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: One More Win and They're In

From the desk of: 

THE SURF AVENUE SLUGGERS  &  THE RICHMOND COUNTY RATS

BATTLE of the BOROUGHS

Brooklyn leads series 2-0

I - BRK 11; SIY 2

II - BRK 5; SIY 4

LABOR DAY

Staten Island Yankees

vs.

Brooklyn Cyclones

FROM

Coney Island

Brooklyn Rallies For Ninth Inning Victory at Staten Island; Hudson Valley Clinches Playoff Berth With Win Over Aberdeen.

Brooklyn scores in their first at-bat, but trail the Yankees 4-1 after four.  The Cyclones make it a 4-2 game in the fifth.  Starter Garrison Bryant exits on the losing side after yielding four runs, three earned, on seven hits and one walk with five strikeouts.  After which the bullpen pitches brilliantly whilst the Cyclones mount their comeback.

With two outs in the sixth Joe Genord, Jose Peroza, and Jake Ortega all single consecutively; Genord scores making it a 4-3 game in Staten Island's favor.  In the top of the ninth Yankees reliever Barrett Loseke commits a cardinal sin of baseball when he walks Brooklyn lead-off batter Kenedy Corona, who then advances to second on a wild pitch.  Antoine Duplantis singles putting runners on the corners.  Jake Mangum likewise singles to left scoring Corona.  With Wilmer Reyes at the plate, Barrett Loseke unleashes another wild pitch advancing Duplantis to third, whom then scores on a subsequent throwing error by catcher Carlos Narvaez giving Brooklyn a 5-4 lead and ultimate margin of victory.

Jared Biddy allows just one hit through two innings in relief of Bryant.  Josh Hejika pitches a scoreless eighth for the victory, and Nelson Leon tosses a scoreless ninth with two strikeouts for his fourth save.  The three relievers combine on four scoreless innings of one-hit ball with no walks and four strikeouts.

• New York Penn League

Hudson Valley breaks a scoreless tie with two runs in the fifth.  Aberdeen rallies for two runs in the top of the eighth, and into extra innings they go at Dutchess County.  The Renegades ultimately walk off with a 3-2 win in the tenth.  Hudson Valley clinches at least a wild card.  Heading into the last game of the regular season, the Renegades lead the McNamara Division by one full game over the Cyclones.  The Ironbirds are eliminated from the division race.  With another victory over Aberdeen on Monday the Renegades would clinch the division title.  In turn Brooklyn now leads the wild card race by one full game over the Ironbirds.  One more victory over Staten Island on Monday would stamp Brooklyn's ticket to the playoffs.  As a result of Sunday's loss the Yankees are eliminated from wild card contention.

Dare I contemplate a McNamara Division tie?

Brooklyn Cyclones Remain Tied For First With Victory at Aberdeen

From the desk of:  

THE SURF AVENUE SLUGGERS  &  THE RICHMOND COUNTY RATS

Wednesday

Brooklyn Cyclones  9

Aberdeen Ironbirds  8

FINAL

What we have here is a classic fight to the finish.  With just five games remaining in the regular season, the tightest division race in the New York Penn League, and the wild card chase for that matter, remain undecided as ever.  On Wednesday Brooklyn defeats the Ironbirds in their series opener at Aberdeen, while the Yankees defeat Hudson Valley in their series opener at Staten Island.  As a result the Cyclones and Hudson Valley Renegades end the night tied for first in the McNamara Division and the wild card race.  Aberdeen now trails both races by one full game, while Staten Island closes to within 1.5 games.

Despite bum rushing the Ironbirds for a 7-0 lead after two and a half innings of play, Brooklyn barely holds on for Wednesday's victory.  While single runs in the fourth and in the eighth cap the Cyclones output at nine, the Irondbirds answer with a trio of runs in the third, four more in the sixth, and one more in the eighth.  But they're never able to push an eighth run across the plate.  Designated hitter Gavin Garay is 3 for 5 with a run scored and two runs batted in.  Ranfy Adon goes 2 for 3 with two walks, two runs scored, and two runs batted in.  Joe Genord is 1 for 5 with three runs batted in.  Starter Michel Otanez earns his second victory of the season, despite yielding three runs on five hits and three walks with four strikeouts through five innings.  Reliever Mitch Ragan is roughed up for two runs on four hits in just two innings pitched.  But Nelson Leon pitches the final two innings and fans four in picking up his third save of the season.  The Cyclones ar 7-3 in their last ten games and now join Hudson Valley in the forty victory club.

WEDNESDAY

Hudson Valley Renegades  2

Staten Island Yankees         3

FINAL

At Staten Island, Hudson Valley maintains a 2-0 lead through six innings.  But the Baby Bombers finally break through for a pair in the seventh.  With the bases full catcher Thomas Gallardo scores from third on a sac-fly from third baseman Andres Chaparro, and shortstop Joe Smith scored on an error by Renegades first baseman Jacson McGowan.  Staten Island goes ahead in the eighth when designated hitter Carlos Narvaez leads-off with a double and is replaced with pinch runner Isaiah Pasteur.  After a passed ball advances Pasteur to third, pinch hitter Borinquen Mendez drives him home for a 3-2 Yankees lead, and final score.  Fading fast, Hudson Valley is now 4-6 in their last ten games.

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.