N.Y. Mets: Can't Save Themselves From The Dog Days of Spring

From the desk of: HEAD-BUTTING MR. MET

GATES CLOSED

The Regular Season is Now a Matter of Record.  

So What Happened?

The Mets played exactly 23 meaningful games in September.  Ironically a victory over the Miami Marlins is their last, as the competition squeezes them out of post-season contention at the 158 game mark.  They finish the regular season in third place, eleven games back of first, and three games out of the wild card race.  With an 86-76 (.531) record the Mets at least assure themselves of their first winning season in three years.  

While many if not most fans and media point to the Mets 27 blown saves as the main reason why they failed to qualify for the playoffs, there's also something to be said for what is becoming a habitual Spring swoon.  From May 15 through the end of June the Mets post an 18-27 record featuring five and seven game losing streaks respectively.  By July 5 they are ten games under .500 sporting a 40-50 record.  It is during this dreadful two month period that a great majority of this season's blown saves occur.

THE DOG DAYS of SPRING

• May/June 2015:  25-30 (.454); 65-42 (.607) rest of season.
• May/June 2016:  26-30 (.464); 61-45 (.575) rest of season.
• May/June 2017:  27-28 (.491); 43-64 (.402) rest of season.
• May/June 2018:  15-39 (.278); 62-46 (.574) rest of season.
• May/June 2019:  23-33 (.411); 63-43 (.594) rest of season.

Last season with the Mariners Edwin Diaz posts a 1.96 ERA through 73.1 innings pitched.  He converts a major league best 57 of 61 save opportunities for a 93% success rate with four blown saves. In his first season with the Mets he converts 26 of 33 save opportunities for a 79% success rate with seven blown saves.  He yields a career high 15 home runs skyrocketing his ERA upwards of 5.59 in 58.0 innings pitched.  Since Diaz led the Mets in blown saves, he naturally bears the brunt of criticism.  But make no mistake, New York's bullpen inefficiencies were a collective effort.  Edwin Diaz accounts for 26% of all Mets blown saves - seven for Diaz and 20 blown saves for everyone else.  That begs the question: who is responsible for blowing the other 74% of save opportunities?

THE CULPRITS

• Edwin Diaz: (26/33) 79% conversions; 7 blown saves.
• Drew Gagnon/Wilmer Font/Brad Brach/Tyler Bashlor: (0/6) 0% conversions; 6 blown saves.
• Seth Lugo: (6/11) 54% conversions; 5 blown saves.
• Robert Gsellman: (1/5) 20% conversions; 4 blown saves.
• Jeurys Familia: (0/4) 0% conversions; 4 blown saves.
• Justin Wilson: (4/5) 80% conversions; 1 blown save.
• Paul Sewald: (1/1) 100% conversions; 0 blown saves.

There are still another 13 relief pitchers so far unmentioned here whom this past season appeared out of the Mets bullpen.  Outside of Luis Avilan, very few if any are worth mentioning.  However, none were put into save situations.

And what of the competition?  How are they trending?

San Diego's 32-year old Kirby Yates comes out of nowhere to post a National League leading 44 saves, with a 93% conversion rate, and only three blown saves.  Alas the Padres are not in the playoffs.  Also home watching TV are Cincinnati's Raisel Iglesias who posts 34 saves, with an 85% conversion rate and six blown saves, and San Francisco's Will Smith who likewise posts 34 saves with an 89% conversion rate and only four blown saves.  Rounding out the National League's top five closers, Milwaukee's Josh Harder finishes second with 37 saves, off an 84% conversion rate with seven blown saves.  L.A.'s Kenley Jansen saves 33 games with an 80% conversion rate and eight blown saves.

National League Playoff Qualifiers

• Atlanta Braves: 66% conversions; 23 blown saves.
• St. Louis Cardinals: 71% conversions; 21 blown saves.
• Los Angeles Dodgers: 60% conversions; 29 blown saves.
• Washington Nationals: 58% conversions; 29 blown saves.
• Milwaukee Brewers: 64% conversions; 28 blown saves.

• National League Averaage: 61.4% conversions; 25 blown saves.
• NEW YORK METS: (38/65) 58% CONVERSIONS; 27 BLOWN SAVES.

American League Playoff Qualifiers

• N.Y. Yankees: 63% conversions; 28 blown saves.
• Houston Astros: 70% conversions; 20 blown saves.
• Minnesota Twins: 69% conversions; 22 blown saves.
• Oakland A's: 59% conversions; 31 blown saves.
• Tampa Bay Rays: 63% conversions; 27 blown saves.

Every team blows saves.  But in the National League only the Mets, Nationals, Cubs, Pirates, Rockies, and Marlins, fail to convert at least 60% of their opportunities.  Washington survives the wild card game.  In the American League, Oakland does not.  

Make of it what you will.

N.Y. Mets: On the Difference Between Sweeping and Being Swept

From the desk of:  HEAD-BUTTING MR. MET

Braves Sweep Series 3-0

I - ATL 2; NYM 1

II - ATL 9; NYM 5

III  ATL 2; NYM 1

The Metropolitans are in the midst of the 18 most pivotal games of their season.  Having completed their series with Cleveland and Atlanta, they next play the Chicago Cubs, followed by Philadelphia, Washington, then Philadelphia again.

So far the first six games have garnered mixed results.

vs. Cleveland

• Game #1:  Mets 9; Indians 2
• Game #2:  Mets 4; Indians 3
• Game #3:  Mets 2; Indians 0

They sweep a good Cleveland Indians team, outscoring them by a 15-5 margin for a plus-ten run differential.  Starters Steven Matz, Marcus Stroman, and Noah Syndergaard, join forces in allowing just two earned runs on twelve hits and three walks with 13 strikeouts over 16.1 total innings pitched.


vs. Atlanta

• Game #1: Braves 2; Mets 1 *14 innings
• Game #2: Braves 9; Mets 5
• Game #3: Braves 2; Mets 1

The Mets are outscored 13-7 for a minus-six run differential - a far cry from the Cleveland series.  Mets batters go 24 for 115 (.209) against Braves pitching - barely above the Mendoza Line.  They draw a mere seven walks through three games and strikeout 29 times.  Moreover, the Mets go 4 for 25 (.160) with runners in scoring position.  Todd Frazier, Juan Lagares, and Michael Conforto, just to name a few, combine on 0 for 8 with RiSP.  Then ponder how in game one the Mets play 14 innings and their lone run of the game comes on a home run off the bat of Jacob deGrom.  How and why should that be?  Once again the Mets get effective pitching from the ranks.  In fact the bullpen matches deGrom pitch for pitch.

• deGrom: seven innings; four hits; one earned run; one walk; 13 strikeouts.
• Bullpen: seven innings; four hits; one earned run; four walks; 13 strikeouts.

Yet, the Mets go 0 for 7 with RiSP and leave nine men on base.  The line-up is a mere 6 for 47 (.128) for the game with just four walks and 14 strikeouts through 14 innings.

On Sunday Steven Matz limits the Braves to one run on just two hits and one walk with six strikeouts through six innings pitched.  But third baseman Josh Donaldson connects off Paul Sewald in the seventh giving the Braves a 2-0 lead.  The Mets muster one run in the ninth when Todd Frazier legs out a fielder's choice, but nothing more.


Mets Offense vs. Braves

• Game #1 - 6 for 47 (.128); 4 walks; 14 K; 9 LOB; 0 for 7 w/risp.
• Game #2 - 11 for 37 (.297); no walks; 8 K; 5 LOB; 3 for 10 w/risp.
• Game #3 - 7 for 31 (.226); 3 walks; 7 K; 7 LOB; 1 for 8 w/risp.

Mets Pitching Last Six Games:

• Starters: 35.1 innings; 23 hits; 8 ER; 9 BB; 35 K; 2.31 ERA; 0.912 WHiP.
• Bullpen: 23.2 innings; 15 hits; 8 ER; 9 BB; 35 K; 3.49 ERA; 1.034 WHiP.
• TOTAL: 59.0 innings; 38 hits; 16 ER; 18 BB; 70 K; 2.44 ERA; 0.949 WHiP.

The next twelve games represent the Mets best opportunity for controlling their destiny and will likely define their entire season.  They host the Cubs starting Tuesday, then play at Philadelphia and Washington before returning home to host the Phillies.  They have no games scheduled against Milwaukee nor St, Louis.  But the path to the postseason is nevertheless laid out before them.  All they need do is seize the moment.

N.Y. Mets: Ninth Inning Closer Need Not Apply

From the desk of:  HEAD-BUTTING MR. MET

THE BULLPEN: CLUB CALLAWAY

Previously:

First Word: Year Sixteen After Doubleday 

The Five Hurlers of the Metropolis 

Jason Vargas is a Sensible Acquisition

New York Mets: Mickey Callaway Reviving the Role of Fireman.

I recall a time when Hall of Fame pitcher Pedro Martinez was tiring, and manager Grady Little left him in during this particular game because he didn't trust his bullpen.  Needless to say Game Seven of the 2003 ALCS goes into extra-innings, and the next thing you know ... the New York Yankees are heading to the World Series.

Hearing "bullpen by committee" always makes me think back to those 2003 Boston Red Sox.  Entering that season, then general manager Theo Epstien said something to the effect they didn't need a closer - that bullpen by committee would work, and serve them well.

Executives lacking a legitimate closer tend to say stuff like that ...

Did he learn his lesson?

In January of 2004, Theo signs free agent reliever Keith Foulke, who went on to save 31 regular season games, and threw the final pitch in the Red Sox 2004 World Series clinching victory over the St. Louis Cardinals.

The Mets have an MLB legitimate closer in Jeurys Familia.  Therefore, this has everything to do with Mickey Callaway's and pitching coach Dave Eiland's plan to implement a closer by committee system - which is quite different than bullpen by committee.  Unless you're the 1990 Cincinnati Reds featuring the Nasty Boys; Randy Meyers, Rod Dibble, and Norm Charlton; for me the term bullpen by committee is a nonstarter.

Coach Callaway, however, sounds intent on reviving the old-school role of fireman ... and I'm absolutely cool with that.

How many times have managers held their closer back because it wasn't the ninth inning?  And how many potential victories have gone up in smoke as a result?

Of course, every situation is different and therefore such a scheme requires proper planning.  But if game threatening conditions present themselves in the seventh/eighth innings, it would occasionally make sense to call upon your fireman.  Why not let Jeurys Familia literally and figuratively save the game in the seventh/eighth if needed?  If all goes well, the next reliever in line then faces a less dire situation in the ninth inning, preferably against a less imposing portion of the line-up.

I'm indeed agreeable with this thinking, I guess, because what qualifies these days as a save situation, a non-save situation, and the save rule itself (as presently written) is pure science fiction.

Under the old save qualifications, one needed enter with the tying or go-ahead run on base or at the plate; preserve the lead and finish the game; or pitch three full innings while preserving the lead.  Today, all a closer must do in order to qualify for a save is simply finish the game and protect a three run lead.  This is precisely Goose Gossage's gripe with today's closers - and quite frankly, I agree with him.  Goose would routinely put out fires in the seventh or eighth inning, then still pitch the ninth.  That also goes for Rollie Fingers as well as other top relievers of that era.

Alas, they were firemen.

We have Tony LaRussa to thank for much of today's bullpen dogma.  Above and beyond any of his contemporaries, he's the one most responsible for inaugurating the age of strict relief specialization.  He created the one inning/ninth inning role back when he managed the White Sox, then perfected it with the Oakland A's and (HOF) Dennis Eckersley.  If you want to partly blame someone for the inane suggestions being floated around to speed up pace of play, he's your guy.

My point is Mickey Callaway's and Dave Eiland's idea is a refreshing break from the modern LaRussa model.  As a fan, I know a save when I see one, regardless of the inning.  I therefore am in lockstep with Coach Callaway regarding this matter.

As presently constructed, Mets bullpen success lies in the arms of Jeurys Familia, Anthony Swarzak, Jerry Blevins, and AJ Ramos.  They will be joined by either Zack Wheeler or Jason Vargas - depending which of the two earns the fifth spot in the starting rotation.

Barring another veteran acquisition, the rest of the bullpen will otherwise be manned by farmed products still attempting to establish themselves - Hansel Robles included.  This is where the redundancy of hiring Mickey Callaway and Dave Eiland comes into play.  The pitching staff is in better hands due to the simple fact Dan Warthen is gone - no offense intended, but truth is truth.  So I'm curious to see how Robles, Paul Sewald, and maybe Cory Oswalt, respond under their tutelage.

Next is the matter of over-taxation.  Jerry Blevins is the lone left-hander in the bullpen, which could prove problematic.  But there's also Sandy Alderson's information squad whom floated the idea of limiting certain starters to just two turns through the line-up.  Metrics in fact indicate a starter's ERA skyrockets when facing line-ups a third time.  This strategy potentially applies to Zack Wheeler, Steven Matz, and even Matt Harvey.

All I can say is let's just wait and see what happens.


THE PROBABLE SEVEN

• JEURYS FAMILIA

In 2015 and 2016, Familia led the National League in games finished, and in 2016 also led the circuit with 51 saves.  However, an arterial clot in Familia's right shoulder limited him to just 26 appearances last season.  I still have plenty of confidence in Familia, and so I have no real issues.

• ANTHONY SWARZAK

On paper, this appears to be a savvy acquisition by Sandy Alderson.  Last year was Swarzak's first taste of the National League after previously spending 7 1/2 seasons with the Chicago White Sox.  The right-handed 32-year old appeared in 29 games for the Milwaukee Brewers.  He posted a 2.48 ERA and 12.11 K/9 average, while allowing 21 hits in 29 innings pitched.  In 70 total appearances last season, Swarzak posted a 2.48 ERA and 1.034 WHiP, allowing just 58 hits and fanning 91 batters through 77.1 innings pitched.

Yet, the Brewers granted him his free agency.  Money was likely an issue.  Swarzak went from earning an average of $900,000 over the last three years, to signing a two-year $14 million dollar pact with the Mets.

He's strictly a fastball/slider pitcher.  He threw his fastball 48.5 percent of the time clocking in at a career high 94.7 mph, and threw his slider at a rate of 51.5 percent, likewise clocking in at a career high 87.1 mph according to Fangraphs.

• JERRY BLEVINS

Jerry is the lone southpaw of the lot.  He has turned in back-to-back solid seasons for the Mets.  In 75 appearances and 49 innings pitched, he posted a 2.94 ERA and struck out 69 batters for a 12.7 K/9 average. However, he walked batters at a 4.4 K/9 clip.  Walks are always problematic.

• AJ RAMOS

His performance slipped last season after his acquisition from Miami, where he owned a 3.73 ERA and a 10.7 K/9 average through 40 games and 39.2 innings pitched.  In 21 appearances for the Mets, however, Ramos registered a 4.74 ERA while allowing 19 hits in 19 innings pitched.  While he posted an 11.8 K/9 average, last year's 1.632 WHiP is a concern heading into this season.

• HANSEL ROBLES

I truly believe under Mickey Callaway and Dave Eiland, Hansel Robles will take a huge leap forward in his development.  According to Fangraphs he threw his fastball 65.8 percent of the time last season but clocked in at a career low 94 mph.  His slider which averaged 85.5 mph accounted for 24.8 percent of his pitches.  He otherwise tinkered with a change-up eight percent of the time, which perhaps Callaway and Eiland can help further develop into a viable third pitch.

• PAUL SEWALD

Sewald made his major league debut last year, and the The Mets are hoping for an improved  sophomore season this year.  In 57 appearances, he posted a 4.55 ERA, allowed 58 hits, and averaged a 9.5 K/9 over 65.1 innings pitched.  He offsets a 92 mph fastball, with an 83 mph change and slider - Fangraph.  I'll be paying close attention to his development under Callaway and Eiland.

• CORY OSWALT

Oswalt was the Mets seventh round selection in the 2012 amateur draft.  Last season was his first stint at double-A Binghamton where he posted a 12-5 record in 24 starts, with a 2.28 ERA and 1.176 WHiP over 134.1 innings pitched.  He was named the Eastern League Pitcher of the Year, and the Sterling Organizational Pitcher of the Year.  For the moment, the Mets starting rotation is well stocked.  Therefore Oswalt's spring training performance will perhaps dictate whether he returns to Binghamton to resume work as a starter, or if he makes the club and pitches out of the bullpen.


THE USUAL REINFORCEMENTS

• Seth Lugo
• Robert Gsellman
• Rafael Montero

ACQUISITIONS

• Twenty-three year old Jamie Callahan was acquired from the Red Sox in the Addison Reed deal.  He owns a 4.71 ERA in 384 innings pitched over six minor league seasons.

• Twenty-four year old Jacob Rhame was acquired from the Dodgers in the Curtis Granderson deal.  He owns a 3.07 ERA in 261 innings pitched over five minor league seasons.

Brooklyn Cyclones: Fend Off Monsters For Second Straight Win

From the desk of:   THE SURF AVENUE SLUGGERS

BROOKLYN CYCLONES:

Coney Island Gains a Game on Hudson Valley.

Win Second Straight Over Vermont Lake Monsters.

AFTER MISSING FIVE GAMES, BRANDON NIMMO RETURNS TO ACTION

In game two of their weekend series, Brooklyn finally turned up the offensive production Saturday with six runs on nine hits against the Vermont Lake Monsters.  Four Brooklyn pitchers chipped in to keep the Monsters at bay.  Brandon Nimmo made his return to the line-up, and four Cyclones hitters had multi-hit games.  Ultimately, two unearned runs allowed by Vermont would send their game off in the wrong direction.



Making his seventh start, Brooklyn's Julian Hilario, pitched in search of his second win against three losses this season.  And he'd get it.  Julian left the game after five innings pitched, in which he allowed Vermont one earned run, on five hits.  He walked two and struck out five before leaving the game.  Matthew Kotch first out of Brooklyn's bullpen.  Vermont roughed him up though.  In one inning of work, he surrendered two runs, on four hits, and issued one walk.  But Brooklyn escaped the sixth inning still holding on to a 6-3 lead.



Beck Wheeler and Paul Seward pitched the final three innings.  In two innings of work, Wheeler allowed no hits, walked none, and struck out three Monsters.  Paul Sewald pitched the ninth to secure his fourth save of the season.  He surrendered one hit, and struck out two to close out the Cyclones' thirty-third win of the season.



The Brooks took an early lead in the first inning.  Brandon Nimmo led off Brooklyn's night by drawing a walk.  He advanced to third on Phillip Evans' single.  Then a balk called against Vermont's starter, Michael Ynoa, allowed Nimmo to score.  Phillip Evans later came around to score on an RBI single by Kevin Plawecki, to make the score 2-0 Cyclones.  In the fourth, Brooklyn struck for two more runs.  Brandon Nimmo had an RBI single, and came around to score on a Phillip Evans single, making it a 4-0 game at that point.



In the fifth, Kevin Plawecki led off the inning with his fourth home run of the season.  And in the very next inning, Eudy Pina led off the sixth with a solo home run as well, to give Brooklyn their six run total.  That was Eudy Pina's fourth home run of the season.  The pair of long balls brings Brooklyn's total up to twenty-nine, which still ranks them second in the league.



This was Brandon Nimmo's first game back after getting hit by a pitch on the shoulder, which caused him to miss five games with discomfort.  But Saturday night, he picked up where he left off, and  continues to thrive batting lead-off.  He was two for four at the plate in his return.  The day before being inserted into the lead-off spot on July 25th, he was hitting eighth in the order, and at a .228 clip.  Since then, he has raised his average to a .270 mark.  He is ninth in the league in runs scored; is sporting a .391 OBP; is third in the league in walks; and is tied for second among the circuit leaders in doubles.



Hudson Valley lost to the Lowell Spinners in thirteen innings up in Peekskill, N.Y.  That means Brooklyn gained a game on the Renegades.  The Brooks are now back to being two games behind Hudson Valley for the McNamara Division lead, with twenty-three games remaining in the regular season.  The Cyclones still maintain a five game lead over State College for the Wild Card.





Mike.BTB

BKN Cyclones ~ Thank You Ohio...No Sleep Till Brooklyn

From the desk of:   THE CONEY ISLAND NINE

BROOKLYN CYCLONES: Brandon Nimmo Starting to Find His Grove at Plate as a Lead-Off Hitter.

Brooks Take Second Straight.  Win Series 2-1 Over Mahoning Valley Scrappers.

Finish Road Trip 4-2.  Remain Two Games Out of First Place.

Having completed a 4-2 road trip, the Boardwalk Bums packed up the team bus last night, and started the long but happy drive from Ohio, back to Coney Island, where they will enjoy a well deserved day off today; Tuesday.


In Monday's action, Brandon Nimmo hit the cowhide off the baseball for the second consecutive game.  And after dropping game one of this now concluded series, the Cyclones came storming back with two resounding victories over the Mahoning Valley Scrappers in game two and three.

Batting lead-off for the sixth consecutive game, Brandon Nimmo went 3 for 5 in Monday night's game, with two doubles, one RBI, and two runs scored.  Over the first four games of the trip, he was just three of seventeen at the plate.  In his last two games however, he has seven hits in his last eleven at-bats.  Since being moved into the lead-off slot for game one of the prior series against Batavia, he is batting .357, based on ten hits in twenty-eight at-bats.

On Monday, starting pitcher Rainy Lara tossed a phenomenal game for Brooklyn.  It didn't start that way though.  He allowed a single, and a run producing double in the first inning, but then proceeded to keep the Scrappers quiet over his next six innings pitched.  In all, Rainy pitched seven full innings, allowing just a run on three hits.  He issued no walks, and struck out a season high ten batters.  With this effort, he lowered his season ERA to a 2.72 mark, and earned his fifth win of the season against just one loss.

Jayce Boyd hit a two RBI single in the third inning to put Brooklyn ahead.  With the bases loaded in the fifth, an RBI single by Stefan Sabol plated two more runs for Brooklyn, to make it a 4-1 game.  Then in the sixth inning, the Cyclones picked up their fifth and final run when Brandon Nimmo doubled home Eudy Pina.

The Cyclones' bullpen took care of the rest.  David Wynn struck out two batters working the eighth inning.  And Paul Sewald closed out Brooklyn's 5-1 victory allowing a hit, and striking out one batter in the ninth.


The Cyclones are now 25-17, and remain two games behind the first place Hudson Valley Renegades.  After today's off day, the Cyclones will host three games against the Connecticut Tigers on the old lots of Steeplechase.




Mike.BTB

BKN Cyclones ~ Taking A Bite Out of Batavia Muckdogs

From the desk of:   THE CONEY ISLAND NINE

BROOKLYN CYCLONES:  The Coney Island Nine have taken the first two games of their great western road trip so far, with a pair of wins against the Batavia Muckdogs.


On Wednesday night, the Muckdogs scored once in the first and again in the fifth, while Batavia's starter, Ben Freeman, cruised through his first five frames.  Staked to a two run lead, he allowed Brooklyn three scattered hits and no runs.


Gabriel Ynoa started for the Brooks.  He allowed both Batavia's runs.  Overall he pitched six full innings, surrendering eight hits, striking out five, while walking none.  He left on the winning side of this game however, because the Cyclones rallied for three runs in the top of the sixth.


Ben Freeman's outing fell apart rather quickly.  He allowed a lead-off single to Jayce Boyd.  Kevin Plawecki lined out hard to right for out one.  After a Ben Freeman wild pitch put Boyd on second, Alexander Sanchez tied the game with his first home run of the season.  Stefan Sabol then followed with a second consecutive home run; his second; to knock Freeman out of the box on the losing side.


That was the extent of the game's scoring.  After Gabriel Ynoa put Batavia down with a pair of strikeouts in the home sixth inning, he took to the showers as reliever Paul Sewald took over on the mound.  Sewald pitched the final three innings against the Muckdogs.  In picking up his second save of the season, he turned in a stellar performance, allowing but one hit and striking out two.  Starter Gabriel Ynoa improved his record to 2-1 on the season.


Coach Donnelly juggled the line-up and gave Brandon Nimmo a shot at the lead-off spot.  Although he is currently only hitting .228 this season, the center fielder's .369 OBP warranted a try.  He went 1 for 4 in the game, with a double, and a walk.  Stefan Sabol was 2 for 3 in the game with a home run and a double.


*


On Thursday and for the second consecutive game, Batavia jumped out to a quick 1-0 lead in the first inning.  And the score stayed that way through the first seven innings of the game.  Batavia's Tyler Melling pitched the first four innings against Brooklyn.  Then Lee Stoppelman made an early appearance out of the bullpen, and kept the Cyclones in check for another two innings.


Luis Mateo started the game for Brooklyn, and put forth a very good effort, but was ultimately credited with a no-decision.  In 6.2 innings of work, he allowed the Muckdogs six hits, and limited them to the one run Batavia scored in the first.  Otherwise, he walked no batters and struck out seven before handing the game over to the bullpen.


Batavia's one run lead turned into a four run deficit in the top of the eighth inning.  Brooklyn broke out for five runs against the Muckdogs' third and fourth pitchers of the night; Brandon Creath and Joseph Scanio.  Three consecutive singles by Phillips Evans, Jayce Boyd, and Kevin Plawecki set up a bases loaded/no outs situation for Alexander Sanchez, who lofted a sac-fly to right, delivering Evans from third with the tying run.  Stefan Sabol then followed with his twelfth double of the season which scored Boyd to make it a 2-1 game.  That's when Batavia summoned Scanio to replace Creath on the mound.  No matter though.  Brooklyn's Jeff Reynolds introduced himself with a RBI single, and Eudy Pina's sac-fly scoring Sabol made the score 4-1 Cyclones.  Brandon Nimmo's RBI single then gave Brooklyn their fifth run of the inning.


Brooklyn reliever Logan Taylor was the beneficiary of those runs.  He previously closed out the seventh with one/third inning of work in relief of Luis Mateo.  He allowed one hit.  The bottom of the eighth was Matthew Koch's job though.  In fact, he pitched the ninth inning as well.  Overall, he allowed one hit and struck out one batter.  Logan Taylor was credited with the win however.


The Cyclones picked up two more insurance runs in the ninth.  A throwing error by pitcher Joseph Scanio allowed Jayce Boyd and Kevin Plawecki to score making it a 7-1 game, and eventual final.


Brandon Nimmo batted lead-off for the second consecutive game.  He was 1 for 5 with an RBI.  That makes him 2 for 9 batting from the top slot this series.  Stefan Sabol continued his hot hitting by going 2 for 5 in the game with two doubles and an RBI.  Jayce Boyd was 3 for 5, with two runs scored.


Prior to heading into Western New York, the Cyclones dropped a pair of games to the Aberdeen Iron Bird.  That allowed the Hudson Valley Renegades to take over the McNamara Division lead.  These last two Cyclones' wins have helped Brooklyn stay with 1 1/2 games of the Renegades.  Hudson Valley is in the middle of a seven game winning streak.  The Cyclones are now 23-15 on the season.  The Hudson Valley Renegades sport a slightly better 24-13 record.


Brooklyn will wrap up this series with the Batavia Muckdogs on Friday before continuing their westward journey towards Ohio, where they will take on the Mahoning Valley Scrappers.  Hudson Valley will be playing a double header versus the Tri Citi Valley Cats.  Another win against the Muckdogs will be key for the second place Cyclones in order to keep pace.





Mike.BTB

BKN Cyclones ~ Starting Pitching Continues to Shine

From the desk of:   THE SURF AVENUE SLUGGERS

BROOKLYN CYCLONES:  Kings County is No Place For a Raccoon.  Brooks Two-Hit Their Upstate Rivals.


After taking two of three games from the Iron Birds in Aberdeen, the Seaside Sluggers returned to Coney Island and hosted the Hudson Valley Renegades.  In an early season battle for first place, three Cyclones' pitchers hand-cuffed their upstate rivals.


Making his second start of the season, Luis Mateo pitched his second consecutive abbreviated 2-hitter.  In six full innings, he walked only one, while striking out seven batters.  Mateo lowered his ERA to 0.77, and collected his second win in as many starts.


In relief, Paul Sewald was first out of the pen for Brooklyn.  He pitched two innings of hitless, scoreless ball, and struck out three batters while issuing no walks.  Sewald was credited with his first hold.  Tyler Vanderheiden came in to pitch the ninth inning.  He walked one, and struck out two, in  recording his second save.


Hudson Valley's starting pitcher, Taylor Gerrieri, gave the Brooks a 1-0 lead in the second, when he balked home Cole Frenzel from third base.  Eudy Pina drove in two more Cyclones' runs in the eighth inning, on a bases loaded single to give Brooklyn a 3-0 lead, and an eventual final.


In eight games, Cyclones' pitching has limited their opponents to a .186 batting average, and have pitched to a combined 2.66 ERA.  They lead the lead in shutouts with two, and also lead the circuit with a stellar 0.96 WHIP.


The Cyclones are now making their second pass through the starting rotation.  In eight games, Coach Donnelly has used six starters.  The rotation shapes up like this:


1) - Gabriel Ynoa
2) - Luis Mateo
3) - Luis Cessa
4) - Hansel Robles
5) - Julian Hilario
6) - Rainy Lara


As a rotation, they are averaging 5.2 innings per appearance, while only allowing 3.4 hits per game.  They have yeilded a total of seven walks.  In 44.2 innings pitched, they have amassed forty-five strikeouts.  No starter has surrendered more than two runs in a start, and combined, the rotation sports a 1.42 ERA, allowing seven runs total so far.


The Cyclones are now 6-2, and lead the McNamara Division by a full game over the Renegades.  The series shifts to Peekskill, N.Y., for Game Two, before they return to Coney Island for Game Three on Wednesday.




Mike.BTB