Brooklyn Cyclones vs. Hudson Valley Renegades First Round Preview

From the desk of:  THE SURF AVENUE SLUGGERS

NEW YORK PENN LEAGUE

SEMI-FINAL SERIES

GAME ONE

Brooklyn Cyclones

vs.

Hudson Valley Renegades

FROM

Dutchess Stadium

The Cyclones and Hudson Valley Renegades played eight games this season but six are at Dutchess County where Brooklyn posts a 4-2 record.  The remaining two games are played at Coney Island where the Cyclones sweep both for a 6-2 overall record this season against the Renegades.

Hudson Valley fanned on their opportunity to clinch the league's best record due to their end of season loss against Aberdeen.  They go 5-5 down the homestretch and fall into a first place tie with Brooklyn whom finish the season with six victories over their last ten games, and win their final three in a row against Staten Island to gain the McNamara Division flag.

The Renegades are 22-16 at home; the Cyclones are 19-18 on the road.

Brooklyn Cyclones

43-32 (.573)*

McNamara Division Champions

TEAM HITTING

• #6) Runs; 304
• #8) Home Runs; 36
• #9) Total Bases; 787
• #3) Team Avg; .241
• #8) OBP; 38
• #8) SLG; .342
• #5) SB; 80

TEAM PITCHING

• #5) ERA; 3.31
• #3) WHiP; 1.15
• #4t) Home Runs; 33
• #4) Saves; 22
• #8) Strikeouts; 628

* 2B/Wilmer Reyes; slashing .323/.350/.441/.791; 15 extra-base hits; 33 rbi; 12 stolen bases.
* 1B/Joe Genord; tied for sixth with nine home runs; third with 44 rbi.
* 2B/Luke Ritter; ninth with 36 rbi.

* rhp/Garrison Bryant; leads Cyclones with five wins; 2.39 ERA; 0.84 WHiP; 75 strikeouts.
* rhp/Matt Mullenbach; 2.84 ERA; 1.07 WHiP; 14 hits/26 strikeouts in 25.1 innings; five saves.
* rhp/Frank Valentino; 3.41 ERA; 1.12 WHiP; 52 hits; 63 strikeouts; 58 innings pitched.

Right-hander Michel Otanez is penciled in for game one at Hudson Valley.  He owns a 2.97 ERA and 1.42 WHiP, yielding 26 hits and 17 walks with 26 strikeouts through seven starts and 30.1 innings pitched.

Hudson Valley Renegades

43-32 (.573)*

2019 Wild Card

TEAM HITTING

• #3) Runs; 335
• #13) Home Runs; 20
• #11) Total Bases; 755
• #6) Team Avg; .239
• #2) OBP; 330
• #12) SLG; .325
• #1) SB; 116

TEAM PITCHING

• #2) ERA; 3.00
• #4) WHiP; 1.17
• #4t) Home Runs; 33
• #4) Saves; 23
• #5) Strikeouts; 645

* SS/Greg Jones; slashing .335/.413/.461/.874; 18 extra-base hits; 24 rbi; 19 stolen bases.

* 1B/Jacson McGowan; tied for third with 17 doubles; fourth with 43 rbi.
* OF/Hill Alexander; fifth with 41 rbi.

* rhp/Edisson Gonzalez; 2.45 ERA and 1.09 WHiP; 55 hits and 77 strikeouts in 62.1 innings
* lhp/John Doxakis; 1.93 ERA and 0.95 WHiP through 32.2 innings with 31 strikeouts.
* rhp/Evan McKendry; 1.60 ERA and 1.07 WHiP; 43 strikeouts and four walks in 39.1 innings.

NEW YORK PENN LEAGUE

GAME ONE

Lowell Spinners @ Batavia Muckdogs

FROM

HISTORIC DWYER GROUNDS

Brooklyn Cyclones Off to Maryland for Wild Showdown Versus Ironbirds

From the desk of:  THE SURF AVENUE SLUGGERS

Cyclones defeat Lake Monsters 2-1

I - BRK 12; VMT 3

II - BRK 2; VMT 0

III - VMT 3; BRK 2

WILD CARD SHOWDOWN

BROOKLYN CYCLONES

vs.

ABERDEEN IRONBIRDS

FROM

CAL RIPKEN'S WORLD

Vermont Salvages Victory in Series Finale at Coney Island

Brooklyn designated hitter Gavin Garay's double plates pinch runner Ranfy Adon with the game's tying run in the ninth, and into extra innings they go at MCU Park.  With the obligatory runner stationed at second base starting off the tenth, Vermont's Josh Watson successfully bunts Shane Selman to third.  Then, of all things Cyclones reliever Matt Mullenbach unleashes a wild pitch allowing the go-ahead run to score from third.  The Cyclones are retired in order in the bottom half of the frame ... game over.  Wilmer Reyes goes 2 for 4 with a run batted in, and Gavin Garay is 3 for 4 with a run batted in.  Together they account for five of the Cyclones seven hits.

The other bad news is that Hudson Valley defeats the Connecticut Tigers and retake sole possession of first place.  Otherwise Aberdeen and Staten Island both lose, leaving Brooklyn and the Ironbirds tied for second, one game back of the Renegades.  However Brooklyn and Aberdeen still remain tied for the wild card and will open a three game series at Aberdeen on Wednesday.

Meanwhile Staten Island is two games back of the division lead and 1.5 games back of Brooklyn and Aberdeen for the wild card.  They open a three game series against the Renegades at Staten Island.

Six games remain in the regular season.

• New York Penn League

Walk-Off at Coney Puts Cyclones Back In Control of Wild Card

From the desk of:  THE SURF AVENUE SLUGGERS

Cyclones lead Valley Cats 2-0

I - BRK 2; TRI 1

II - BRK 5; TRI 3

GAME THREE
Tri City Valley Cats

vs.

Brooklyn Cyclones

FROM

Steeplechase Grounds

When play resumes as of Saturday's postponement in the sixth inning on Sunday, the Valley Cats break a scoreless tie with a run on four hits off the Cyclones Jared Biddy pitching in place of Garrison Bryant.  In the bottom half of the frame Brooklyn loads the bases against Tri-City's Kyle Serrano whom then walks in two runs.  And that's a wrap on Saturday's conclusion.  Biddy earns the victory, and Matt Mullenbach earns his fifth save.

In Sunday's regularly scheduled game, albeit abbreviated, the teams dueled to a three all stalemate through seven innings requiring over time.  With Antoine Duplantis starting the bottom of the eighth at second base, Yoel Romero connects off Valley Cats reliever Miguel Figueroa on a game ending two run home run.  Nelson Leon earns the victory in relief of starter Michel Ortanez and Mitch Ragan.  Brooklyn also gets runs batted in from Duplantis and first baseman Gavin Garay.

WALK OFF!

Meanwhile the Staten Island Yankees spend the weekend taking two straight from the first place Hudson Valley Renegades while the Lake Monsters defeat Aberdeen on Sunday.  As a result Brooklyn claws back to within 1.5 games of the McNamara Division lead, and close the weekend once again in control of the wild card.  All four McNamara Division clubs are playing above the .500 mark.  The very viable Staten Island Yankees are only two games back of the Renegades and trail Brooklyn by one-half game in the wild card race.

Thirteen games remain in the Cyclones regular season.

Brooklyn Cyclones Still Chasing The Leader

From the desk of:  THE SURF AVENUE SLUGGERS

Cyclones defeat Connecticut 2-1

I - BKN 3; CON 2

II - BKN 12; CON 1

III - CON 5; BKN 2

Brooklyn Cyclones

vs.

Staten Island Yankees

FROM

Ballpark at St. George

The Cyclones win their series against the Connecticut Tigers but lose a game in the standings after Saturday's 5-2 loss at Coney Island.  Despite center fielder Kennie Taylor's first inning home run, the best Brooklyn can manage is a two all tie through four.  Catcher Jose Mena singles in Brooklyn's second run in the fourth.  Cyclones starter Frank Valentino surrenders a home run in the fourth.  But the game gets away from him in the sixth.  Valentino winds up allowing four earned runs on six hits and one walk with four strikeouts.  He record falls to 1-3 with a 3.96 ERA.  Dan Goggin allows a run on two hits and a walk through 2.1 innings in relief of Valentino.  Matt Mullenbach pitches a scoreless ninth but the Cyclones comeback would not come.  Brooklyn is just 5-5 over their last ten games and just 8-7 over their last 15 games with just 21 games left in the regular season.

Meanwhile the Hudson Valley Renegades have spent the last three days trouncing the Tri-City Valley Cats.  The Renegades are winners of four in a row and own a two game lead over Brooklyn.  Despite losing their series finale against Aberdeen, Staten Island wins that series and moves into third place ahead of the Ironbirds just 3.5 games back of Hudson Valley.

Staten Island and Brooklyn resume the Battle of the Boroughs Sunday at the Ballpark at St. George.  They flip venues on Monday, and conclude the series back at Staten Island on Tuesday.  The Yankees have hit the most home runs in the New York Penn League this season.  They own the second highest OPS and scored the third most runs.  Brooklyn is eighth in home runs, tenth in team OPS, and seventh in runs scored.  However Brooklyn is second (2.96) in overall team ERA.

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 Get Tangled Up By Lowell Spinners

From the desk of: THE SURF AVENUE SLUGGERS

The McNamara Division 

Goes Round and Round

A would be battle of the best ends up being Lowell and the rest.  The Spinners improve to a league leading 27-15 record with a twin bill sweep over the Cyclones on Tuesday at MCU Park.  They're presently the only New York-Penn League team playing .600 baseball.

The saying around Brooklyn is if you wanna be the best, you gotta beat the best.  And that's precisely what they fail to do.  In game one, the Brooks take a 3-2 lead into the seventh and final frame.  However they commit three errors including one by losing pitcher Matt Mullenbach which all contribute to a pair of runs and a game lost.

Despite taking a 1-0 lead in the first inning of game two, the Cyclones come undone in the third when Lowell strikes for five runs off losing starter Frank Valentino, who is charged with five runs, four earned, on seven hits and one walk with four strikeouts through 2.2 innings pitched.  Brooklyn scores once more in the fifth en route to a 6-2 defeat.  Wilmer Reyes accounts for two of Coney's four hits.

Aberdeen edges out Mahoning Valley and thus takes a half game lead over the now second place Cyclones.  The Renegades fall one full game back after losing to Auburn.

Brooklyn Cyclones: All Alone in First Place

From the desk of:  THE CONEY ISLAND NINE

Cyclones Sweep Lake Monsters 3-0

I - BKN 2; VER 1*

II - BKN 5; VER 1

III - BKN 9; VER 1

* 10-innings

How about those Hudson Valley Renegades!  Now there's an example of a good neighbor unlike those rats from Richmond County.  Our Dutchess County friends to the north take two of three from Aberdeen with their rubber game defeat of the Ironbirds on Sunday.  Coupled with Brooklyn's victory over the Lake Monsters, the week long mathematical voodoo spell cast over the recent McNamara Division standings is broken.  The Brooklyn Cyclones once again own a full game lead over both the Renegades and Ironbirds as of close of business Sunday.  Said another way, fractions be damned.

For a third straight game Brooklyn pitching limits Vermont to just one run.  They also hold them to just three hits; five hits in game two; and just two hits in game one.  That's three runs and just ten hits through three games.  Sunday's was a group effort.  Manager Alfonzo tasks five pitchers to cover the load.  Starter Colin Holderman kicks things off will three scoreless innings of no-hit ball with four strikeouts, although he did not factor in the decision.  Next in Corey Gaconi yields just one hit through three scoreless innings with two strikeouts, and is credited with his second win of the season.  Justin Lasko yields the Monsters lone run of the game in the seventh.  Matt Mullenbach chips in with a scoreless eighth, and Luis Silva closes out the ninth with two strikeouts.

Brooklyn tallies nine runs on 15 hits, striking four extra-base hits including home runs from shortstop Wilmer Reyes and Gavin Garay (making the start at first).  The two account for five RBI all with two outs.  The Cyclones hit 7 for 12 with runners in scoring position and strand just four runners on base.

The Kids from Coney are now winners of five straight.

TUESDAY
Brooklyn Cyclones

vs.

Lowell Spinners

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.