Brooklyn Cyclones Even Series With Bowling Green

From the desk: THE SURF AVENUE SLUGGERS

Bowling Green vs. Brooklyn; 2-2

I - BK 5; BG 4

II - BG 4; BK 1

III - BG 7; BK 6

IV - BK 3; BG 1

Cyclones Even Series With Hot Rods; Cam Opp Picks Up Three Inning Save

Bowling Green designated hitter Osleivis Basabe led off the game with a double to left field and scored on Diego Infante's base hit through the left side with one out.

But Brooklyn was quick to respond.  With one out and the bases loaded in the home half of the first, Jose Mena's double to left field gave Brooklyn a 2-1 lead they would not relinquish.  They picked up an insurance run when Tanner Murphy doubled leading off the fifth, advanced to third, and scored on a wild pitch.

Starter Oscar Rojas and two relievers posted goose eggs over the game's final eight innings.  Rojas earned the win after allowing the lone run on five hits and one walk with six strikeouts over 5.2 innings pitched.  Right-hander Reyson Santos recorded an out to close out the sixth inning, and southpaw Cam Opp picked up the rare three-inning save.  The three together allowed seven hits and four walks with eight strikeouts.

Cyclones hitters drew six walks this game and batted 8 for 31 (.258) with six extra-base hits but were 1 for 11 with runners in scoring position and continued striking out (eleven) in double-digits.

Coney Island gets back over the .500 mark with a 10-9 record and evens the series with Bowling Green.

Brooklyn Cyclones Even Series at Hudson Valley

From the desk: THE CONEY ISLAND NINE

Brooklyn vs. Hudson Valley; 1-1

I - HVR 5; BKN 3

II - BKN 4; HVR 3

Feel the Breeze..!

Here we go again ...

Baseball's indifference to striking out is ponderous to me.

In Tuesday's series opener, the Cyclones struck out 17 times in 33 at-bats.  On Wednesday, they struck out 18 times in 32 at-bats.  That's 35 strikeouts in their last 65 at-bats.  

Through their first eleven games, the Cyclones as a team are striking out at a rate of 35% (108/308), which I find crazy.

Clinging to a 3-2 lead entering the ninth inning, Brooklyn pushed across what would prove to be the game's decisive run.  Left fielder Matt Rudick drew a leadoff walk and scored on JT Schwartz's single to center.  Hudson Valley rallied for a run in the home ninth, but Cyclones right-hander Reyson Santos held on through his second inning of work for the save.

JT Schwartz finished 2 for 3 with two walks and two runs batted in.  Starter David Griffin walked off to a no-decision, allowing one run on three hits and one walk with five strikeouts through 4.0 innings pitched.  Right-hander Justin Courtney earned the victory in relief.

Francisco Alvarez Hits Twentieth Home Run But Cyclones Lose Series Finale at Hudson Valley

From the desk: THE CONEY ISLAND NINE

BROOKLYN @ HUDSON VALLEY

I - HV 7; BK 6

II - BK 4; HV 0

III - BK 10; HV 8

IV - BK 6; HV 4

V - HV 4; BK 1

VI - HV 7; BK 0

VII - HV 13; BK 9

Coney Island Gets Walloped at Wappingers Falls; Renegades Take Series

With two outs and two runners on base in the visitor's first, second baseman Luke Ritter launches a home run to left field off Renegade starter Matt Sauer for a prompt 3-0 lead.

However, making his sixth start for Brooklyn, right-hander David Griffin fails to make it out of the second inning.  Hudson Valley scores seven times on six hits, with three going for home runs.  Forced into early relief duty, Colby Morris yields another three runs in the third, highlighted by Hudson Valley's fourth home run of the game.  

Making his second appearance for Brooklyn, Reyson Santos takes over in the fifth and surrenders another three runs on two walks, two hits, and a hit-by-pitch giving the Renegades a 13-4 lead.

Brooklyn shows signs of life with a four-run sixth.  Left fielder Zack Ashford drives home Jaylen Palmer, and Wilmer Reyes connects on a three-run home run.

Cyclone relievers Dylan Hall and Michel Otanez join together for three scoreless innings through the eighth.

Designated hitter Francisco Alvarez hits his twentieth home run this season with one out in the ninth, becoming the first Cyclone to ever achieve this milestone.  He hit two home runs with St. Lucie prior to his arrival in Brooklyn.

Alas, it's not enough.  Hudson Valley wins the rubber game and finishes the season series against the Cyclones with a 24-12 record.

Brooklyn Cyclones One Win Away From New York Penn League Title

From the desk of: THE SURF AVENUE SLUGGERS

NEW YORK PENN LEAGUE

CHAMPIONSHIP SERIES

GAME ONE

Brooklyn Cyclones  2

Lowell Spinners       1

FINAL

LeLacheur Park

Brooklyn pitchers throw another gem and the Cyclones win another nail biter to close within one game of capturing the 2019 New York Penn League championship.

Cyclones starter Garrison Bryant pitches brilliantly, allowing no runs on just one hit and three walks with one strikeout through six innings pitched.  He faces 22 batters while throwing 75 pitches with 46 going for strikes, but does not factor in the decision.  Brooklyn and Lowell duel to a scoreless tie through seven.  Jared Biddy throws two scoreless innings of no-hit ball in relief of Bryant.  Lowell starter Brock Bell and reliever Jorge Rodriguez match Brooklyn with seven scoreless innings of three-hit ball with six strikeouts through seven.  With Lowell's Tom Windle in to pitch the eighth, Brooklyn finally breaks through for a pair on runs batted in from Antoine Duplantis and pinch-hitter Jose Peroza.  Manager Alfonzo hands the game off to Matt Mulenbach in the ninth.  But with one out he walks designated hitter Joe Davis, and with two outs he walks right fielder Nick Decker.  Manager Alfonzo then turns to Reyson Santos who induces pinch-hitter Roldano Baldwin into a game ending force play at second.  Biddy is credited with the win, and Santos earns the biggest save of his young career.  New York Mets 2019 first round draft pick Brett Baty goes 2 for 3 with a run scored.

This marks Brooklyn's first championship series appearance since 2010, but more significantly marks their first championship game victory since 2001, when after defeating the Crosscutters in game one at Williamsport the tragic events of 9/11 force the rest of the series to be canceled.  Brooklyn and Williamsport are declared co-champions.  After which the Cyclones are swept in 2003 by the Crosscutters; swept in 2007 by the Auburn Doubledays; and swept again in 2010 by the Tri-City Valley Cats.

They have yet to win a championship outright.

The Cyclones now have two opportunities to win one game at Coney Island.

Round One

Cyclones defeat Renegades

ICYMI:

Cyclones Earn Trip Back To Championsip Series

Brooklyn Cyclones Clinch Sixth McNamara Division Title

From the desk of:  CONEY ISLAND'S DIVISION CHAMPS!

Cyclones Sweep Yankees 3-0

I - BRK 11; SIY 2

II - BRK 5; SIY 4

III - BRK 4; SIY 1

BROOKLYN CYCLONES

McNAMARA DIVISION CHAMPIONS

2001    2003-2004    2007    2010    2019

Despite being limited to just one run on three hits, the Aberdeen Iron Birds win their season finale in a 1-0 whitewashing of the Hudson Valley Renegades at Dutchess County.  Aberdeen is subsequently eliminated once Brooklyn's victory over the Yankees at Coney Island goes final.  The Renegades appeared on their way towards securing the McNamara Division title with victories over the Ironbirds in games one and two, but fail to execute a sweep.  They finish the season 5-5 over their last ten games and thus end the regular season tied for the division lead with the surging Cyclones.  But Brooklyn owns the tie-breaker and thereby clinch their sixth division title.  More importantly this marks the Cyclones first appearance since 2012 in the New York Penn League playoffs.  The wild card Hudson Valley Renegades will oppose Brooklyn in the first round.  Game one is scheduled for Wednesday at Dutchess County.

LABOR DAY

Yankees    1

Cyclones  4

FINAL

On the last day of the regular season under thundering rain threatening storm clouds, Brooklyn pitchers join together in hurling a gem against the Staten Island Yankees at Coney Island.  Making his eleventh start for the Cyclones Frank Valentino surrenders just one earned run on one hit and two walks with nine strikeouts through 5.1 innings pitched.  He faces 19 batters, throwing 78 pitches with 49 going for strikes en route to his second victory with a 3.41 ERA.  Nick MacDonald throws 1.2 scoreless innings in relief of Valentino with three strikeouts.  Hunter Parsons pitches a scoreless eighth, and Reyson Santos strikeouts out the side in the ninth to earn his first save of the season.  Together they limit Staten Island to one run on just five scattered hits and two walks with 16 strikeouts over nine full innings pitched.

• New York Penn League

Brooklyn breaks out for three runs in the third and never look back.  Jake Ortega and Antoine Duplantis lead-off with consecutive singles against Yankees starter Alex Mejias.  With one out, Wilmer Reyes and Luke Ritter follow with consecutive doubles giving the Cyclones a 3-0 lead.  After trading single runs in the fourth, Brooklyn shuts down Staten Island for good en route to a 4-1 playoff clinching victory.

Tied with a league best 43-32 record, third year manager Edgardo Alfonzo has now guided the Cyclones to two straight 40-plus win seasons.  They also finish with a league best 24-14 record at home, and post a McNamara best 18-12 record within their own division.