Battle of the Boroughs - I
Brooklyn wins Opening Series 2-1
I - BKN 3; SIY 2
II - SIY 8; BKN 3
III - BKN 6; SIY 4
BROOKLYN CYCLONES: Party Poopers; Baby Bums and Baby Bombers spend weekend ruining each other's home openers.
If there's any consolation to Brooklyn losing their Coney Island home opener on Saturday, it's no doubt taking a pair from the Yankees in Staten Island, and ruining Richmond County's opening weekend as well.
The Staten Island Yankees hosted this year's opening of the 2015 New York-Penn League season on Friday, and jumped out to a 2-0 lead on right fielder Jhalan Jackson's 2-run home run off Brooklyn starter Tyler Badamo in the 2nd.
After an RBI by Tucker Tharp in the 4th, Michael Katz scored on a wild pitch in the 6th, knotting the game at two through 6 innings of play. That's the way things stayed, as the first game of the season required extra innings.
With 2-outs and Enmanuel Zabala at second base in the top of the 12th, Michael Bernal's liner to left finally delivered the go-ahead run.
Reliever Gaither Bumgardner then retired the Yankees in order, striking out the final two batters to earn the win, and secure Brooklyn's opening night 3-2 victory.
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In Saturday's Cyclones home opener at MCU Park, the Staten Island Yankees struck back to post a crowd deflating 8-3 victory over Brooklyn.
Starter Gabby Almonte climbed the hill, and was clubbed for 8 runs, 6 earned, on 8 hits and 2 walks. He fanned 3 before departing the game on the losing side.
The Surf Avenue Sluggers were quiet this day. First baseman Michael Katz was credited with the only Cyclones' RBI of the game.
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The series shifted back to Staten Island for Sunday's rubber game, where the Cyclones built a 5-0 lead by the 5th, then held on to post a 6-4 victory, and an opening series win.
Right fielder Michael Bernal was 2 for 4 with a double, triple, 2 runs scored and an RBI. DH Jeff Diehl was 2 for 4 with a home run and 2 RBI, and first baseman Zach Mathieu drove in a pair as well.
Starter Michael Gibbons pitched 5.2 innings. He faced 22 batters, and threw 94 pitches with 61 going for strikes. He allowed 2 earned runs on 2 hits and 2 walks, and fanned 6 batters en route to his first victory of the season.
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Next: the Brooklyn Cyclones will host the Tri-City Valley Cats.
Mike
Mike
