The Incoming Flight-O-Fish Arriving From Miami on Another Metsian Podcast

From the desk of: HEAD-BUTTING MR. MET

with SAM, RICH & MIKE

COVID-19 continues altering an already compromised 2020 regular season, and the problematic Miami Marlins/Florida condition remains front and center.  Most recently one New York Mets player and one coach tested positive for coronavirus during the team's most recent visit to Florida.  To be fair, where and when they contracted the virus has yet to be determined.  Nonetheless, a concerned Metsian Podcast extends their collective well wishes to the Mets organization.  Ten teams, one-third of all major league baseball teams have now experienced coronavirus related postponements.  New York City's scheduled weekend subway series is an obvious casualty.  Speaking of which, a Flight-o-Fish out of Miami is due to arrive at LaGuardia Airport this week.  How does that make you feel, Mets fans?  Sam, Rich and I go fishing for answers.  

#LGM

Mets Minors: Backman Leading Las Vegas 51s Trio in AAA All-Star Game

From the desk of:  MR. MET MEETS THE GREAT GAZOO

CASHMAN FIELD

Las Vegas, Nevada

Mets Minors: Travis Taijeron and J.T. Rivera Set to Wield PCL Leading Bats Against International League's Best.

The Las Vegas 51s regular season will resume on July 14 against the Iowa Cubs.

In the meantime, Vegas skipper Wally Backman will manage the Pacific Coast League's top talent when they take on the International League's best in the 29th annual AAA All-Star Game this Wednesday in Charlotte, North Carolina.

Pitcher Gabriel Ynoa is tied for second most wins in the league with a 9-3 record, and tied for second with 18 starts this season.  He has also logged the third most innings in the Pacific Coast League to date and boasts a representative 4.19 ERA.

At the plate, right fielder Travis Taijeron and infielder J.T. Rivera have been pummeling Pacific Coast league pitching since the season's first call to play ball.

After 84 games and 312 at-bats, Taijeron leads the PCL with 35 doubles, is second with 176 total bases, ranks third with 69 RBI, and is fifth with both a .564 slugging average and .953 OPS.  He's otherwise batting .306 with 13 home runs.

Shortstop and third baseman J.T. Rivera leads the Pacific Coast League with a .348 batting average.   He is additionally fourth behind Taijeron with 63 RBI, tenth right behind Taijeron with a .389 OBP, and is tied with Taijeron for sixth with 96 total hits.  With eight home runs to date, he's one away from matching his single season (2014) high.

Brooklyn Cyclones: Hudson Valley Showdown; Game Three

From the desk of:   THE CONEY ISLAND NINE

BROOKLYN CYCLONES:

Potential Pitchers Duel Awaits Game Three.  Coney Island One Win Away From Fifth Championship Round Appearance.
 

GAME ONE; HANSEL ROBLES PITCHES MASTERPIECE

GAME ONE RECAP

GAME TWO RECAP

After taking the opening game of their semi final series in Coney Island, the Cyclones took their lumps up in Dutchess Stadium against the Renegades in Game Two.  The teams will play Monday Night Baseball to see who participates in this year's NYPL championship.  Monday's winner will play the victor between the Tri City Valley Cats and Auburn Doubledays.


Hudson Valley finds themselves a game away from the title round after not even making the playoffs since the 1999 season.  In championship play, Brooklyn knows Auburn and the Valley Cats all too well.  The Cyclones dropped championship series to both teams.  Most recently in 2010, the Tri City Valley Cats ended Brooklyn's championship bid.  In 2007, Auburn did the same.  Prior to that, Williamsport put Brooklyn's 2003 championship hopes to bed as well.  With a win Monday evening over the Renegades, Brooklyn will earn a fourth opportunity to win their second title.


The two pitching aces have done their jobs.  Hansel Robles dialed up a performance for the ages Friday evening in Coney Island.  And Sunday evening, Hudson Valley's ace, Jeff Ames reciprocated with a solid effort in Wappingers Falls.  Now for both teams, it is time for the next guy to step up.  Without getting cocky, in the Cyclones case, it's a matter of pick your poison.


Rainy Lara last pitched on September 2nd.  He was 8-3 this season and posted a 2.91 ERA.  Luis Cessa last pitched on September 3rd.  He posted a 5-4 record with a 2.49 ERA.  Gabriel Ynoa tossed the most recent game of Monday's potential starters.  He last pitched on September 4th.  Ynoa was 5-2, with a 2.23 ERA.  All three are well rested.


The Renegades are reportedly going with Taylor Guerrieri in Game Three.  The also have Matthew Spahn and Sean Bierman in reserve.  In twelve starts, Taylor Gerrieri's stats are rather astonishing. Although, you would never know based on his win/loss record.  His record was 1-2 this season.  But in twelve starts and fifty-two innings pitched, he posted a 1.04 ERA, and an 0.77 WHiP.  He limited opposing batters to thirty one hits and issued a mere five walks all season.  He surrendered no home runs, and struck out forty-five batters.


If in fact Taylor Guerrieri makes the start, one of three available Brooklyn pitchers almost assures a classic pitcher's duel for Game Three.  Taylor however, has only averaged three to five innings per start.  All five Brooklyn starting pitchers have been instructed in the art of length this season.  They routinely have pitched into sixth innings of games.  Game Three may very well rest in the hands of the bullpens.  So what else is new?


Brandon Nimmo has been quiet this series.  In Game One, he had a single in four trips to the plate.  He scored one run and drew one walk.  In Game Two, he had one hit in four at bats, and nothing more.  In two games, both teams have an equal amount of hits; sixteen.  But Hudson Valley has now outscored Brooklyn eight runs to five.

TONIGHT

New York Penn League ~ Division Semi Finals

GAME THREE

BROOKLYN CYCLONES
vs.

Hudson Valley Renegades

FROM
Dutchess Stadium

New York

UPDATED 9/10/12:
GAME THREE - Pitching Match-Up; Luis Cessa vs. Taylor Guerrieri





Mike.BTB

Brooklyn Cyclones: Overcome Five Errors For Third Straight Win

From the desk of:   THE CONEY ISLAND NINE

 

 

SHOWDOWN IN THE VALLEY
 

 

 

GAME ONE FINAL:

Cyclones     7

Renegades  4

 

GAME TWO:

Thursday @ Coney Island

 

 

BROOKLYN CYCLONES;
So Far The Brooks Are 3-0 During Final Ten Game Stretch.
Flaky Defense Needs To Shape Up, Quick!

GAINING GROUND ON HUDSON VALLEY RENEGADES
 

SEVEN GAMES LEFT IN REGULAR SEASON;
 

McNAMARA DIVISION:

Hudson Valley....46-23   *

CYCLONES........42-27   4 games back

 

WILD CARD:

CYCLONES     *
Muckdogs........2 games back

Before the Staten Island Yankees provided Coney Island with an assist, Brooklyn's visit to Hudson Valley was shaping up to be an inconsequential trip.  As of Sunday, the Cyclones fell seven games behind the first place Renegades in the McNamara Division race.  Then, the Bombers swept two games from Hudson Valley, and Brooklyn did the same against the Iron Birds.  Suddenly, with eight games remaining and five games to make up, Brooklyn's head to head match up against the Renegades turned out to be exactly what the doctor ordered.


So game on!


On the hill, Gabriel Ynoa opposed Hudson Valley starter, Taylor Guerrieri.  Both hurlers pitched five complete innings.  However, Gabriel Ynoa exited on the losing side of a 2-1 game.  In his five innings of work, he allowed two runs, but only one earned.  He issued one walk and surrendered four hits, while striking out four batters.  In Taylor Guerrieri's five innings, he allowed one hit, one run, and struck out four.


Hudson Valley wasted no time scoring in the first inning.  Gabriel Ynoa hurt his own cause issuing two walks.  The Renegades took a 1-0 lead on a fielder's choice.  Brooklyn tied the game in their next at-bat.  Alexander Sanchez led off the top of the second with a double.  He too, eventually scored on a fielder's choice.  In the third inning, two Brooklyn errors conspired to give Hudson Valley a 2-1 lead.


The respective bullpens took over and kept things quiet in the sixth.  For Brooklyn, Logan Taylor was called in to pitch, while Hudson Valley handed the ball off to Jordan Harrison.


In the seventh inning Jordan Harrison blinked, and the Cyclones bats struck.  Phillip Evans led off with a single.  Then Alex Sanchez, Jayce Boyd, and Malkis De La Cruz, all doubled to help give the 'Clones a 5-2 lead.  With that, Harrison was off to the showers.  Next in from the Renegades bullpen came Rob Finneran, who closed out the frame preventing further damage.  He wasn't as lucky in the eighth inning though.  Brooklyn had their way with him shortly.  After Finneran hit Gavin Cecchini with a pitch, the next batter, Jayce Boyce, answered back with his fifth home run of the season.


Coach Donnelly sent Logan Taylor out for a third inning of work.  However, the pitcher did not finish.  Two hits and an E-4 by Jeff Reynolds got Taylor bounced from the game.  Beck Wheeler was called in next, and promptly issued an RBI double, making it a 7-4 game.


The Cyclones went down quietly in the top of the ninth.  Coach Donnelly then summoned Tyler Vanderheiden to oppose Hudson Valley's attempts at last licks.  The Cyclones closer performed flawlessly, retiring the Renegades in order.  Tyler earned his eleventh save of the season, and Logan Taylor received credit for his second win in relief.


Hudson Valley's McNamara Division lead over the Cyclones is now down to four games with seven left to play.  There is still hope for a division flag Cyclones fans.  It's a slim chance, but stranger things have happened.


In the other race, unfortunately for Brooklyn the Muckdogs won again!  Batavia is 8-2 in their last ten games and winners of four in a row.  As a result, the Cyclones Wild Card lead over the Muckdogs remains at two games.  However, I'm consumed by a sense of Who is chasing Who?  Down the stretch, the Cyclones are now winners of three in a row, but are only 6-4 in their last ten.


On a side note, if you have a bunch of disposable income laying around, and you can find someone who will give you odds, bet everything that Coach Donnelly will have his team outside early in the morning going through extra fielding drills tomorrow.  Especially at this point of the season, it's better to be proactive, than taking no action at all.  Wednesday night's game must have infuriated the manager.  The Brooks committed five errors in the game.  An error in the eighth inning could have been ruinous.  They have now committed eight errors in the last four games.  And that simply will not do - Not with seven games left in the season, and not with the Muckdogs biting at Brooklyn's heals.


The 2012 Cyclones have been cut out of an old Earl Weaver mold.  Saying they play stationary baseball is an understatement.  They are dead last in the league in stolen bases, and rank second to last in team batting average.  Yet, the Bums lead the New York Penn League in walks, and rank second in home runs.  Completing the Weaver equation, the Cyclones possess the best starting rotation in all the circuit.   So the final seven games of the Wild Card race would be a horrible time for their defense to fail them.  More pressing, their attention to detail must not escape them.




Mike.BTB

Brooklyn Cyclones: Four Coney Island Hurlers Pitch Like All Stars

From the desk of:   THE SURF AVENUE SLUGGERS

New York Penn League - All Star Game Final:

N.L. All Stars  8

A.L. All Stars  1

BROOKLYN CYCLONES - Four Cyclones Pitchers Contribute 3.2 Scoreless Innings To Help National Affiliates Defeat Americans In New York Penn League All Star Game.

Preview

BOXSCORE

Four Cyclones pitchers made the trip west to Ohio representing Brooklyn, and the Mets organization, in this season's eighth annual New York Penn League All Star Game, played Tuesday evening at Eastwood Stadium; home of the Mahoning Valley Scrappers.


As the visiting team, the National League affiliates trounced the American League affiliates by an 8-1 final score.  Nine National hurlers kept the American team scoreless through eight innings until a solo home run in the ninth inning hit by Connecticut Tigers third baseman Tyler Hanover off Tri City Valley Cats pitcher Blake Ford ended the Nationals' shut-out effort.


The Boys from Brooklyn did well.  They combined on 3.2 innings pitched; allowed two scattered hits; walked none; and struck out six batters.  Luis Mateo was awarded the presitgious starting assignment.  He pitched an inning and struck out two.  John Mincone was the third pitcher used in the game, and pitched in with 0.2 innings, with both outs coming via the strikeout.  Hansel Robles followed with one inning, and surrendered a hit.  Gabriel Ynoa was given the seventh inning.  He surrendered one hit, and struck out two.  Together, they did Brooklyn proud.





Mike.BTB

Brooklyn Cyclones: Sweep Monsters in Three; Four Cyclones Head to All Star Game

From the desk of:   THE SURF AVENUE SLUGGERS

BROOKLYN CYCLONES - The Coney Island Nine Slay the Vermont Lake Monsters 10-5, and Sweep Three Game Series.

Four Cyclones Heading to the All Star Game.

THREE STATEN ISLAND YANKEES SELECTED.

With the weekend's action complete, Brooklyn heads into the New York Penn League All*Star break one game behind in the McNamara Division standings to the first place Hudson Valley Renegades.  Their lead in the Wild Card race now stands at six games over the State College Spikes.  When games resume again on Wednesday, there will be twenty-two games left in the regular season.


On Sunday, the Surf Avenue Sluggers completed a three game sweep in Coney Island over Vermont by pummeling the Lake Monsters 10-5, while Lowell helped the Brooks by defeating the Renegades 5-2 up in Peekskill, N.Y.


After four and a half innings, the game was tied at four apiece.  In the second inning, a double followed by an RBI single put Vermont on the board first against Brooklyn starter, Rainy Lara.  Vermont increased their lead in the fourth.  After a lead-off triple, another RBI single made it a 2-0 game.


In the bottom of the fourth, the Cyclones struck back.  Three consecutive singles by Dimas Ponce, Phillip Evans, and Kevin Plawecki, loaded the bases with no outs.  A double by Alexander Sanchez scored Ponce, and Evans.  And a sac-fly by Nelfi Zapata scored Plawecki from third.  Richie Rodriguez then drove in the fourth Cyclones run of the inning with a single delivering Sanchez.


In the top of the fifth, the Lake Monsters tied the score against Rainy Lara.  Three singles and a walk led to two runs.  But Lara, composed himself to strike out the last two batters of the inning and keep the score at four apiece.  The Cyclones allowed Lara to exit the game on the winning side with a go-ahead home run by Dimas Ponce; his first; in the bottom of the inning.


Rainy Lara pitched five full, allowing seven hits and four earned runs.  He walked one and struck out six before giving way to Logan Taylor in the sixth.  Taylor pitched two stellar innings, surrendering nothing, while striking out three.


In the bottom of the sixth, Brooklyn blew the game open with four more runs.  With one out, Eudy Pina singled, and Brandon Nimmo followed with a double.  Then Dimas Ponce stepped in, and continued his individual onslaught with another single driving home both runners.  Kevin Plawecki drove Ponce home with another RBI single.  And Alexander Sanchez continued his assault as well, with another single to drive in Plawecki.


In the bottom of the seventh, the Cyclones scored once more for good measure.  Eudy Pina scored on one of Vermont's three errors committed in the game.


After Logan Taylor, relievers David Wynn and John Mincone shared eighth inning duties flawlessly.  Then it was up to Tyler Vanderheiden to close out the game.  I do not know what it is about closers being ineffective in non-save situations, but VandyMan followed tradition.  He allowed three hits and one run before securing three outs.  But no harm done; Cyclones win by a 10-5 final score.


Starting pitcher Rainy Lara racked up his seventh win of the season against just one loss.  Today, Rainy Lara is now the New York Penn League leader in wins, and is only four strikeouts behind his team mate, Luis Mateo (67), for tops in the circuit in that category.


The Cyclones scored their ten runs on the strength of fourteen hits.  Dimas Ponce, Kevin Plawecki, and Alexander Sanchez all had three hits each.  And Brandon Nimmo is continuing right along in the lead-off spot, with two more hits in five at-bats.  Brooklyn batted 6 for 12 with runners in scoring position.  He is one of only seven NYPL pitchers with a WHIP below the 1.00 mark.  Not incidentally, four of those seven pitchers are Brooklyn Cyclones!  And to cap things off, the league's top three strikeout leaders are also all Cyclones.

2012 New York Penn League All Star Game

From Eastwood Field, Home of the Mahoning Valley Scrappers, Ohio

New York Penn League All Star Game Rosters

The Brooklyn Cyclones are sending four representatives to the eighth annual NYPL All*Star game; all pitchers.  And that's only appropriate, as strong pitching has marked the Cyclones' season, and dominated the League so far.  Three starting pitchers; Luis Mateo, Gabriel Ynoa; and Hansel Robles will perhaps take a turn on the mound.  And if things go well, reliever John Mincone; Brooklyn's fourth selection; can see some action as well.  As highlighted above, the League's top winner, Rainy Lara, although deserving, will be unavailable.

This year's All Star Game will be played at Eastwood Field, home of the Mahoning Valley Scrappers in Ohio.  The teams are broken up into American League and National League affiliation.

Brooklyn's chief rival, the Staten Island Yankees will be sending three players to join the American League squad.  Pitcher James Pazos; first baseman Matt Snyder; and outfielder Taylor Dugas will represent the Richmond County Baby Bombers in Tuesday's game.

STATS:

* SP - Luis Mateo

* SP - Gabriel Ynoa

* SP - Hansel Robles

* RP - John Mincone

Mike.BTB

BKN Cyclones ~ The Boys Are Back In Town; Tame Tigers

From the desk of:   THE SURF AVENUE SLUGGERS

BROOKLYN CYCLONES:  Open Home Stand

With 3-2 Win Over Connecticut Tigers.

Brandon Nimmo Thriving In The Lead-Off Spot.

The Boardwalk Bum were back on the beach Wednesday evening taking on the Connecticut Tigers.  Gabriel Ynoa made the start for Coney Island, and lasted long enough to leave on the winning side of a low scoring affair.


The Cyclones jumped out to an early 2-0 first inning lead.  Brandon Nimmo led the inning off with a single against Tigers' starter, Charles Gillies.  Phillip Evans reached safely on a fielder's choice wiping out Nimmo.  Then after Jayce Boyd drew a walk,  Kevin Plawecki doubled to drive home both runners.  The Tigers tied the score with two runs in the fourth on a walk and a pair of doubles off Gabriel Ynoa.


The Cyclones' hurler pitched six full innings, allowed five hits, and two earned runs.  He struck out five and walked two.  Coach Donnelly then summoned his first pitcher out of the bullpen; Matthew Koch; who turned in two innings of scoreless baseball.  Tyler Vanderheiden pitched the ninth inning, had some troubles with control, but closed out the Tigers en route to his seventh save of the season.  Gabriel Ynoa improved his record to 3-1 on the season.


The difference maker of the game came in the fifth inning.  Brandon Nimmo got involved again with a lead off single.  After advancing to second, he scored the go-ahead and what turned out to be the winning run on a E-5 off the bat of Jayce Boyd.


Seven games ago, Coach Donnelly inserted Brandon Nimmo into the lead-off position for game one of their road trip, and he has batted .393 since that time.  Now that the Brooks are back home, Coach kept him there.  The Cyclones' center fielder had two hits in four at-bats Wednesday night against Connecticut.  And in his last three games, he has nine hits in fifteen at-bats, which is good for a .600 batting clip.


The Cyclones needed the victory to keep pace because the Hudson Valley Renegades won again, this time over the State College Spikes.  That keeps Brooklyn two games behind the Renegades in the McNamara Division race.  The Cyclones lead the Wild Card race however, by 1.5 games over the Batavia Muckdogs.





Mike.BTB

BKN Cyclones ~ Taking A Bite Out of Batavia Muckdogs

From the desk of:   THE CONEY ISLAND NINE

BROOKLYN CYCLONES:  The Coney Island Nine have taken the first two games of their great western road trip so far, with a pair of wins against the Batavia Muckdogs.


On Wednesday night, the Muckdogs scored once in the first and again in the fifth, while Batavia's starter, Ben Freeman, cruised through his first five frames.  Staked to a two run lead, he allowed Brooklyn three scattered hits and no runs.


Gabriel Ynoa started for the Brooks.  He allowed both Batavia's runs.  Overall he pitched six full innings, surrendering eight hits, striking out five, while walking none.  He left on the winning side of this game however, because the Cyclones rallied for three runs in the top of the sixth.


Ben Freeman's outing fell apart rather quickly.  He allowed a lead-off single to Jayce Boyd.  Kevin Plawecki lined out hard to right for out one.  After a Ben Freeman wild pitch put Boyd on second, Alexander Sanchez tied the game with his first home run of the season.  Stefan Sabol then followed with a second consecutive home run; his second; to knock Freeman out of the box on the losing side.


That was the extent of the game's scoring.  After Gabriel Ynoa put Batavia down with a pair of strikeouts in the home sixth inning, he took to the showers as reliever Paul Sewald took over on the mound.  Sewald pitched the final three innings against the Muckdogs.  In picking up his second save of the season, he turned in a stellar performance, allowing but one hit and striking out two.  Starter Gabriel Ynoa improved his record to 2-1 on the season.


Coach Donnelly juggled the line-up and gave Brandon Nimmo a shot at the lead-off spot.  Although he is currently only hitting .228 this season, the center fielder's .369 OBP warranted a try.  He went 1 for 4 in the game, with a double, and a walk.  Stefan Sabol was 2 for 3 in the game with a home run and a double.


*


On Thursday and for the second consecutive game, Batavia jumped out to a quick 1-0 lead in the first inning.  And the score stayed that way through the first seven innings of the game.  Batavia's Tyler Melling pitched the first four innings against Brooklyn.  Then Lee Stoppelman made an early appearance out of the bullpen, and kept the Cyclones in check for another two innings.


Luis Mateo started the game for Brooklyn, and put forth a very good effort, but was ultimately credited with a no-decision.  In 6.2 innings of work, he allowed the Muckdogs six hits, and limited them to the one run Batavia scored in the first.  Otherwise, he walked no batters and struck out seven before handing the game over to the bullpen.


Batavia's one run lead turned into a four run deficit in the top of the eighth inning.  Brooklyn broke out for five runs against the Muckdogs' third and fourth pitchers of the night; Brandon Creath and Joseph Scanio.  Three consecutive singles by Phillips Evans, Jayce Boyd, and Kevin Plawecki set up a bases loaded/no outs situation for Alexander Sanchez, who lofted a sac-fly to right, delivering Evans from third with the tying run.  Stefan Sabol then followed with his twelfth double of the season which scored Boyd to make it a 2-1 game.  That's when Batavia summoned Scanio to replace Creath on the mound.  No matter though.  Brooklyn's Jeff Reynolds introduced himself with a RBI single, and Eudy Pina's sac-fly scoring Sabol made the score 4-1 Cyclones.  Brandon Nimmo's RBI single then gave Brooklyn their fifth run of the inning.


Brooklyn reliever Logan Taylor was the beneficiary of those runs.  He previously closed out the seventh with one/third inning of work in relief of Luis Mateo.  He allowed one hit.  The bottom of the eighth was Matthew Koch's job though.  In fact, he pitched the ninth inning as well.  Overall, he allowed one hit and struck out one batter.  Logan Taylor was credited with the win however.


The Cyclones picked up two more insurance runs in the ninth.  A throwing error by pitcher Joseph Scanio allowed Jayce Boyd and Kevin Plawecki to score making it a 7-1 game, and eventual final.


Brandon Nimmo batted lead-off for the second consecutive game.  He was 1 for 5 with an RBI.  That makes him 2 for 9 batting from the top slot this series.  Stefan Sabol continued his hot hitting by going 2 for 5 in the game with two doubles and an RBI.  Jayce Boyd was 3 for 5, with two runs scored.


Prior to heading into Western New York, the Cyclones dropped a pair of games to the Aberdeen Iron Bird.  That allowed the Hudson Valley Renegades to take over the McNamara Division lead.  These last two Cyclones' wins have helped Brooklyn stay with 1 1/2 games of the Renegades.  Hudson Valley is in the middle of a seven game winning streak.  The Cyclones are now 23-15 on the season.  The Hudson Valley Renegades sport a slightly better 24-13 record.


Brooklyn will wrap up this series with the Batavia Muckdogs on Friday before continuing their westward journey towards Ohio, where they will take on the Mahoning Valley Scrappers.  Hudson Valley will be playing a double header versus the Tri Citi Valley Cats.  Another win against the Muckdogs will be key for the second place Cyclones in order to keep pace.





Mike.BTB

BKN Cyclones ~ Battle of the Boroughs II; Yanks Take Game Two

From the desk of:   THE SURF AVENUE SLUGGERS

BATTLE OF THE BOROUGHS - II

I - Brooklyn Wins Series 3-1

Brooklyn 2; Staten Island 0

Brooklyn 4; Staten Island 1

Brooklyn 7; Staten Island 2

Staten Island 8; Brooklyn 1

II - Series Tied 1-1

Brooklyn 1; Staten Island 0

Staten Island 4; Brooklyn 2

Game Three in St. George

Game Four in Coney Island

 

BROOKLYN CYCLONES:  Baby Bombers Gain Spilt After Game Two.  Teams Head Back Over Verrazano Bridge For Game Three in Staten Island.  Series Wraps Up in Coney Island on Sunday.


In the opening game of their second series together, the visiting first place Cyclones needed fifteen innings In Staten Island to put away the Yankees.  Starting pitcher, Gabriel Ynoa pitched six shutout innings and give up one lone hit to Staten Island batters.  He walked two and struck out three before exiting a scoreless game.  Staten Island's Andrew Benack last four innings for the Yankees and surrendered four hits and no runs before giving way to the bullpen.


For the game, Staten Island's pitching was getting by, somehow managing Brooklyn for fourteen innings.  The Cyclones wrapped eleven total hits, with four doubles in the game.  But the Seaside Sluggers had troubles pushing runs across the plate as they batted a mere 1 for 14 with runners in scoring position.  The Yankees didn't fare much better batting 0 for 7 with runners in scoring position.  Seven Brooklyn pitchers limited the Yankees to four hits all game.


Late in the night, Dimas Ponce led off the top of the fifteenth inning with a double off the fifth Staten Island pitcher, Alex Smith, who was in his third inning of work.  Dimas moved to third on Jonathan Clark's bunt single.  Richie Rodriguez then lifted a fly to center, on which Dimas Ponce tagged-up from third and scored the games only run.


Out of Brooklyn's bullpen came Tyler Vanderheiden to preserve the lead and end the game.  He made it interesting by walking a batter and hitting another.  But with a strike out, and inducing his last batter into a game ending double play, his sixth save of the season was secured, as was the Brooklyn Cyclones' twentieth win.

*

The series crossed over the Verrazano and headed back to Coney Island for Friday night's second game of the series.  Under threatening skies and Fall type weather conditions, Staten Island took an early 1-0 lead after two innings, and a 3-0 lead after three against Boardwalk Bum starter, Luis Mateo, who was making his sixth start this season, and in search of his fifth win.  But the Baby Bombers had other ideas.


The Yankees' Gabriel Encinas managed five innings pitched.  He allowed six hits and one earned run.  He struggled a bit walking for, but also recorded four strikeouts.  Evan DeLuca took over for Encinas and pitched the next two innings, and also allowed Brooklyn one run.  But that's all the Surf Avenue Sluggers would get this night.  Stefan Lopez and Taylor Garrison kept the Cyclones subdued over the last two frames to preserve a 4-2 Yankees victory.


Brooklyn scored lone runs in the fifth and sixth innings.  Kevin Plawecki had an RBI single to put the 'Clones on the board.  In the sixth, Jayce Boyd led off with a double.  The next batter, Eudy Pina, also doubled to drive in Boyd for the home team's second and last run of the evening.  In this game, the Cyclones batted 2 for 10 with runners in scoring position.  That makes them three for their last twenty-four times at bat with RiSP.


Starting pitcher Luis Mateo is now 4-2 on the season.  He pitched six full, and allowed six hits, and four earned runs.  He surrendered one home run, walked three and struck out three.  Beck Wheeler and Ernesto Yanez combined on three stellar innings in relief however.  Wheeler struck out four batters in two innings of work.  Neither allowed Staten Island a hit, and issued no walks.


Brooklyn's lead in the McNamara Division is now just one game over the Hudson Valley Renegades, who defeated the Aberdeen Iron Birds by a 3-2 score Friday evening up in Fishkill, N.Y.  Staten Island's third place standing is unchanged.  They now sport a 13-19 record, and are seven games back of the Cyclones.


Friday's loss drops Brooklyn to 8-8 at home.  They have not enjoyed the dominance yet, they are so accustomed toused to in Coney Island.  On the road is where they have played best, to the tune of a 12-4 record.  The hottest team in the League, the Stedler Division leading Tri-Citi Valley Cats are tops in the circuit with twenty-four wins.  The Cyclones are second with twenty.




Mike.BTB

BKN Cyclones ~ Starting Pitching Continues to Shine

From the desk of:   THE SURF AVENUE SLUGGERS

BROOKLYN CYCLONES:  Kings County is No Place For a Raccoon.  Brooks Two-Hit Their Upstate Rivals.


After taking two of three games from the Iron Birds in Aberdeen, the Seaside Sluggers returned to Coney Island and hosted the Hudson Valley Renegades.  In an early season battle for first place, three Cyclones' pitchers hand-cuffed their upstate rivals.


Making his second start of the season, Luis Mateo pitched his second consecutive abbreviated 2-hitter.  In six full innings, he walked only one, while striking out seven batters.  Mateo lowered his ERA to 0.77, and collected his second win in as many starts.


In relief, Paul Sewald was first out of the pen for Brooklyn.  He pitched two innings of hitless, scoreless ball, and struck out three batters while issuing no walks.  Sewald was credited with his first hold.  Tyler Vanderheiden came in to pitch the ninth inning.  He walked one, and struck out two, in  recording his second save.


Hudson Valley's starting pitcher, Taylor Gerrieri, gave the Brooks a 1-0 lead in the second, when he balked home Cole Frenzel from third base.  Eudy Pina drove in two more Cyclones' runs in the eighth inning, on a bases loaded single to give Brooklyn a 3-0 lead, and an eventual final.


In eight games, Cyclones' pitching has limited their opponents to a .186 batting average, and have pitched to a combined 2.66 ERA.  They lead the lead in shutouts with two, and also lead the circuit with a stellar 0.96 WHIP.


The Cyclones are now making their second pass through the starting rotation.  In eight games, Coach Donnelly has used six starters.  The rotation shapes up like this:


1) - Gabriel Ynoa
2) - Luis Mateo
3) - Luis Cessa
4) - Hansel Robles
5) - Julian Hilario
6) - Rainy Lara


As a rotation, they are averaging 5.2 innings per appearance, while only allowing 3.4 hits per game.  They have yeilded a total of seven walks.  In 44.2 innings pitched, they have amassed forty-five strikeouts.  No starter has surrendered more than two runs in a start, and combined, the rotation sports a 1.42 ERA, allowing seven runs total so far.


The Cyclones are now 6-2, and lead the McNamara Division by a full game over the Renegades.  The series shifts to Peekskill, N.Y., for Game Two, before they return to Coney Island for Game Three on Wednesday.




Mike.BTB