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

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.

Brooklyn Cyclones Swept Away at Williamsport

From the desk of:  THE CONEY ISLAND NINE

Crosscutters Sweep Cyclones 3-0

I - WPT 1; BKN 0

II - WPT 4; BKN 3

III - WPT 4; BKN 3

THE UNHAPPY RECAP: Cyclones Trip and Fall, Lose Frank Valentino Gem at BB&T Ballpark.

All starts out well for the Cyclones.  After three scoreless innings of play shortstop Wilmer Reyes leads-off the fourth with a bunt single up the third base line.  Designated hitter Yoel Romero follows with a single to right.  With one out and two runners in scoring position second baseman Luke Ritter singles them home.

Brooklyn picks up a much needed insurance run in the eighth.  Leading off Wilmer Reyes reaches safely on yet another bunt single.  Yoel Romero bunts him over to second, then Joe Genord gets hits with a pitch.  With two outs and runners on the corners Jose Peroza singles through the right side scoring Reyes from third for a 3-0 Cyclones lead.

Starter Frank Valentino yields no runs on just one hit and no walks with seven strikeouts through six innings pitched.  He faces 20 batters while throwing 76 pitches with 51 (67%) going for strikes.

Mitch Ragan enters the game in relief of Valentino in the seventh.

Crosscutters second baseman Nicolas Torres leads off the bottom half of the eighth with Williamsport's second hit of the game.  With one out third baseman Jake Holmes singles putting runners on the corners.  Center fielder Corbin Williams follows with yet another base hit to right scoring Torres.  With two outs and runners on the corners manager Alfonzo summons Dan Goggin from the bullpen.  Shortstop Bryson Stott greets Ragan's replacement with a sharp hit to left plating both runners and tying the game at three.  Designated hitter Kendall Simmons draws a walk loading the bases, and out comes manager Edgardo Alfonzo for another mound visit.  Goggin stays in the game and retires first baseman Rudy Rott on a grounder to second.

The Cyclones go down quietly in the top of the ninth.  With one out in the bottom half of the frame, Goggin yields consecutive hits to Nicolas Torres and catcher Mitchell Edwards.  Jake Holmes goes down swinging for out number two.  Goggin then walks Corbin Williams on five pitches loading the bases.  Manager Alfonzo makes no move.  Left fielder Johan Rojas ends the game with a base hit through the middle, as Torres crosses the plate with the winning run.

Frank Valentino's gem is wasted.

BLOWN OPPORTUNITIES: Two Weekends Ago the Ironbirds Were Perched Atop the Division.  Last Weekend the Cyclones Were Number One.  This Weekend Hudson Valley Takes Its Turn in First Place.

The McNamara Division standings remain tight as a tourniquet.  As they approach the 50-game mark all four teams are playing above the .500 mark.

• Hudson Valley   28-19
• Aberdeen           28-21  1 GB
• Brooklyn            26-22   2.5 GB
• Staten Island     26-22   2.5 GB

Vermont defeats the Ironbirds at Aberdeen.  But Hudson Valleys rallies late to overtake West Virginia.  The Cyclones meanwhile are now losers of three straight and fall into a tie with the surging Staten Island Yankees, whom by the way are winners of three straight.  Next up, the Cyclones host three games at Coney Island against the first place Renegades.

Brooklyn Cyclones: Garrison Bryant's Gem Lifts Brooks to Victory

From the desk of:  THE SURF AVENUE SLUGGERS

THURSDAY

Lowell      1

Brooklyn  6

FINAL

Brooklyn salvages their series finale against the Lowell Spinners.  But their competitors provide them no help in the standings.  Cyclones starter Garrison Bryant yields just one run on three hits and one walk with four strikeouts through six innings pitched.  He faces 22 batters, and throws 75 pitches with 53 (71%) going for strikes.  Garrison earns his third victory and lowers his ERA to an even 3.00 mark.  Hunter Parsons and Luis Silva join in relief of Bryant on three scoreless innings of one hit ball.  Yoel Romero connects on his third home run of the season. Center fielder Kennie Taylor is 2 for 4 with a triple and two RBI.  McNamara Division leader Aberdeen defeats Mahoning Valley to stay 1.5 games ahead of Brooklyn.  Hudson Valley bests Auburn to stay within one game of first.

Brooklyn Cyclones Win Fourth Straight

From the desk of:  THE CONEY ISLAND NINE

Cyclones lead Lake Monsters 2-0

I - BRK 2; VER 1

II - BRK 5; VER 1

GAME THREE

Brooklyn Cyclones

vs.

Vermont Lake Monsters

For a second straight night Brooklyn pitching limits the Sea Monsters to a lone run in game two at Burlington, Vermont.  The Cyclones score five times all with two outs off Vermont starter Tyler Baum in the first inning.  Yoel Romero and Luke Ritter hit safely, and Jose Peroza follows with a third straight hit scoring Romero.  Joe Genord then steps in hitting his sixth home run of the season.  The Lake Monsters get one back in the bottom half of the frame on Logan Davidson's first home run of the season.  Brooklyn otherwise shuts them out over the final eight innings of play, and score once more in the ninth for good measure.

Making his first start for Brooklyn, right-hander Michel Otanez is promoted from Kingsport were he posts a 2-2 record and 3.31 ERA with 44 strikeouts through 32.2 innings pitched.  On Saturday against Vermont he faces 21 batters, throwing 79 pitches with 51 (65%) going for strikes.  In winning his first New York-Penn league game he yields just one run on five hits and a walk with five strikeouts through five innings pitched.  Jared Biddy and Brian Metoyer combine to pitch four scoreless innings of no-hit baseball with three strikeouts.  Metoyer earns his second save.

That's four straight for the Cyclones.  Brooklyn and Aberdeen end the day locked in a mathematical tie for first place.  With Saturday's loss against the Ironbirds, Hudson Valley falls one full game back.

Brooklyn Cyclones: McNamara Division Proving Difficult Hill to Climb

From the desk of:  THE SURF AVENUE SLUGGERS

BASEBALL BY THE BEACH

West Virginia Black Bears

vs.

Brooklyn Cyclones

FROM

Steeplechase Grounds

CONEY ISLAND

The McNamara Division is fit to be tied.  Just over one-third through the 2019 season, all four member clubs have taken turns occupying first place.  By close of business Saturday, the Hudson Valley Renegades lead both the Brooklyn Cyclones and Aberdeen Ironbirds by one game, and the Staten Island Yankees by 2.5 games.

Offensively speaking, the Cyclones are somewhat of an enigma.

• Hits: 5th in league; 1st in division.
• Home runs: 5th in league; 2nd division.
• Total bases: 5th in league; 1st division.
• Team average: 5th in league; 1st division.
• Team slugging: 4th in league; 1st division.
• OPS: 8th in league: but 2nd division.
• Yet Coney Island is sixth in the league in strikeouts, dead last in walks, and 11th in the league in runs scored.

(LF)-Yoel Romero is batting .321 which rates third in the league.  With only six NYPL players presently hitting above .300, (RF)-Ranfy Adon's .277 mark ranks 12 best.

(2B)-Luke Ritter ranks fourth in the league with a .392 OPS.  Yoel Romero is second on the team and 13th in the league with a .369 OPS.

(1B)-Joe Genord is fourth in the circuit with a .506 slugging average.  Yoel Romero is right behind Joe with a fifth ranked .500 slugging average.

• YOEL ROMERO  .321/.369/.500, six doubles, two HR, ten RBI through 78 at-bats.
• JOE GENORD  .259/320/.506, six doubles, five HR, 19 RBI through 85 at-bats.

Cyclones pitching has been somewhat more confounding.

• The Cyclones have so far yielded the NYPL's least hits.
• As such they own the league's second lowest WHiP; second in division.
• They've surrendered the seventh most earned runs; but the least within the division.
• The seventh most home runs; but second least in division.
• The seventh most walks; but least within the division.
• However Cyclones 3.56 team ERA ranks eighth; last in division.
• The sixth most strikeouts; but third in division.

Starter Jaison Vilera is presently the lone Cyclone starting pitcher sporting an ERA (3.81) below four among those with at least four starts.  He likewise leads the Cyclones with a 1.20 WHiP.  Garrison Bryant is second with a 1.26 WHiP, and also leads the team with 27 strikeouts.  Vilera has 23 strikeouts through through 28.1 innings pitched.  

• Daison Acosta is 1-0 with a 0.98 ERA and 0.82 WHiP, yielding just two earned runs on none hits and six walks with 25 strikeouts though 18.1 innings pitched.

Seven different relievers have registered saves for manager Alfonzo.  Luis Silva leads with four despite an unsightly 6.75 ERA through 9.1 innings.  However relievers Andrew Edwards, Matt Mullenbach, and Dan Goggin, have joined to post a 3-1 record with a 2.08 ERA and six saves with 37 strikeouts and ten hits allowed through 30.2 innings.

The Cyclones are 6-7 in the month of July, and 15-13 overall.  In fact the Cyclones and West Virginia Black Bears enter Sunday's action with identical records.  Brooklyn outlasts the Black Bears 3-1 in Saturday's series opener.  Starting pitcher Alec Kisena,  and relievers Daniel Goggin, Yeudy Conlon, and  Matt Mullenbach join to yield just one run on five hits and five walks with 15 strikeouts.  Goggin earns his second relief win of the season.  Mullenbach earns his second save.

Kisena joins the Cyclones after making 16 appearances with the Columbia Fireflies, where he posts a 4.65 ERA with 17 walks and 32 strikeouts through 31 innings pitched.

• Stats: New York Penn League

SUNDAY

Black Bears   1

Cyclones       4

FINAL

Brooklyn wins their second straight against the Vest Virginia Black Bears and close to withing one-half game of the first place Hudson Valley Renegades.  Starter Matt Cleveland and closer Andrew Edwards combine on a nine inning gem.  Cleveland yields no runs on just one hit and one walk with one strikeout over 6.1 innings to earn his first victory of the season.  Edwards surrenders one run on two hits and one walk with one strikeout over 2.2 innings en route to his third save.  Catcher Jose Mena is 1 for 3 with a triple, and RBI.  Second baseman Luke Ritter is 2 for 3 with two runs scored.  Center fielder Jake Mangum is 2 for 4 with a run scored.

Brooklyn Cyclones: Noah Syndergaard Fans Nine in Victory Over Aberdeen

From the desk of:  THE CONEY ISLAND NINE

Tuesday

Brooklyn Cyclones  7

Aberdeen Ironbirds  4

FINAL

Noah Syndergaard on rehab assignment (hamstring) from the New York Mets joins the Brooklyn Cyclones on their road trip to Aberdeen were he climbs the bump against the Ironbirds on Tuesday.  He yields three runs on five hits (including a two run home run in the sixth inning) with no walks and nine strikeouts through five full innings pitched.  He throws 67 pitches with 56 (83%) going for strikes, and exits with Brooklyn leading 4-3 after five.

• Aberdeen Ironbirds center fielder and lead-off batter Johnny Rizer homers off Noah Syndergaard in his first game, and only his third at-bat as a professional.

Brooklyn jumps out to a 4-0 lead in the top of the fifth on runs batted in from recent returnee Gavin Cecchini, shortstop Yoel Romero, DH Nic Gaddis, and center fielder Ranfy Adon.  By the fifth however, Aberdeen cuts their deficit to one.  In the top of the sixth Adon connects on a two run home run for a 6-3 Brooklyn lead.  Both teams trade a run each the seventh.

Cyclones reliever Matt Mullenbach is summoned to pitch the ninth inning and promptly walks the bases loaded  He then walks a fifth straight batter making it a 7-6 Cyclones lead.  Manager Edgardo Alfonzo can't yank him fast enough.  Reliever Luis Silva inherits the crisis.  In steps Johnny Rizer who's fly to center is too shallow for runners to tag.  However, shortstop Clay Fisher's fly to center this time is deep enough for the runner to score from third making it a 7-6 affair.  With two outs designated hitter Maverick Handley follows with a sharply struck liner to left snatched out of the air by left fielder Jaylen Ferguson.

Game over.

The Cyclones victory gets them back to .500, and a half-game back of the first place Hudson Valley Renegades.

Brooklyn Cyclones: Staten Island Rats Run Amok at Coney Island

From the desks of:  

THE SURF AVENUE SLUGGERS  and  RICHMOND COUNTY PIZZA FRAUDS

BATTLE OF THE BOROUGHS II

Cyclones lead season series 2-1

I - BRK 5; SIY 4

II - BRK 2; SIY 1

III - SIY 10; BRK 3

IV - BRK @ SIY

V - SIY @ BRK

FRIDAY

Staten Island Yankees  10

Brooklyn Cyclones        3

FINAL

After being swept by Brooklyn during last week's home and home opening day series, Staten Island romps to their first victory over the Cyclones at Coney Island on Friday.  Despite striking out seven Yankee batters, Brooklyn starter Jaison Vilera yields five runs (four earned) on seven hits and one walk in just four innings of work.  After getting a scoreless no-hit two inning effort from Daniel Goggin, Staten Island roughs up reliever Brian Metoyer for another five earned runs on three hits (one home run) and two walks in just one inning of work.

All nine batters in Staten Island's line-up record at least one hit.  Designated hitter Juan DeLeon (2 for 5, RBI) and first baseman Miguel Flames (2 for 4; home run; four RBI), post multiple hit games.

Brooklyn goes a woeful 2 for 16 with runners in scoring position.  Right fielder Zach Ashford, shortstop Yoel Romero, and third baseman Wilmer Reyes, all drive in one run apiece.

The series shifts to Staten Island for game two on Saturday, then back to Coney Island for the series finale on Sunday.

Brooklyn Cyclones Squeeze Out Game One Victory at Lowell

From the desk of:  THE CONEY ISLAND NINE

MONDAY

Brooklyn Cyclones   2

Lowell Spinners        1

FINAL

Brooklyn Trio Tangle Up Spinners.

Brooklyn starter Malky Mena turns in a stellar performance as he and two other Cyclones pitchers combine on a nine inning gem in game one of their series against the Spinners at Lowell, Massachusetts.

Malky Mena, promoted from the GCL Mets, faces 21 batters, throwing 75 pitches with a nifty 53 (70%) going for strikes.  He yields one earned run on six hits and no walks with five strikeouts through 5.2 innings en route to his first victory.  Justin Lasko and Andrew Edwards again team up in late relief of Mena with 2.1 innings of scoreless one-hit ball with no walks.  Edwards fans three in the ninth.

Center fielder Ranfy Adon leads-off the game with a single to center, then advances to second on a botched pick-off attempt by Lowell starter Bryan Lucas.  Adon soon moves to third on second baseman Wilmer Reyes hit to left.  Still with no outs, Brooklyn attempts a double-steal - Reyes is thrown out at second but Adon scores from third.  Lowell ties the game at one in the third.  But Brooklyn scores the eventual game winner in the fifth on shortstop Yoel Romero's lead-off triple, and catcher Ariel Yera's one out base hit through the left side.