Brooklyn Cyclones Clinch Sixth McNamara Division Title

From the desk of:  CONEY ISLAND'S DIVISION CHAMPS!

Cyclones Sweep Yankees 3-0

I - BRK 11; SIY 2

II - BRK 5; SIY 4

III - BRK 4; SIY 1

BROOKLYN CYCLONES

McNAMARA DIVISION CHAMPIONS

2001    2003-2004    2007    2010    2019

Despite being limited to just one run on three hits, the Aberdeen Iron Birds win their season finale in a 1-0 whitewashing of the Hudson Valley Renegades at Dutchess County.  Aberdeen is subsequently eliminated once Brooklyn's victory over the Yankees at Coney Island goes final.  The Renegades appeared on their way towards securing the McNamara Division title with victories over the Ironbirds in games one and two, but fail to execute a sweep.  They finish the season 5-5 over their last ten games and thus end the regular season tied for the division lead with the surging Cyclones.  But Brooklyn owns the tie-breaker and thereby clinch their sixth division title.  More importantly this marks the Cyclones first appearance since 2012 in the New York Penn League playoffs.  The wild card Hudson Valley Renegades will oppose Brooklyn in the first round.  Game one is scheduled for Wednesday at Dutchess County.

LABOR DAY

Yankees    1

Cyclones  4

FINAL

On the last day of the regular season under thundering rain threatening storm clouds, Brooklyn pitchers join together in hurling a gem against the Staten Island Yankees at Coney Island.  Making his eleventh start for the Cyclones Frank Valentino surrenders just one earned run on one hit and two walks with nine strikeouts through 5.1 innings pitched.  He faces 19 batters, throwing 78 pitches with 49 going for strikes en route to his second victory with a 3.41 ERA.  Nick MacDonald throws 1.2 scoreless innings in relief of Valentino with three strikeouts.  Hunter Parsons pitches a scoreless eighth, and Reyson Santos strikeouts out the side in the ninth to earn his first save of the season.  Together they limit Staten Island to one run on just five scattered hits and two walks with 16 strikeouts over nine full innings pitched.

• New York Penn League

Brooklyn breaks out for three runs in the third and never look back.  Jake Ortega and Antoine Duplantis lead-off with consecutive singles against Yankees starter Alex Mejias.  With one out, Wilmer Reyes and Luke Ritter follow with consecutive doubles giving the Cyclones a 3-0 lead.  After trading single runs in the fourth, Brooklyn shuts down Staten Island for good en route to a 4-1 playoff clinching victory.

Tied with a league best 43-32 record, third year manager Edgardo Alfonzo has now guided the Cyclones to two straight 40-plus win seasons.  They also finish with a league best 24-14 record at home, and post a McNamara best 18-12 record within their own division.

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 Take Second Straight From First Place Hudson Valley

From the desk of:  THE SURF AVENUE SLUGGERS

Cyclones lead Renegades 2-0

I - BRK 3; HVR 2

II - BRK 2; HVR 1

GAME THREE

Hudson Valley Renegades

vs.

Brooklyn Cyclones

FROM

Old Steeplechase Grounds

That's two victories in the books with one more to go for a sweep of first place Hudson Valley.  Brooklyn has closed to within one-half game the Renegades entering Wednesday's series finale at  Coney Island.


MONDAY/GAME ONE: Jose Peroza Clutch Hit Lifts Brooklyn to Series Opening Win

The Cyclones take the series opener by a 3-2 final.  Trailing 2-1 after six and a half innings, Brooklyn strikes for a pair of runs in the home seventh.  Luke Ritter and Jake Mangum each hit safely putting runners on the corners.  Mangum then steals second putting both runners in scoring position.  With two outs Jose Peroza comes through with a sharply struck two-RBI single to center.  Making his tenth start of the season Cyclones starter Matt Cleveland yields just one run on four hits and three walks with five strikeouts, but does not factor in the decision.  Andrew Edwards picks up the victory in relief of Cleveland despite allowing a run on three hits and two walks with a strikeout through 1.1 innings.  Matt Mullenbach pitches the final 1.1 innings surrendering no runs, no hits, and fanning three en rout to his fourth save.  Luke Ritter connects on his third home run of the season in the second inning.


TUESDAY/GAME TWO:  Coney Walks Off Triumphantly on Antoine Duplantis Ninth Inning Hit.

Tuesday's brunch time start features Brooklyn's Garrison Bryant making his ninth start of the season being opposed by Hudson Valley southpaw John Doxakis.  Scoreless after three, the Renegades summon Steffon Moore whom contributes three more scoreless innings.  The two Renegade pitchers join in yielding no runs on just three hits and three walks with two strikeouts through six innings.  Garrison Bryant matches then allowing no runs on three hits and no walks with five strikeouts through six.  Bryant faces 21 batters wile throwing 73 pitches with 49 (67%) going for strikes.  But as was the case with Matt Cleveland in game one, Garrison does no factor in the decision.  Hunter Parson enters in relief of Bryant in the seventh and promptly surrenders the first run of the game on left fielder Pedro Diaz' clutch two-out RBI single to left.  First baseman Gavin Garay and pinch-hitter Jake Ortega open the bottom of the ninth with consecutive hits.  Right fielder Raul Beracierta successfully bunts both runners into scoring position.  Jake Mangum then singles home pinch-runner Kennie Taylor.  After which Antoine Duplantis follows with a single to center scoring Ortega for the walk-off win.  Josh Hekja whom pitches a scoreless top half of the frame is credited with his first career victory as a pro.


McNAMARA DIVISION:

• Hudson Valley  28-21 *
• Brooklyn          26-22  0.5 GB
• Aberdeen         28-23  1.0 GB
• Staten Island    27-23  1.5 GB

• NewYorkPennLeague