Brooklyn Cyclones Earn Trip Back to Championship Series

From the desk of: THE McNAMARA DIVISION CHAMPIONS

NEW YORK PENN LEAGUE
SEMIFINALS

Cyclones defeat Renegades 2-1

I - HVR 5; BRK 4

II - BRK 1; HVR 0

GAME THREE

Hudson Valley Renegades  3

Brooklyn Cyclones              4

FINAL

Hurricane Dorian Darkened Skies Over MCU Park

PRE-GAME MEETING AT HOME PLATE

Renegades manager Blake Butera and Cyclones manager Edgardo Alfonzo 

NATIONAL ANTHEM

MATT CLEVELAND TAKES HIS WARM-UPS

FIRST PITCH

Hudson Valley wastes no time stirring up trouble against Cyclones starter Matt Cleveland, who surrenders two earned runs on two hits (home run by right fielder Hill Alexander), with two walks and one strikeout through 1.1 innings.  Dan Goggin (below) enters the game in relief of Cleveland in the second, and yields another earned run on two hits and no walks with three strikeouts in 3.2 innings of work.

DAN GOGGIN ENTERS GAME IN RELIEF OF CLEVELAND 

CYCLONES TIE THE GAME IN THE FOURTH AT THREE

The Cyclones tie the game at three on Luke Ritter's RBI sac-fly scoring Antoine Duplantis in the first and Ranfy Adon's home run leading off the third inning.  After which Jake Mangum singles and comes around to score on a pair of passed balls and a throwing error in the fourth.

CYCLONES RALLY IN THE NINTH

Reliever Nick McDonald pitches a scoreless sixth and seventh innings, allowing just one hit with four strikeouts through seven batters faced.  Andrew Edwards enters the game in the eighth.  He faces seven batters and strikes out five through the top of the ninth.

Bottom of the ninth: Cyclones second baseman Yoel Romero stands at second base after drawing a lead-off walk against Renegades reliever Eleardo Cabrera, then being advanced by Jake Ortega's successful sacrifice bunt.  Ranfy Adon stands in at the plate.   

RANFY ADON STROKES A LINER INTO THE RIGHT/CENTER GAP

ROMERO SCORES WINNING RUN AS REST OF

CYCLONES COME POURING OUT OF DUGOUT

CELEBRATION TIME 

AT CONEY ISLAND

Shortstop Wilmer Reyes is 4 for 4 with a run scored.  Ranfy Adon is big man on campus going two for four with a home run leading off the third, and the game winning hit in the ninth.  It was Adon's first home run of the season.  Four Brooklyn pitchers join in allowing Hudson Valley three runs on five hits with three walks and 13 strikeouts.  The Cyclones are headed back to their first NYPL championship series since the 2012 season.  They will face the Lowell Spinners whom defeat the Batavia Muckdogs two games against one.  The finals open Sunday evening at Lowell's LeLacheur Park.

Brooklyn Cyclones Forge Three-Way Tie For First Place

From the desk of:  THE SURF AVENUE SLUGGERS

BROOKLYN CYCLONES IMPROVE TO 

A LEAGUE BEST 21-13 RECORD AT HOME

GAME ONE

Vermont Lake Monsters  3

Brooklyn Cyclones         12

FINAL

Brooklyn scores early and often en route to a 12-3 slaying of the Vermont Lake Monsters in Sunday afternoon's series opener at Coney Island.  The Cyclones score ten runs in the first three innings alone with tack on runs in the fifth and seventh.  Starter Matt Cleveland faces 20 batters and throws 82 pitches with 47 going for strikes.  He limits the Monsters to just one run on two hits and four walks with five strikeouts through 4.1 innings, but does not figure in the decision.  Andrew Edwards earns the victory in relief of Cleveland despite yielding two runs on four hits with two strikeouts.  Christian Tripp takes care of the final two innings allowing no runs on one hit while fanning two.  Brooklyn strikes for 15 total hits in 38 at-bats, with five going for extra bases, and go 8 for 16 with RiSP.  Center fielder Kennie Taylor hits his second home run of the season.  Antoine Duplantis, Wilmer Reyes, Joe Genord, and Ranfy Adon each drive in a pair of runs apiece.

Sunday's victory forges a three way tie along with Aberdeen and Hudson Valley for first place of the McNamara Division.  The three teams are likewise locked in the three way tie for the Wild Card with only eight games remain in the regular season.  Connecticut lends Brooklyn an assist with an extra-inning victory over Hudson Valley.  Lowell however is soundly beaten by Aberdeen.  Staten Island splits a double-header up at Troy and close out the weekend 1.5 games out of both the division lead and the wild card.

• New York Penn League

Five Cyclones Representing Brooklyn at New York-Penn League All-Star Game

From the desk of: THE CONEY ISLAND NINE

New York-Penn League

2 0 1 9

ALL STAR GAME

Five members of the Brooklyn Cyclones have been selected to participate in this season's New York-Penn League All-Star Game this coming Tuesday at Staten Island's Ballpark at St. George.

• New York-Penn League (stats as of Saturday, 8/18/2019)

As of close of business Saturday 21-year old Wilmer Reyes was fifth in the New York-Penn League in batting with a .328 average, seventh with 57 hits, and tenth with .792 OPS.  The Cyclones infielder has eleven extra-base hits, 23 RBI, and ten stolen bases, through 46 games and 174 at-bats.

First baseman Joe Genord may presently be slashing .203/.277/.401, but he is fourth in the league with eight home runs and sixth in runs batted in.

Twenty-year old Garrison Bryant sports a 4-1 record with a league best 0.86 WHiP, and a league second best 2.59 ERA.  He's allowed just 38 hits and 13 walks with 55 strikeouts through nine starts (eleven appearances) and 59.0 innings pitched.

Starter Matt Cleveland is 3-3 with a 3.70 ERA and 1.20 WHiP through twelve starts and 58.1 innings pitched.  He's allowed just 45 hits but has yielded 25 base on balls.  Opposing hitters are batting just .211 against him.

Reliever Mitch Ragan is 1-2 with a 2.70 ERA and stellar 0.79 WHiP through eleven appearances, with just 19 hits allowed and two walks with 22 strikeouts through 26.2 innings pitched.

Home of the Staten Island Yankees

Site of the 2019 NYPL All-Star Game

Brooklyn Cyclones Steamroll Staten Island Yankees

From the desks of:  

THE SURF AVENUE SLUGGERS  and  THE HYLAN BOULEVARD RATS

BATTLE of the BOROUGHS

GAME ONE

Brooklyn Cyclones      11

Staten Island Yankees  4

FINAL

Brooklyn wallops the Yankees at the Ballpark at St. George to square up their season series with Staten Island at three.

The surging Yankees waste no time putting Brooklyn at a disadvantage.  With two on and two outs in the bottom half of the first inning Staten Island third baseman Mitchell Robinson doubles to left field plating both runners.  First baseman Nelson B Alvarez then grounds to second baseman Luke Ritter who mishandles the opportunity permitting Robinson to score for a 3-0 Yankees lead.  In the third inning designated hitter Jacob Sanford strokes a one out double to right, then advances to third on a wild pitch.  Isaiah Pasteur's sac-fly to center scores Sanford putting Staten Island ahead by four.

Brooklyn starter Matt Cleveland lasts 4.2 innings, allowing four runs, three earned, on four hits and two walks.  Andrew Edwards enters the game in relief of Cleveland.

The Cyclones finally break through for a run in the sixth.  Antoine Duplantis leads off with a single then scores on Jose Peroza's double to right.  Brooklyn explodes for another six runs in the seventh highlighted by a Luke Ritter RBI double, a two RBI double from Jose Peroza, and a three run home run from Joe Genord.  The sudden onslaught continues in the eighth.  Jose Peroza works out a bases loaded walk against Yankees reliever Wellington Diaz.  Joe Genord then clears the bases with a double to left.

Jose Peroza and Joe Genord account for ten of the Cyclones eleven runs batted in.

Andrew Edwards departs after 2.1 innings of scoreless no-hit baseball with two walks and three strikeouts.  Manager Alonzo hands off to Jared Biddy in the eighth whom obliges with another two scoreless innings of one hit ball with two strikeouts.  Edwards is awarded his second victory of the season to go along with a 2.42 ERA.

Yankees starter Anderson Munoz yields no runs on four hits and two walks through 3.2 innings but does not factor in the decision.  The bullpen however yields all eleven runs on nine hits and five walks with five strikeouts through 5.1 innings pitched.  Marcus Evey is tagged with a blown save and the loss.

With Sunday's victory the Cyclones improve to 31-23 (.574) with only twenty games remaining in their regular season.  However Hudson Valley sweeps a double-header from the Lowell Spinners.  Therefore despite Sunday's victory the Cyclones close the weekend 2.5 games back of first place.

McNamara Division Standings through 8/11/2019:

• Hudson Valley   34-21; *
• Brooklyn            31-23; 2.0 GB
• Aberdeen           30-26; 4.5 GB
• Staten Island     29-26; 5.0 GB

Brooklyn leads the wild card race by two games over the West Virginia Black Bears and Aberdeen Ironbirds whom Sunday handily defeat the Lake Monsters in an 11-0 whitewashing at Vermont.  Staten Island trails the wild card standings by 2.5 games.

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

Brooklyn Cyclones Tripped Up By Spinners, Again

From the desk of:  THE CONEY ISLAND NINE

Lowell Leads Series 3-0

I - LOW 4; BKN 3

II - LOW 6; BKN 2

III - LOW 3; BKN 1

THURSDAY

Lowell Spinners

vs.

Brooklyn Cyclones

FROM

Steeplechase Grounds

Lowell continues spinning their league best record at the Brooklyn Cyclones expense, taking their third straight game at MCU Park.  The teams duel through five scoreless innings then trade runs in the sixth.  Spinners third baseman Nicholas Northcut opens the scoring with an RBI single, and Brooklyn's Antoine Duplantis ties the score in the bottom half of the frame likewise with an RBI single.  In the top of the seventh, Justin Lasko pitching in relief of Andrew Edwards surrenders a two run home run to Lowell second baseman Cameron Cannon en rout to a 3-1 final score.

Cyclones starter Matt Cleveland allows just four hits through 4.2 scoreless innings pitched with two walks and eight strikeouts.  Andrew Edwards is tagged with the loss, charged with two runs on two hits and a walk through 1.1 innings of work.

Hudson Valley defeats Auburn, and Aberdeen takes care of Mahoning Valley.  That means the Cyclones fall to third place 1.5 back of the first place Ironbirds.  The Renegades end the night one game back of first.  And don't look now, but the Staten Island Yankees are suddenly winners of four in a row, and trail Aberdeen by a mere 3.5 games with just over a month left in the regular season.

Brooklyn Cyclones Pound Valley Cats in Rubber Game

From the desk of:  THE SURF AVENUE SLUGGERS

Cyclones defeat Tri-City Valley Cats 2-1

I - TRI 4; BRK 1

II - BRK 9; TRI 2

III - BRK 9; TRI 4

Brooklyn offers Valley Cats starter Edgardo Sandoval no quarter.  He fails to make it out of the first inning in Thursday's rubber game at Coney, facing ten batters and yielding four earned runs on two hits and three walks.  In the second, Brooklyn greets reliever Daniel Cody with another five runs, three earned, on four hits, for a 9-0 Cyclones lead.  After which the Valley Cats manage just four scattered runs the rest of the way.  It marks the second straight game the Cyclones put up a nine spot against the Valley Cats.  Left fielder Antoine Duplantis goes 1 for 4 with three RBI; first baseman Joe Genord is 1 for 3 with a walk, double, a run batted in, and two runs scored.  Starter Matt Cleveland allows three runs, two earned, on three hits, no walks, with four strikeouts through 5.1 innings to earn his third victory against three losses and a 3.89 ERA.  A trio of relievers join to allow one run on one hit and three walks with three strikeouts over the final 3.2 innings.

Aberdeen loses to Lowell, while the Hudson Valley Renegades defeat Vermont.  Net result is Brooklyn and Hudson Valley are now tied for second just one game behind the Ironbirds.  Next up, the Cyclones open a series against the Lake Monsters at Vermont.

                                                                                

First Place Brooklyn Cyclones Keep Connecticut Tigers at Bay

From the desk of:  THE CONEY ISLAND NINE

THE DODD

Brooklyn Cyclones

vs.

Connecticut Tigers

FROM

Thomas Dodd Memorial Stadium

NORWICH

Brooklyn's road trip continues through Connecticut, where the Cyclones begin a three game weekend series against the Tigers on Saturday. 

The home team opens the scoring straightaway on right fielder Kona Quiggle's RBI hit in the first.  However, Cyclones pitching would yield no more.  Starter Matt Cleveland collaborates with three relievers on a one unearned run seven hit performance with just three walks and seven strikeouts.  The Cyclones score four times in the fifth with runs batted in from Chandler Avant (recently shifted from Columbia Fireflies) and Wilmer Reyes.  Reyes would later cap off the scoring with a two run home run in the eighth en route to the 6-1 game one victory at the Dodd.

LEAPFROGGING THE RENEGADES

Wednesday's rain out at Dutchess County ballpark forces the formerly first place Renegades and Cyclones to play a Thursday double-header.  The teams split the day with the Cyclones taking game one by a 3-2 final.  Jose Mena hits a one out home run in the seventh to put Brooklyn ahead, and P.J. Conlon closes out Hudson Valley in the bottom half of the frame for his first save of the season. 

In game two Brooklyn takes a 6-5 lead into the final frame but are unable to close out the game.  Cyclone reliever Hunter Parsons yields a lead-off walk, two hits and surrenders the tying run.  He then unleashes a wild pitch and intentionally walks the bases loaded before surrendering the game winning hit off the bat of Renegade pinch-hitter Mason Mallard. 

In Friday's rubber game the Cyclones get a run batted in from center fielder Jake Mangum, and two more from shortstop Wilmer Reyes.  Starter Daniel Goggin is roughed up for two runs on two hits and three walks with four strikeouts through 2.2 innings of work.  The bullpen however joins for 6.1 innings of scoreless of five hit ball with just one walk and nine strikeouts.  Matt Mullenbach pitches the final two innings in earning his third save of the season.

*         *         *

The McNamara Division race remains tight as a tourniquet.  By virtue of one less loss as of close of business Saturday the Cyclones maintain a precarious hold on first place over the Hudson Valley Renegades whom trail by just one-half game.  The Aberdeen Ironbirds are one game out.  And a mere 3.5 games is all that separate the last place Staten Island Yankees from Brooklyn.

Brooklyn Cyclones: McNamara Division Proving Difficult Hill to Climb

From the desk of:  THE SURF AVENUE SLUGGERS

BASEBALL BY THE BEACH

West Virginia Black Bears

vs.

Brooklyn Cyclones

FROM

Steeplechase Grounds

CONEY ISLAND

The McNamara Division is fit to be tied.  Just over one-third through the 2019 season, all four member clubs have taken turns occupying first place.  By close of business Saturday, the Hudson Valley Renegades lead both the Brooklyn Cyclones and Aberdeen Ironbirds by one game, and the Staten Island Yankees by 2.5 games.

Offensively speaking, the Cyclones are somewhat of an enigma.

• Hits: 5th in league; 1st in division.
• Home runs: 5th in league; 2nd division.
• Total bases: 5th in league; 1st division.
• Team average: 5th in league; 1st division.
• Team slugging: 4th in league; 1st division.
• OPS: 8th in league: but 2nd division.
• Yet Coney Island is sixth in the league in strikeouts, dead last in walks, and 11th in the league in runs scored.

(LF)-Yoel Romero is batting .321 which rates third in the league.  With only six NYPL players presently hitting above .300, (RF)-Ranfy Adon's .277 mark ranks 12 best.

(2B)-Luke Ritter ranks fourth in the league with a .392 OPS.  Yoel Romero is second on the team and 13th in the league with a .369 OPS.

(1B)-Joe Genord is fourth in the circuit with a .506 slugging average.  Yoel Romero is right behind Joe with a fifth ranked .500 slugging average.

• YOEL ROMERO  .321/.369/.500, six doubles, two HR, ten RBI through 78 at-bats.
• JOE GENORD  .259/320/.506, six doubles, five HR, 19 RBI through 85 at-bats.

Cyclones pitching has been somewhat more confounding.

• The Cyclones have so far yielded the NYPL's least hits.
• As such they own the league's second lowest WHiP; second in division.
• They've surrendered the seventh most earned runs; but the least within the division.
• The seventh most home runs; but second least in division.
• The seventh most walks; but least within the division.
• However Cyclones 3.56 team ERA ranks eighth; last in division.
• The sixth most strikeouts; but third in division.

Starter Jaison Vilera is presently the lone Cyclone starting pitcher sporting an ERA (3.81) below four among those with at least four starts.  He likewise leads the Cyclones with a 1.20 WHiP.  Garrison Bryant is second with a 1.26 WHiP, and also leads the team with 27 strikeouts.  Vilera has 23 strikeouts through through 28.1 innings pitched.  

• Daison Acosta is 1-0 with a 0.98 ERA and 0.82 WHiP, yielding just two earned runs on none hits and six walks with 25 strikeouts though 18.1 innings pitched.

Seven different relievers have registered saves for manager Alfonzo.  Luis Silva leads with four despite an unsightly 6.75 ERA through 9.1 innings.  However relievers Andrew Edwards, Matt Mullenbach, and Dan Goggin, have joined to post a 3-1 record with a 2.08 ERA and six saves with 37 strikeouts and ten hits allowed through 30.2 innings.

The Cyclones are 6-7 in the month of July, and 15-13 overall.  In fact the Cyclones and West Virginia Black Bears enter Sunday's action with identical records.  Brooklyn outlasts the Black Bears 3-1 in Saturday's series opener.  Starting pitcher Alec Kisena,  and relievers Daniel Goggin, Yeudy Conlon, and  Matt Mullenbach join to yield just one run on five hits and five walks with 15 strikeouts.  Goggin earns his second relief win of the season.  Mullenbach earns his second save.

Kisena joins the Cyclones after making 16 appearances with the Columbia Fireflies, where he posts a 4.65 ERA with 17 walks and 32 strikeouts through 31 innings pitched.

• Stats: New York Penn League

SUNDAY

Black Bears   1

Cyclones       4

FINAL

Brooklyn wins their second straight against the Vest Virginia Black Bears and close to withing one-half game of the first place Hudson Valley Renegades.  Starter Matt Cleveland and closer Andrew Edwards combine on a nine inning gem.  Cleveland yields no runs on just one hit and one walk with one strikeout over 6.1 innings to earn his first victory of the season.  Edwards surrenders one run on two hits and one walk with one strikeout over 2.2 innings en route to his third save.  Catcher Jose Mena is 1 for 3 with a triple, and RBI.  Second baseman Luke Ritter is 2 for 3 with two runs scored.  Center fielder Jake Mangum is 2 for 4 with a run scored.