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

Hudson Valley Renegades Take Second Straight From Brooklyn Cyclones

From the desk: THE CONEY ISLAND NINE

BROOKLYN vs. HUDSON VALLEY

I - HVR 5; BKN 2

II - HVR 8; BKN 5

Cyclones Lose Second Straight at Hudson Valley

Brooklyn got off to a good start.  Of course, it's how you finish that matters.

Left fielder Matt Rudick drew a walk to open the game, and Shervyen Newton was hit by a pitch.  Afterwhich, designated hitter Nic Gaddis delivered both runners with a home run to left field.

After two scoreless at-bats, the Renegades caught up to starter Mike Vasil with three hits and two runs in the third and another three hits and three runs, including a home run in the fourth.

Shervyen Newton doubled home a run in the fifth, and Mike Rudick homered in the top of the seventh to tie the game at five.

However, right-hander Nolan Clenney yielded three runs in the bottom half of the seventh.

Renegade reliever Ryan Miller won the game in relief of starter Matt Sauer, and Nelson Alvarez 

converted a five-out save.

Making his sixth start with the Cyclones, Mike Vasil escaped with a no-decision while Nolan Clenney took the loss.  

Four of the Cyclones' six hits went for extra bases, but they only drew two walks and struck out ten times.

Mike Vasil's earned run average continues to grow after posting a 1.80 mark in eight starts and 35.0 innings with St. Lucie.  He presently sports a 5.40 ERA through 28.1 innings since being promoted to Brooklyn. 

Brooklynn Cyclones Takes Series Lead Against Jersey Shore

From the desk: THE SURF AVENUE SLUGGERS

BATTLE OF THE BEACHES

Jersey Shore vs. Coney Island

I - BK 4; JS 3

II - JS 5; BK 3

III - BK 3; JS 1

Cyclones Use Their Few Hits Wisely; Pitchers Shut Out Jersey Shore Over Final Eight

Game three at Coney Island featured right-hander Dominic Pipkin for the Blue Claws against Mike Vasil for the Cyclones.  

Jersey Shore bunched together three hits to take a 1-0 first-inning lead.  

After being held scoreless through the third, Nic Gaddis singled home the tying run in the fourth and runs batted in by Jose Peroza, and Shervyen Newton put the Cyclones ahead for good.  Otherwise,  Brooklyn was held to three hits all game.

Three Cyclone pitchers limited the Blue Claws to just a pair of hits over the final eight innings.  Mike Vasil allowed four hits and no walks with five strikeouts in six innings pitched for the win.  Right-hander Justin Courtney followed with two scoreless innings of one-hit ball, and Grant Hartwig closed out the ninth with two strikeouts for his sixth save.

Brooklyn Cyclones Even Series at Wilmington

From the desk: THE CONEY ISLAND NINE

Brooklyn vs. Wilmington

I - WIL 6; BKN 5

II - BKN 4; WIL 2

III - WIL 9; BKN 5

IV - BKN 3; WIL 2

Brooklyn Knots Series with Wilmington at Two Apiece

After falling behind in the first inning, the Cyclones posted three runs in the third.  Afterwhich, it was a matter of holding on, and the pitching was up to the task.

Making his fourth start for Brooklyn, right-hander Mike Vasil has had better days.  He faced 19 batters and threw 86 pitches with 48 (55.8)% going for strikes.  Vasil allowed two earned runs on three hits and five walks with five strikeouts before being removed with two outs in the fourth. 

Also making his fourth appearance, southpaw Nathan Lavender was stellar, yielding no runs on just one hit and two walks with four strikeouts in four innings pitched for the win.  Right-hander Sammy Tavares pitched the final 1.1 innings, allowing only a walk with two strikeouts for his fourth save.

All told, the Cyclones limited the Blue Rocks to only four hits and struck out eleven.

Second baseman Justin Herrera, Shervyen Newton, and Matt Rudick drove in a run each.

Brooklyn Cyclones Late Rally Downs Jersey Shore

From the desk: THE CONEY ISLAND NINE

Brooklyn vs. Jersey Shore

I - BK 10; JS 4

II - JS 8; BK 5

III - JS 2; BK 1

IV - BK 2; JS 1

V - BK 8; JS 4

Ninth Inning Rally Gives Cyclones 3-2 Series Advantage

Things went wildly wrong for Cyclone starter Mike Vasil in the bottom of the first.  A hit by pitch, two hits, and a balk partly helped stake Jersey Shore to an abrupt 4-0 lead.  

Third baseman Warren Saunders homered for Brooklyn leading off the third, and Jose Mena doubled and scored in the fourth.  Afterwhich, the score remained unchanged through the eighth inning.

Jersey Shore would suffer a fielding and battery implosion in the top of the ninth.  Brooklyn scored six runs, five of which were unearned.  Two fielding errors, a catcher's interference call, and a passed ball aided the cause.  Shortstop Branden Fryman and Joe Suozzi each tripled in the inning.  Suozzi accounted for three of Brooklyn's five hits and delivered home three runs.

After the first inning, Brooklyn pitching limited the Blue Claws to just one hit the rest of the way.  Mike Vasil recovered and escaped with a no-decision, allowing three earned runs on three hits and one walk with seven strikeouts through five.  Left-hander Nathan Lavender threw two scoreless innings.  Right-hander Grant Hartwig closed out the game with two scoreless frames and five strikeouts for the win.

• boxscore