick drew a leadoff walk and scored on JT Schwartz's single to center.  Hudson Valley rallied for a run in the home ninth, but Cyclones right-hander Reyson Santos held on through his second inning of work for the save.

JT Schwartz finished 2 for 3 with two walks and two runs batted in.  Starter David Griffin walked off to a no-decision, allowing one run on three hits and one walk with five strikeouts through 4.0 innings pitched.  Right-hander Justin Courtney earned the victory in relief.

Brooklyn Cyclones Pitchers Twirl Three-Hitter; Take 3-2 Series Lead Over Jersey Shore

From the desk: THE SURF AVENUE SLUGGERS

20th ANNIVERSARY SEASON

REGULAR-SEASON FINALE

JERSEY SHORE @ BROOKLYN

I - BK 5; JS 2

II - JS 4; BK 3

III - JS 8; BK 6

IV - BK 7; JS 4

VI - BK 9; JS 2

David Griffin Hurls a Coney Island Thriller; Bullpen Joins for a Combined Three-Hitter

Brooklyn's penultimate game of the season is a dandy.  Making his seventh start for the Cyclones, right-hander David Griffin hurls an absolute gem against the Blue Claws, limiting them to just two hits and two walks with eight strikeouts over six innings for the win.  

Griffin faces twenty batters, throwing 89 pitches with 53 (59.5%) going for strikes.  He retires his first eight batters before issuing his first base on balls with two outs in the third.  Griffin then sits down the next five batters.  With two outs in the fifth, Jersey Shore finally wields their first base hit.  Griffin issues his second walk in the sixth but induces the next batter into an inning-ending double-play.  The 24-year old improves to 3-1 as a Cyclone with a declining 4.18 ERA.

In relief of Griffin, Evy Ruibal allows no hits over two scoreless innings with four strikeouts.  However, misfortune befalls Colby Morris, who surrenders an inconsequential two-run home run in the ninth.

Meanwhile, the Cyclones plate nine runs on eleven hits in 34 at-bats (.323) and go 3 for 7 with runners in scoring position.  They draw four walks and whiff nine times.  After two scoreless frames, Coney Island scores in every inning to follow.

FIVE HOME RUNS

The Cyclone's home run barrage begins with Jaylen Palmer's solo shot in the third.  In his eighth game with Brooklyn, Oscar Campos connects for a fourth-inning three-run home run.  In the fifth, second baseman Luke Ritter launches his 14th home run with two runners on.  

Far from done, Francisco Alvarez, in the seventh inning, swats his team-leading 22nd home run this season for Brooklyn and his 24th overall.

Lastly, Mr. Excitment himself, Wilmer Reyes, hits a solo shot in the eighth en route to a 9-2 victory over the Jersey Shore Blue Claws.  Reyes, through eight games, is batting .406 (13/32) with a 1.039 OPS.

Brooklyn takes a 3-2 series lead.  The final game of a very intriguing 2021 regular season draws to a close Sunday at Coney Island.

Francisco Alvarez Hits Twentieth Home Run But Cyclones Lose Series Finale at Hudson Valley

From the desk: THE CONEY ISLAND NINE

BROOKLYN @ HUDSON VALLEY

I - HV 7; BK 6

II - BK 4; HV 0

III - BK 10; HV 8

IV - BK 6; HV 4

V - HV 4; BK 1

VI - HV 7; BK 0

VII - HV 13; BK 9

Coney Island Gets Walloped at Wappingers Falls; Renegades Take Series

With two outs and two runners on base in the visitor's first, second baseman Luke Ritter launches a home run to left field off Renegade starter Matt Sauer for a prompt 3-0 lead.

However, making his sixth start for Brooklyn, right-hander David Griffin fails to make it out of the second inning.  Hudson Valley scores seven times on six hits, with three going for home runs.  Forced into early relief duty, Colby Morris yields another three runs in the third, highlighted by Hudson Valley's fourth home run of the game.  

Making his second appearance for Brooklyn, Reyson Santos takes over in the fifth and surrenders another three runs on two walks, two hits, and a hit-by-pitch giving the Renegades a 13-4 lead.

Brooklyn shows signs of life with a four-run sixth.  Left fielder Zack Ashford drives home Jaylen Palmer, and Wilmer Reyes connects on a three-run home run.

Cyclone relievers Dylan Hall and Michel Otanez join together for three scoreless innings through the eighth.

Designated hitter Francisco Alvarez hits his twentieth home run this season with one out in the ninth, becoming the first Cyclone to ever achieve this milestone.  He hit two home runs with St. Lucie prior to his arrival in Brooklyn.

Alas, it's not enough.  Hudson Valley wins the rubber game and finishes the season series against the Cyclones with a 24-12 record.

Brooklyn Cyclones Suffer Familiar Fate in Series Opener at Hudson Valley

From the desk: THE CONEY ISLAND NINE

BROOKLYN @ HUDSON VALLEY

I - HV 7; BK 6

Game Gets Away From Cyclones in the Sixth

Brooklyn got off to a rousing start on Luis Gonzalez's second-inning grand slam home run.  But after keeping HudsonValley off the board through the first four innings, starter David Griffin surrenders a three-run home run off the bat of center fielder Everson Pereira, cutting Brooklyn's lead to one.  

Griffin exits on the winning side of a 3-2 game after allowing five hits and one walk with five strikeouts through five innings.  With Luis Montas pitching the sixth in relief of Griffin, the Renegades muster four runs on five hits, with two going for extra bases for an abrupt 7-3 lead.

Shortstop Ronny Mauricio hits a two-run home run in the eighth, but it's not enough.

David Griffin is reduced to a no-decision, while Luis Montas takes the loss.  Right-hander Nolan Clenney closes out the game with two scoreless innings.  

Meanwhile, three Hudson Valley Renagade pitchers join together in limiting the Cyclones to a mere four hits, albeit two went for home runs and just two walks with 13 strikeouts for the joint effort victory.  Right-hander Matt Sauer earns the win, and Derek Craft the save.

The Hudson Valley Renegades now own a lopsided 21-9 record against the Brooklyn Cyclones by taking Tuesday's series opener.

Ronny Mauricio takes over the team lead with 19 home runs.  BOXSCORE

Jaylen Palmer's Two Home Runs Power Brooklyn Cyclones in Series Opening Win Over Wilmington Blue Rocks

From the desk: THE SURF AVENUE SLUGGERS

WILMINGTON @ BROOKLYN

I - BRK 5; WIL 0

David Griffin, Brian Metoyer, and Willy Taveras Join Together in Five-Hit Shutout of Ironbirds

With remnants of Tropical Depression Ida headed New York City's way, Tuesday was still a mighty fine day at the beach.  

Right fielder and native New Yorker Jaylen Palmer homers in the first inning, and Brooklyn pitchers effectively take care of the rest.  

With two outs in the fourth, Francisco Alvarez draws a walk, steals second, then scores on third baseman Jose Peroza's hit to left field.  With one on in the home fifth, Jaylen Palmer hits his second home run, and Francisco Alvarez singles home Ronny Mauricio, giving the Cyclones a 5-0 lead and the final margin of victory.

Brooklyn pitchers collectively put forth a stellar effort.  Making his fourth start for Brooklyn, right-hander David Griffin faces 27 batters, throwing 87 pitches with 59 (67.8%) going for strikes.  He allows four scattered hits and two walks with two strikeouts over seven scoreless innings pitched for the win - his second with the Cyclones.  Right-hander Brian Metoyer throws a scoreless eighth with two strikeouts and making his eleventh appearance for Brooklyn Willy Taveras earns his fourth save.

Wilmington right-hander Seth Shuman surrenders all five runs on seven hits and two walks in a losing effort.  BOXSCORE

Brooklyn Cyclones Split Tightly Contested Twin Bill With Aberdeen Ironbirds

From the desk: THE SURF AVENUE SLUGGERS

ABERDEEN @ BROOKLYN

I - BRK 9; ABD 6

II - ABD 2; BRK 1

III - BRK 1; ABD 0

Classic Pitching Duels Unfold in Both Games of Wednesday Night's Doubleheader at Coney Island.  Aberdeen Takes Opener in Extra Innings; Boardwalk Bums Shut Out Iron Birds in Game Two

GAME ONE 

The front end of Wednesday's twin bill was nothing short of a classic pitcher's duel.  It's just unfortunate in games like this, one team must lose due in no part to lack of effort and performance.

Right-hander Zack Peek starts for the visitors and is opposed by J.T. Ginn for Brooklyn.  Making his sixth start with the Cyclones, Ginn allows just one earned run on seven hits and one walk with four strikeouts through 23 batters, and five innings pitched.  Peek surrenders one run, a home run, two other hits, and no walks with seven strikeouts against 18 batters in five pitched innings.  Both exit to a no-decision.

Reliever Clayton McGuinness enters in the sixth, as does Colby Morris for Brooklyn.  Both trade zeroes through the seventh, and into extra innings, they go at Coney Island.  

With Brian Metoyer called upon to pitch the ninth, Aberdeen bunts over the phantom runner from second to third, who scored on a sacrifice fly to center field.  Ironbird right-hander Shelton Perkins then sits down the Cyclones to close out the eighth and final frame.  McGuinness earns the win, and Perkins the save.  Brian Metoyer takes the hard-luck loss.  

Center fielder Jaylen Palmer drives home Brooklyn's only run.  BOXSCORE

⚾

  

GAME TWO (Make-Up: 5/28/2021) 

Right-hander Connor Gillispe toes the slab for Aberdeen, and David Griffin climbs the bump for his third start with the Cyclones.  

First baseman Jeremy Vasquez's hit gives the Cyclones a 1-0 lead in the fourth, scoring Jaylen Palmer from second base.  Connor Gillispe exits on the losing side after four, while David Griffin continues pitching through the fifth.  With two outs and runners on the corners in the sixth, David Griffin freezes the final batter looking at strike three.  

Clinging to a one-run lead, Bryce Montes de Oca is tasked with closing out the seventh.  The first batter grounds to second, the next strikes out swinging, batter three keeps the inning alive with a single, a wild pitched advances the tying run into scoring position.  Still, Montes de Oca gets the following batter to fly weakly to right field.

Despite only two hits, the Cyclones hold on for a tight, error-free 1-0 victory to salvage a split of the twin bill.  David Griffin earns his first win for Brooklyn, and Montes de Oca earns his fifth save.  Designated hitter Luke Ritter accounts for Brooklyn's only other hit.  BOXSCORE

Brooklyn Cyclones Skid Hits Five as Wilmington Blue Rocks Take Series Finale

From the desk: THE CONEY ISLAND NINE

BROOKLYN vs. WILMINGTON; 1-5

I - BRK 16; WIL5

II - WIL 15; BRK 3

III - WIL 5; BRK 4

IV - WIL 7; BRK 4

V - WIL 1; BRK 0

VI - WIL 12; BRK 5

Brooklyn Twirlers Stoned by Blue Rocks

If you recall, right-hander David Griffin did not experience the most joyous of Brooklyn debuts.  In his first start for the Cyclones, Griffin allowed seven runs, but only four earned nine hits and three walks in just 3.2 innings pitched.  Making his second start on Sunday, Griffin yields three runs, but again only one is earned, on five hits and a walk with four strikeouts in three innings pitched.

After twirling three scoreless innings, Wilmington starter Mitchell Parker surrenders a home run to Francisco Alvarez, and then with the bases loaded, Nick Gaddis singles home Jeremy Vasquez 

and Jose Peroza tying the game at three.

Wilmington greets incoming Cyclone pitcher Hunter Parsons in the home half of the fourth with five runs on three hits and two walks before ever making an out.  Pitching in relief of Parsons, a hurried Josh Hejka surrenders one more run before the frame is through.

Outside of single runs in the fifth and eighth innings, it is a deficit from which the Cyclones do not recover.  The Blue Rocks post one run in the sixth and two more in the seventh en route to a commanding 12-5 victory, their fifth straight win against Brooklyn.  Wilmington wins the series five games against one.  The season series now stands at 10-8 in favor of Coney Island. 

Through 61 games and 204 at-bats as a member of the Brooklyn Cyclones, catcher Francisco Alvarez (2 for 4, with two runs scored) now has fifteen home runs, giving him 46 runs batted in.  As a member of the Cyclones, he entered Sunday's action batting .240 with a .335 OBP, which I would agree are somewhat subpar while striking out in 30.8% of his at-bats.  However, he began Sunday slugging .520 and ended the day batting .245 with a .912 OPS and no strikeouts.

Jeremy Vasquez is the only other Cyclone with multiple hits, including a double.  

Hunter Parsons takes the loss in relief of David Griffin, who escapes with a no-decision.