Brooklyn Cyclones host Staten Island in McNamara Division Showdown

From the desk of:  THE CONEY ISLAND NINE

Preview: Battle of the Boroughs - III

Cyclones lead series 2-0

I - BK 2; S.I. 1

II - BK 7; S.I. 0

III - TUESDAY

GAME THREE

Staten Island Yankees

vs.

Brooklyn Cyclones

FROM

Steeplechase Grounds

CONEY ISLAND

BROOKLYN CYCLONES: Back in Coney Island to host first place showdown versus Staten Island Yankees.

After suffering through 5 straight losses and relinquishing their 1st place standing, the Cyclones are back in business having just completed their second straight victory over the Yankees Monday evening in Staten Island.

It took Brooklyn six pitchers and 11 innings to resolve Sunday's series opener.  Getting on base wasn't necessarily Brooklyn's issue for a change.  They produced 11 hits and drew 5 walks, but went just 2 for 13 with runners in scoring position, and left 9 runners on base.

Vinny Siena finally delivered a clutch 1-out RBI single in overtime giving the Cyclones a slim 2-1 margin of victory, and for a night, moved them within 1.5 games in the standings behind Staten Island.

In Game 2 on Monday, the visiting Cyclones put forth perhaps their finest performance of the season.

Gaby Almonte climbed the hill in Richmond County grounds, and faced 28 batters en route to delivering 8+ stellar innings of work.  He threw an economical 104 pitches with 63 going for strikes, allowed no runs on just 2 hits, walked a pair, and fanned 7 batters.  Almonte earned his league leading 6th victory of the season against 3 losses, and lowered his ERA to a 3.22 mark.  He presently also leads the NYPL in games started and innings pitched.

Unlike Sunday's 11-inning low scoring affair, Brooklyn's beleaguered offense erupted for 7 runs on 11 hits, and drew 5 walks.   Five Cyclones batters enjoyed multiple hit games, while David Thompson, Vinny Seina, and Alfredo Reyes all hit for extra bases.  Lead-off hitter Tucker Tharp went 2 for 3, with 2 walks and 2 runs scored.  Jeff Diehl and David Thompson drove in a pair of runs each.

Monday's victory put the Cyclones one game back over the .500 mark, and got them within just one-half game of the 1st place Yankees.  The series now shifts to Coney Island for Tuesday's Game 3 finale with 1st place in the McNamara Division once again on the line.

Meanwhile, the 3rd place Aberdeen Ironbirds stayed hot on Brooklyn's tail with a 7-0 drubbing of Hudson Valley to remain 1.5 games out of first.  The Renegades fell 3.5 games behind the pace.

NEW YORK PENN LEAGUE ALL-STAR GAME: August 18 @ Aberdeen

Three players will represent the Brooklyn Cyclones in this year's New York Penn League All-Star Game: Gaby Almonte, Vinny Siena, and Alex Palsha.

As previously noted, Almonte leads the league in starts and innings pitched, and recently tied for most wins.  Second baseman Vinny Siena is Brooklyn's leading hitter.  Closer Alex Palsha leads the league with 11 saves, and has yet to yield a run over 18.2 innings pitched this season.




Mike

BK Cyclones: Boardwalk Bums Throw Away Chance at Sweep

From the desk of:  THE CONEY ISLAND NINE

14-6

First Place

McNamara Division

Cyclones win series 2-1

I - BKN 5; HVR 3

II - BKN 1; HVR 0

III - HVR 6; BKN 5

BROOKLYN CYCLONES: Coney Islanders err in bid to sweep Hudson Valley Renegades.

The Brooklyn Cyclones overcame a 5-2 deficit with 3 runs in the top of the 7th inning, forcing extra innings in Friday's series finale against the Hudson Valley Renegades.

They might even have come within a David Thompson throw of completing a 3-game sweep.

Matt Blackham started for Brooklyn, and got touched up for all 5 Hudson Valley runs.  All runs were earned, on 4 hits and 4 walks, and he fanned 5 batters upon departing after 4.2 innings of work.

Four Brooklyn relievers then combined on 6.1 scoreless innings through the 11th, allowing 7 hits and striking out 9 batters.

After the Renegades jumped out to a 1st inning 1-0 lead, Brooklyn tied it in the top of the 2nd on left fielder Oswald Caraballo's sac fly scoring third baseman David Thompson.

The Cyclones went ahead 2-1 in the 3rd.  Catcher Jose Garcia led-off with a double, and later scored on a wild pitch.

The 'Gades tied it in the bottom of the 3rd, and scored 3 runs in the 5th for a 5-2 lead.

DH Zach Mathieu then homered in the top of the 7th, and a 2-RBI single by center fielder Tucker Tharp tied the game at five.

That's the way things stayed till the 12th.

With reliever Nicco Blank pitching for Brooklyn, a throwing error by David Thompson on a sacrifice attempt allowed the winning run to score from second base.

Blank suffered his second loss of the season.

Thursday: Game Two

• Final: Renegades 0; CYCLONES 1

Pitchers Blake Taylor, Andrew Church, and Carlos Valdez combined on 7 scoreless innings, in the Cyclones 1-0 abbreviated game victory over the Hudson Valley Renegades.  They combined to allow just 3 hits and one walk, and fanned 9 batters.

Tucker Tharp drove in the lone run of the game with a double in the 3rd.

Wednesday: Game One

• Final: Cyclones 5; RENEGADES 3

Starter Gaby Almonte improved his record to 2-1, as the Cyclones bested the Renegades by a 5-3 margin.

Third baseman David Thompson went 4 for 5, and Michael Bernal went 3 for 5, accounting for 7 of the Cyclones 10 hits.

Closer Alex Palsha earned his 4th save of the season.

3B- David Thompson

Third baseman David Thompson, 21, was selected in the 4th round (119th overall) of the recent amateur draft.  He reported to Brooklyn after helping the University of Miami reach the College World Series.  Thompson led the nation (Division-I) in RBI and tied for the lead in home runs this season as a junior.  He was a 2015 All-America First Team, and 2015 All-ACC First Team.

• 2015 season at University of Miami: 67 games, 253 at-bats, 83 hits, .328 batting average, 18 doubles, 19 home runs (3 grand slams), .640 slugging average, 90 RBI, 20-game hitting streak.

Next up, the Cyclones will host a series against the Aberdeen Ironbirds.

Mike