Brooklyn Cyclones Bow Out of SAL Playoffs

From the desk: THE CONEY ISLAND NINE

SOUTH ATLANTIC LEAGUE

NORTH DIVISION PLAYOFF

Aberdeen IronBirds vs. Brooklyn Cyclones

I - BKN 8; ABD 1

II - ABD 6; BKN 1

III - ABD 5; BKN 4

Wait Till Next Year ...

Brooklyn's playoff run came to an end Friday night at Aberdeen.  After trading single runs in the fourth, the IronBirds erupted for four runs in the fifth against Junior Santos to knock him out of the box.  Right fielder Stanley Consuegra hit a two-run home run in the sixth, and Jose Peroza homered in the eighth, but the Cyclones fell one run short in the end.  Aberdeen won two in a row at home after bowing at Coney Island in game one.  After posting a 30-36 first-half record and seemingly striking out anywhere from ten to eighteen times a game, the Cyclones turned things around in the second half, reinforced by St. Lucie graduates.  They won the North Division second-half flag with a 40-26 record to finish 70-62 overall.

Brooklyn Cyclones Take Over First Place

From the desk: THE SURF AVENUE SLUGGERS

Wilmington vs. Brooklyn

I - BKN 2; WIL 1

II - WIL 11; BKN 7

III - BKN 9; WIL 1

IV - WIL 1; BKN 0

V - BKN 2; WIL 1

VI - BKN 11; WIL 5

Look Who's Number One!

The Cyclones provided fans with one last regular-season thrill on Coney Island.  They scored early, often, and late in a rout of the Wilmington Blue Rocks.  

With three runs in the first and six in the third, starter Mike Vasil was pulled after allowing no runs, no hits, and no walks, with two strikeouts.  Right-hander Junior Santos pitched the next three innings, allowing an unearned run on three hits and no walks with three strikeouts to earn his eighth win.  However, the bullpen suffered a minor implosion, allowing four runs in the ninth inning before Dylan Hall was called upon to secure the final out.  

Replacing Matt Rudick in left field, Justin Guerrera capped off the scoring for Brooklyn with a two-run home run in the eighth.  Right fielder Stanley Consuegra and William Lugo also drove home two runs apiece.  

Brooklyn takes the series from Wilmington four games to two.  They now own the SAL's top second-half record with a 36-24 (.600) mark.  Coupled with Jersey Shore's victory at Dutchess Stadium, the Clones head to Winston-Salem with a half-game division lead ahead of the Renegades with six games left to play.  Hudson Valley must now travel to Wilmington while Brooklyn visits the Dash.  BOXSCORE

Brooklyn Cyclones Gain Share of First Place With Victory Over Wilmington

From the desk: THE SURF AVENUE SLUGGERS

Wilmington vs. Brooklyn

I - BKN 2; WIL 1

Bullpen Continues Closing Out Crucial Wins

While rain suspended play up in Hudson Valley, the Cyclones staged another thriller here on Coney Island.  They continued seizing the day with their seventh straight victory.

Facing starter Junior Santos, the visitors from Wilmington tallied an unearned run in the first inning.  Otherwise, Santos was on the mark, allowing no earned runs on five hits and one walk with seven strikeouts in 5.2 innings.  He exited on the winning side after facing 24 batters and throwing 95 pitches, with 63 (66.3%) going for strikes.  

In the fourth, Stanley Consuegra singled home JT Schwartz, and Jose Mena doubled home Consuegra giving Brooklyn a 2-1 lead.

The bullpen made it stand.  In relief of Santos, right-hander Nolan Clenney followed with 2.1 scoreless innings of no-hit ball with no walks and five strikeouts.  Enter Daison Acosta for the ninth.  After striking out the leadoff batter, Acosta yielded three consecutive singles to load the bases.  But Daison regrouped, caught the next batter looking at strike three, then ran the count to 2-2 before striking out the final Blue Rock batter of the game.  Junior Santos earned the win, and Acosta the save, his eighth.

Tuesday's game at Dutchess County Stadium was suspended in the fifth, with Jersey Shore leading the Renegades by a 7-4 margin.  As such, the Cyclones pull into a first-place tie with Hudson Valley with eleven games remaining on the schedule.  BOXSCORE

Brooklyn Cyclones Outlast Jersey Shore BlueClaws in Extra Innings

From the desk: THE CONEY ISLAND NINE

Brooklyn vs. Jersey Shore

I - BK 7; JS 0

II - BK 5; JS 4*

*10 innings

Resilient Cyclones Win in Tenth Inning

The Cyclones and BlueClaws played a barnburner at ShoreTown Ballpark.  

With two outs and two runners on base in the top of the first, right-fielder Stanley Consuegra singled home the game's opening run.  In a presage of things to come, Jersey Shore answered with two runs in the home third.  After a scoreless fourth inning, shortstop Shervyen Newton homered to left field with catcher Matt O'Neill on base.  But Brooklyn's slim lead did not last, as the BlueClaws tallied a run in the home sixth facilitated by a Matt O'Neill throwing error.  

The deadlock then remained unchanged through the eighth.  

Both starting pitchers exited to no decisions.  Brooklyn's Junior Santos allowed three runs (two earned) on three hits and two walks with eight strikeouts in 5.2 innings.  Jersey Shore southpaw Rafael Marcano yielded three earned runs on four hits and two walks with seven strikeouts in 5.0 innings.

Cyclone right-hander Dylan Hall delivered 2.1 scoreless innings of no-hit baseball with two strikeouts to complete the eighth.  Two BlueClaw relievers joined in tossing 3.0 innings of one-hit ball with six strikeouts.

Then came the ninth.  Stanley Consuegra homered over the left field wall leading off the visitor's half.  Manager Rivera then summoned from the bullpen right-hander Daison Acosta to close.  But the game was again tied with a leadoff hit, a walk, and two sacrifice plays later.

In the top of the tenth, with Matt O'Neill, the ghost runner at second, Shervyen Newton singled, putting runners on the corners.  O'Neill then scored on Matt Rudick's sac-fly to right, giving Brooklyn a 5-4 lead.

Daison Acosta again climbed the bump.  With the ghost runner on base, Acosta fanned the first batter faced, then issued an intentional walk, followed by an unintentional four-pitch walk that loaded the bases.  Acosta regrouped to strike out the next batter, then ended the game on a groundball 3 to1 putout at first base for the win.

The Cyclones held on for another crucial win.  They've re-achieved par with a 58-58 season record and improved to 28-22 in the second half.  Wednesday night's victory keeps Brooklyn on pace with first-place Hudson Valley, who still lead the division by one-half game, and Aberdeen, who again defeated Wilmington to remain tied in second place with Coney Island.

Hudson Valley Pounds Brooklyn for Division Lead

From the desk: THE SURF AVENUE SLUGGERS

Hudson Valley vs. Brooklyn

I - HVR 7; BKN 4

II - BKN 7; HVR 5

III - HVR 11; BKN 4

Cyclones Get Beached on Coney Island

The North Division pendulum continues to swing.  Thursday, it went back in Hudson Valley's favor.

Brooklyn's Jose Peroza remains red hot and, in the opening frame, doubled home the game's first run.  He drove in two Cyclones' runs, with William Lugo and Alex Ramirez knocking in the others. 

Otherwise, game three was all Renegades, who scored early, often, and late en route to an 11-4 game three victory.

Brooklyn starter Tommy Hunter opened with two scoreless innings of one-hit ball.  Right-hander Junior Santos followed but had his offerings punished, allowing seven runs on nine hits and three walks in three innings pitched for the loss.  After Nathan Lavender hurled two scoreless innings, Justin Courtney was next to get punished for four runs on four hits, including two home runs. 

Afterwhich, Sammy Tavarez was needed to secure the last out in the ninth.  BOXSCORE

Brooklyn Cyclones Go Down Quietly in Wilmington

From the desk: THE CONEY ISLAND NINE

FRAWLEY STADIUM

Brooklyn vs. Wilmington

I - WIL 9; BKN 3

II - BKN 8; WIL 1

III - BKN 7; WIL 6*

IV - WIL 7; BKN 1

Junior Santos Gets Knocked Around; Blue Rocks Even Series

The Cyclones were limited to just four hits in Friday's contest, two of which came in the third inning when William Lugo and Alex Ramirez generated Brooklyn's lone run of the game.  Left fielder Matt Rudick and Shervyen Newton accounted for the 'Clones only other hits.  The lineup drew for walks and fanned eleven times.  Starter Junior Santos was knocked around for five runs on ten hits, including a two-run home run in the sixth, and Justin Courtney fared no better, allowing two runs on a hit and three walks in 1.1 innings.  However, the Cyclones maintain their first-place standing as the Aberdeen Ironbirds blanked the Hudson Valley Renegades ten to zero.

Brooklyn Cyclones Take Third Straight Contest From 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

V - BKN 3; WSD 1

Cyclones Now Hold 1.5 Game Lead Over Hudson Valley and Aberdeen 

Make that three in a row ...

After yielding twelve runs in the first two games to Winston-Salem, Brooklyn's pitching has since limited the Dash to just a pair of runs over the last 27 innings.

Saturday's mound matchup featured Cristian Mena for the visitors pitted against Junior Santos for the Coney Islanders.  

The teams traded runs in the opening frame.  Shortstop Colson Montgomery tripled and scored in the top half, and in Brooklyn's turn, designated hitter Nic Gaddis singled home the tying run.

In the home second, with one out and base runner Shervyen Newton poised at first base, recent graduate 

Gregory Guerrero connected on a two-run home run - his first in four games since arriving from the Port St. Lucie Mets.

The score remained unchanged over the final six and a half innings of play.  Making his 19th start, right-hander Junior Santos allowed one run on six hits and no walks with four strikeouts to earn his sixth win.  Right-hander Daison Acosta closed the game with two scoreless innings to earn his fifth save.

Brooklyn now owns a 3-2 series edge in their first-ever contests against Winston-Salem, with the finale slated for Sunday.  Afterwhich the Cyclones will have exactly thirty games left on their schedule.  The final series of the season is against the Dash at Winston-Salem.

Hudson Valley lost both games of a doubleheader against Jersey Shore, giving the first-place Cyclones a 1.5-game lead over Hudson Valley and Aberdeen in the South Atlantic League North Division.

Alex Ramirez Powers Brooklyn Cyclones Over Hudson Valley Renegades

From the desk: THE CONEY ISLAND NINE

Brooklyn vs. Hudson Valley

I - HVR 10; BKN 2

II - BKN 6; HVR 2

III - HVR 5; BKN 2

IV - BKN 5; HVR 1

V - BKN 7; HVR 5

VI - BKN 7; HVR 0

Brooklyn Hurlers Toss Four-Hit Shutout; Cyclones Take Series From Hudson Valley

The Cyclones continued their solid second-half effort with a shutout victory on Sunday to complete the series win over the Renegades at Dutchess County Stadium.  

After being dominated many times earlier this season by Hudson Valley pitching, the Cyclones gave the Renegades a taste of their own medicine.  Making his eighteenth start, Junior Santos limited the hosts to three hits and two walks with seven strikeouts in five innings for the win.  Three bullpen members joined together, allowing just one hit and two walks, and struck out eight batters over the final four innings to secure the shutout.

Right fielder Alex Ramirez opened the scoring in the fourth inning with his fourth home run since being promoted to the Cyclones.  Alex Ramirez hit his second home run with a runner on base in the sixth.  Leading off the seventh inning, Jose Mena and Joe Suozzi connected on back-to-back home runs.  Center fielder Jaylen Palmer closed out the scoring with a two-run double in the eighth, giving the Cyclones a 7-0 final margin of victory.

Alex Ramirez turned 19 years old this past January.  Since arriving in Brooklyn, he is batting .300 with five home runs and 19 RBI in twenty games and 80 at-bats.

Brooklyn is now back to par with a 48-48 record.

BOXSCORE

Brooklyn Cyclones Win First-Ever Series Against Greensboro Grasshoppers

From the desk: THE SURF AVENUE SLUGGERS

Greensboro vs. Brooklyn

I - BKN 6; GRB 5

II - BKN 9; GRB 0

III - GRB 6; BKN 5

IV - GRB 2; BKN 1

V - BKN 6; GRB 2

VI - BKN 5; GRB 1

Consuegra Powers Cyclones; Pitching Takes Care of the Rest

Strong pitching continues defining Brooklyn's second half.  Sunday's performance again proved decisive in their contest versus Greensboro, against whom they won the first-ever series between teams, four games against two.

Making his fifteenth start this season for Brooklyn, Junior Santos allowed one earned run on just three hits and one walk with five strikeouts in six innings for the win.  Making a rare relief appearance, standout left-hander Nick Zwack yielded a lone hit and one walk with five strikeouts in three scoreless innings for his first save.

After three scoreless innings, left fielder and New York City native Jaylen Palmer delivered home Brooklyn's first two runs in the fourth.  When the Grasshoppers pushed a run across in the visitor's fourth, center fielder Stanley Consuegra answered with a homer in the home half of the frame.  In the seventh, right fielder Alex Ramirez singled home Consuegra, and with the bases loaded, catcher Matt O'Neill drew a walk forcing home Alex Ramirez from third.  Stanley Consuegra finished 3 for 5 with a double, home run, a run batted in, and two runs scored.  BOXSCORE

Brooklyn Cyclones Fizzle on the Fourth Against Aberdeen Ironbirds

From the desk: THE SURF AVENUE SLUGGERS

Aberdeen vs. Coney Island

I - ABD 3; BKN 1

No Fireworks From Cyclones Lineup

Plenty of hot dogs were served at Nathan's Original earlier in the afternoon but hardly a hit to be mustered just a few hundred feet away at the Surf Avenue ballpark.

Brooklyn starter Junior Santos allowed single runs in the first and seventh innings on five hits and two walks with four strikeouts in a tough-luck loss.  Aberdeen scored once more against reliever Brendan Hardy in the eighth, and Sammy Tavarez struck out the side in the ninth.

In the fourth inning, Nic Gaddis drew a one-out walk and eventually scored on a wild pitch.  Otherwise, the Cyclones managed just three hits by JT Schwartz, Matt O'Neill, and Jose Peroza.  They drew seven walks but left ten runners on base and were 0 for 7 with runners in scoring position.

Brooklyn Cyclones Drop Opener Against Hudson Valley Renegades

From the desk: THE CONEY ISLAND NINE

BROOKLYN vs. HUDSON VALLEY

I - HVR 5; BKN 2 

You guessed it ... the curse of Wappingers Falls endures.  

The Cyclones are back at Dutchess Stadium, where they've become notorious for wielding minimal hits, much less seeing-eye ground balls or even foul tips.  Tuesday evening proved no different.  Despite being issued seven bases on balls, Brooklyn mustered a mere three hits and again recorded double-digit strikeouts against the Renegades.

First baseman JT Schwartz, shortstop Shervyen Newton, and second baseman Jose Peroza who tripled home Brooklyn's only two runs, accounted for Brooklyn's only hits.

Right-hander Junior Santos allowed four earned runs on six hits and one walk with six strikeouts in five innings pitched for the loss.  Right-handed reliever Daison Acosta allowed a run on three hits and three walks with four strikeouts over the final three innings.

Brooklyn Cyclones Power Over Hudson Valley Renegades in Twin Bill Sweep

From the desk: THE SURF AVENUE SLUGGERS

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— B'klynTrolleyBlogger (@BTB_MikeII) May 21, 2022

Hudson Valley vs. Brooklyn

I - BKN 5; HVR 3

II - BKN 5; HVR 4

III - HVR 3; BKN 1

IV - HVR 12; BKN 2

V - BKN 5; HVR 4

VI - BKN 3; HVR 1

Bobbleheads and Thrills on Coney Island

It brings me great joy to say on Saturday, I got my Francisco Alvarez bobblehead, and on Sunday, the Cyclones completed a doubleheader sweep of the Renegades.

Brooklyn mounted a five-run lead in game one.  Afterwhich it became a matter of holding on.  Shortstop Shervyen Newton homered in the first inning, third baseman Jose Peroza homered in the second, and New York native Jaylen Palmer connected in the fourth.  Designated hitter  Jose Mena was 1 for 3 with two runs batted in.  Hudson Valley scored twice against starter Junior Santos in the fifth and rallied for two more against Justin Courtney in the sixth.  Making his Brooklyn debut, Grant Hartwig secured the final four outs to earn the save and preserve the victory for Santos.  BOXSCORE

Coney Island gave Hudson Valley a taste of its own medicine in the second tilt.  It's nice to be on the other side of one of these for a change.  Right-hander Nolan Clenney limited the Renegades to one run on just one hit, and no walks with eight strikeouts through the game's first five innings.  He faced 16 batters while throwing 61 pitches, with 43 (70.4%) going for strikes.  Right-hander Hunter Parsons closed out the game with two scoreless innings of no-hit ball for his second save.  Shervyen Newton homered in the fourth, and Jaylen Palmer hit a two-run home run in the fifth.  BOXSCORE