Brooklyn Cyclones Win 2019 New York Penn League Championship

From the desk of: McNAMARA DIVISION & NYPL CHAMPIONS

NEW YORK PENN LEAGUE

CHAMPIONSHIP SERIES

Brooklyn Defeats Lowell; 2-1

I - BRK 2; LOW 1

II - LOW 3; BRK 1

III - BRK 4; LOW 3

BROOKLYN WINS FIRST UNDISPUTED BASEBALL CHAMPIONSHIP SERIES SINCE 1955

It's been 18-years since the Cyclones completed their inaugural season at Coney Island.  It was a magical summer of baseball by the beach.  One I'll never forget.  For the first time since 1957 a professional baseball team called Brooklyn home.

The opening day line-up remains vivid in my mind.  The Cyclones post a team record and league best 52-24 record en route to capturing their first ever McNamara Division flag.  In their first ever post-season catcher Brett Kay's late inning home run in game three against the Staten Island Yankees clinches Brooklyn's first round victory and an improbable berth in the New York Penn League championship series.

Brooklyn defeats the Crosscutters in game one at Williamsport.  Game two is scheduled for Tuesday evening, September 11, at Coney Island.  However the horrific events and national tragedy which unfold that very morning force a cancellation of the series.  The New York Penn League declares the Brooklyn Cyclones and Williamsport Crosscutters co-champions of the 2001 season.

Brooklyn and Williamsport meet again in the 2003 championship series.  This time the Crosscutters sweep the Cyclones in two.  Four years later Coney loses two straight against the Auburn Doubledays.  They earn a third trip back to the championship series in 2010 only to be swept yet again by the Tri-City Valley Cats.

In 2012 the Cyclones lose a first round playoff series against the Hudson Valley Renegades, then fail to qualify for post-season play through the next six seasons.

In his third season as manager, Edgardo Alfonzo leads the Cyclones to their second straight 40-win season.  With a series sweep over the Yankees on the final weekend of the regular season Brooklyn (43-32) finishes tied for the league's best record with Hudson Valley.  But through virtue of the tie breaker Brooklyn claims their sixth ever McNamara Division title.  The Cyclones go on to defeat the Hudson Valley Renegades in the first round two games against one.

ICYMI

Cyclones Defeat Renegades; Earn Trip Back to Championship Series

On Sunday Sept. 8, the Cyclones win their first championship series game since 2001 with a 2-1 victory over the Spinners at Lowell.  After losing game two on Monday, the Cyclones answer back with a title clinching 4-3 comeback victory on Tuesday at Coney Island.  It's the Cyclones first undisputed championship in their 19-year history.

Tuesday, Sept. 10, 2019

CYCLONES STARTER NATHAN JONES TAKES HIS WARM-UPS

The Mets  2019 fifth round draft pick yields two runs, one earned, on three hits and three walks with one strikeout through three innings pitched.  He faces 14 batters while throwing 55 pitches with 31 going for strikes.  He exits to a no decision.

BOTTOM FIRST

With Brett Baty (walk) and Ranfy Adon (double) in scoring position,
Jake Mangum (above) strokes a two-out single through the right side scoring Baty.
Then with runners on the corners Antoine Duplantis (below) grounds to second;
Adon scores on the play giving Brooklyn an early 2-0 first inning lead.

THIRD INNING

With two outs in the top of the third, Nathan Jones issues a walk to Spinners right fielder Nick Decker and a single to second baseman Cameron Cannon.  Lowell first baseman Joe Davis then slashes a hit down the right field line scoring both runners knotting the game at two; Ranfy Adon is charged with a throwing error on the play.  With two outs in the bottom of the third, Lowell starter Jay Groome (pictured above) exits to a no decision.

TOP SEVENTH

With Mitch Ragan pitching in relief of Matthew Allan, Lowell designated hitter
Marino Campana (above) homers to left giving the Spinners a 3-2 lead.

BOTTOM SEVENTH

Antoine Duplantis (above) stands on third base after his game tying triple to right; Jake Mangum scores.  Yoel Romero (below) stands at first base under a Coney Island moon after his base hit to left plates Duplantis with the go ahead run.

TOP NINTH

Manager Alfonzo sends Andrew Edwards back to the mound for a second inning of relief.   He yields a lead-off hit to third baseman Nicholas Northcut.  After striking out Marino Campana, he walks pinch hitter Jaxx Groshans on four pitches.  Edwards regroups to strikeout left fielder Stephen Scott.  Then with two outs and two runners on base Lowell sends up pinch hitter Alex Erro who strikeouts swinging (pictured above) on three pitches.

THIS IS NEXT YEAR!!

NEW YORK PENN LEAGUE

Brooklyn Cyclones One-Hit Renegades Forcing Game Three

From the desk of: THE SURF AVENUE SLUGGERS

Semi-Finals Tied 1-1

I - HVR 5; BRK 4

II - BRK 1; HVR 0

NEW YORK PENN LEAGUE PLAYOFFS

GAME THREE

Hudson Valley Renegades

vs.

Brooklyn Cyclones

FROM

Old Steeplechase Grounds

Coney Island hosts its first playoff game in seven years, and the Cyclones do not disappoint.  Four Brooklyn pitchers join forces on a one-hit masterpiece over the Hudson Valley Renegades in game two Thursday evening at MCU Park.

Nathan Jones, the Mets 2019 fifth round draft pick, starts for Brooklyn.  He faces 12 batters and throws 42 pitches with 25 going for strikes.  He yields no hits, no walks, and fans three through three innings pitched.  Next on the bump is the Mets 2019 third round selection, Matthew Allan, who faces six batters and throws 15 pitches with 10 going for strikes.  He allows no hits and no walks in two innings for the victory.  With one out in the seventh Hudson Valley right fielder Hill Alexander strokes the Renegades lone hit of the game off reliever Corey Gaconi whom otherwise strikeouts out five through three innings pitched.  Nelson Leon then tosses a scoreless ninth closing out Brooklyn's one-hit whitewashing of the Renegades.

Jed Lowrie, on rehab assignment from the Mets and starting at second base, plates the lone run of the game in the fourth when he deposits the first pitch he sees off Renegades starter Evan McKendry into the right field bleachers.  Despite pitching well McKendry suffers the loss after allowing just one run on three hits with three strikeouts through six innings.

• New York Penn League

Brooklyn forces a series deciding third game at Coney Island on Friday.  The winner goes on to face the Lowell Spinners/Batavia Muckdogs in the New York Penn League championship series.

Brooklyn Cyclones Complete Very Necessary Sweep of Valley Cats

From the desk of:  THE SURF AVENUE SLUGGERS

Cyclones Sweep Valley Cats 3-0

I - BRK 2; TRI 1

II - BRK 5; TRI 3

III - BRK 5; TRI 0

Four Cyclones pitchers each do a little, and together accomplish a lot.  Nathan Jones makes the start in game three at MCU Park, allowing just two hits and two walks with two strikeouts through three scoreless innings.  Corey Gaconi takes care of the next three innings, yielding no runs on two hits with five strikeouts.  Hunter Parsons enters the game in the seventh and contributes two more scoreless innings of one-hit ball with a pair of strikeouts.  And finally Josh Hejka pitches a scoreless ninth completing the combined effort shutout.  Together the four man line reads no runs on five hits and just two walks with ten strikeouts.  Brooklyn scores single runs in the first, second, and fourth, and two more in the six for good measure.  Catcher Jose Mena is big man on campus going 3 for 4 with a double, home run, and three RBI.  Luke Ritter drives in his 25th run of the season, and designated hitter Gavin Garay drives in his eighth.

AND LIKE A GOOD NEIGHBOR ... STATEN ISLAND IS THERE

Yankees sweep Renegades 3-0

I - SIY 4; HVR 3

II - SIY 4; HVR 1

III - SIY 4; HVR 3

Richmond County has been a tremendous help of late, likewise completing a three game sweep over the first place Hudson Valley Renegades.  That ties the Yankees with Aberdeen at one game out of first place.  Brooklyn meanwhile is now within one-half game of first place, but hold a half-game lead in the wild card race over Aberdeen and Staten Island.  And the Batavia Muckdogs have suddenly arrived on the scene, one full game behind the Cyclones.

• New York Penn League

Brooklyn Cyclones Lay Early Claim to Division Lead

From the desk of:  THE SURF AVENUE SLUGGERS

Cyclones Split Series w/ Ironbirds

I - ABD 4; BKN 3

II - BKN 4; ABD 1

TUESDAY

Brooklyn Cyclones

vs.

Lowell Spinner

FROM

LeLacheur Park

With Monday's victory the Cyclones gain a two game split with the Aberdeen Ironbirds, and coupled with their sweep of the Staten Island Yankees close out their season opening home stand with a successful 3-1 record.

New York Mets fifth round selection Nathan Jones makes his professional debut with two scoreless innings of no-hit ball with one walk and five strikeouts.  He faces just seven batters while throwing 39 pitches with 21 (53%) going for strikes.  Garrison Bryant up this season from (R) Kingsport takes over in the third yielding just one run on two hits and one walk with seven strikeouts though 4.1 innings en route to his first victory.  Also making his pro debut, Daniel Goggin pitches a scoreless ninth to earn his first save.  Four Brooklyn pitchers combine in limiting the Ironbirds to a run on just two hits and two walks with 14 strikeouts.

First baseman Joe Genord opened the scoring with a run scoring sac-fly in the first.  Second baseman and seventh round selection Luke Ritter then connected on his first home run as part of a three run third inning giving the Cyclones a 4-0 lead and ultimate 4-1 margin of victory.

Brooklyn now heads to Lowell where they'll take on the Spinners.

Home of the Lowell Spinners