Road Trips 2016: Pawtucket Red Sox

Red Sox Nation Invasion: Pawtucket, Rhode Island

INTERNATIONAL LEAGUE

Columbus Clippers

vs.

Pawtucket Red Sox

FROM

McCoy Stadium

Rhode Island

McCoy Stadium

Erected 1942

Road Trips 2016: Boston ~ Cy Young

Red Sox Nation Invasion: Boston

On the campus of Northeastern University

Huntington Avenue just off Massachusetts Avenue

Huntington Avenue Grounds

Road Trips 2016: Lowell Spinners

Red Sox Nation Invasion: Lowell, Massachusetts

NEW YORK - PENN LEAGUE

Aberdeen IronBirds

vs.

Lowell Spinners

FROM

LeLacheur Park

L.I. Ducks: First Place Showdown at Harbor Yard

From the desk of:  THE WEBBED SPIKES NINE

FERRY CUP SERIES

LONG ISLAND DUCKS

vs.

BRIDGEPORT BLUEFISH

FROM

The Ballpark at Habor Yard

LONG ISLAND DUCKS: Flock Migrate Across the Sound for First Place Showdown Against Fish.

Never mind the part about Long Island holding a 10-3 advantage over the Fish in this season's Ferry Cup series.  Bridgeport enters this weekend's series against the migrating Ducks by just a game in the Liberty Division standings.

The Ducks lost their Thursday morning series finale to the Patriots by a 3-1 score in Somerset, leaving the Bluefish just a half game behind.  Bridgeport, however, failed to seize the moment Thursday evening when they bowed to the Sugar Land Skeeters, thus setting the stage for this weekend's first place showdown at Harbor Yard.

These teams last met in July with the Ducks taking two of three at Bethpage Ballpark.

Friday series opener will feature a pair of right-handers.  Bobby Blevins will climb the hill for Long Island and will be opposed by Bridgeport's David Kubiak.

I just might be there, as I embark on my second road trip back into New England for more minor league baseball.  I'm thinking of attending just to kick back with a hot dog before the longer drive ahead, and of course, to cheer on the Ducks in another team's ballpark.

• The Ducks will miss Bridgeport starting pitcher Jonathan Albaladejo who pitched on Aug. 2 against Sugar Land, and whom leads the Atlantic League with 10 victories, and is fourth with 99 strikeouts.

• Long Island's Darin Downs and John Brownell are among those tied for second with eight victories each.

• Delta Cleary Jr. enters the series leading the Atlantic League with a .321 batting average.   Fehlandt Lentini is second with a .309 average.

Somerset Patriots salvage series finale

Ducks win series 2-1

I - LID 4; SOM 2

II - LID 3; SOM 2

III - SOM 3; LID 1

With the Ducks still patching together a solution for a fifth starter, southpaw Dustin Richardson made only his fourth start of the season Thursday morning in Somerset.  He tossed five innings before exiting on the losing side of a 3-1 game and eventual Ducks' loss.

Dustin allowed all three Somerset runs on 10 hits and two walks, with four strikeouts.  He faces 24 batters, threw 89 pitches, with 55 (61%) going for strikes.

The Atlantic League batting leader, Delta Cleary Jr. knocked in the Ducks lone run of the game with a double in the third inning scoring Fehlandt Lentini.

Somerset employed a pitcher by committee, utilizing seven hurlers, who limited Long Island to just four hits all game.  Starter Rudy Owens started, allowed just a hit but walked five batters in 2.2 innings of work.  Six other relievers combined to allow no runs on three hits, no walks, with five strikeouts over 6.1 innings of work.  Former Ducks closer Jon Hunton notched his league leading (tied) 25th save of the season.

On August 1, rhp DJ Mitchell was acquired from Bridgeport for first baseman Sean Burroughs.  He made his first appearance for the Ducks on Aug 3 in Game Two against Somerset.  He threw five innings for the victory, allowing just two earned runs on four hits and four walks, with five strikeouts.

• Mitchell previously made 12 appearances and nine starts for the Fish, posting a 2-3 record with a 4.39 ERA.  He allowed 58 hits and fanned 48 through 55.1 innings pitched.

Staff ace John Brownell was stellar in Tuesday's series opener in Somerset.  He walked off to a no decision, but tossed seven innings, allowed one earned run on five hits and no walks, while striking out eight.

Extra Innings

The dog days of summer are upon us.  Long Island will have one day off throughout the month of August (Monday the 22nd).  Due to a scheduled double-header late in the month against Lancaster, Long Island will wind up playing 30 games in 30 days.

Brooklyn Cyclones: Arms Race Heating Up in Coney Island

From the desk of:  THE SURF AVENUE SLUGGERS

Dutchess Stadium

Brooks lead series 2-0

I - BKN 3; HVR 0

II - BKN 6; HVR 1

III - FRIDAY

GAME THREE

Brooklyn Cyclones

vs.

Hudson Valley Renegades

FROM

Fishkill

NEW YORK

Brooklyn Cyclones: Behind strong pitching Baby Bums are 7-3 in last 10 games; closing in on first place Staten Island Yankees.

The season long offensively challenged Brooklyn Cyclones have outscored 

the Hudson Valley Renegades by a 9-1 margin through two games.  

The Cyclones will attempt a sweep Friday evening.

The Brooklyn Cyclones have come a long way since their sub-par start to the regular season, and have effectively tightened up the McNamara Division race.

And now, the only thing better than the cool ocean breeze at Coney Island, is the heat being generated on the pitching mound at MCU Park, home of the Brooklyn Cyclones.

Mets first round draft pick (#19 overall) Justin Dunn is scheduled to make the third start of his professional career in Troy, N.Y. this weekend against the Tri-City Valley Cats.

He presently owns a 1-1 record with a 0.75 ERA after five appearances and two starts.  He has limited the opposition to a lone earned run on 12 hits and five walks, with 13 strikeouts through 13 innings pitched.

However, the Brooklyn Cyclones pitcher suddenly turning heads is left-hander Thomas Szapucki.  He was promoted to Brooklyn after just five appearances for the Kingsport Mets of the (R) Appalachian League, in which he posted a 2-1 record with an attention grabbing 0.62 ERA and 0.86 WHiP.  He allowed just 17 hits, walked nine, and fanned 47 batters in just 29 innings of work.

He has since made two starts for the Cyclones.  His last start on July 31 against Aberdeen was nothing short of a gem.  He earned an unfortunate loss after allowing one unearned run, but otherwise tossed seven innings of two-hit baseball, walking one, and fanning 10 batters.

Thomas made his Cyclones debut on July 14 against the Staten Island Yankees, and it was a beauty.   He pitched 5.1 innings of scoreless baseball, while limiting the Yanks to just four hits and three walks, while fanning eight batters.

The performance of starter Harol Gonzalez is also demanding attention, who after nine starts leads the NYPL with 67 strikeouts and a 0.88 WHiP, along with the league's fourth best 1.77 ERA.  He owns a 4-1 record so far, and has allowed 12 walks and just 37 hits through 56 innings pitched.

On Tuesday, Aug. 2, the Cyclones added getting one-hit by the Aberdeen Ironbirds to their list of ponderous 2016 achievements.

They've since went on to take two straight from the Renegades up in Hudson Valley.  This past Wednesday against Hudson Valley, Harol Gonzalez tossed seven innings of scoreless, four-hit baseball, while issuing just one walk and fanning four batters.  The series finale scheduled for Friday.

• Mets second round draft pick first baseman Peter Alonso hit his fourth professional home run against the Renegades.  He is presently slashing .295/.373/.534, with seven doubles and 18 RBI through 25 games and 88 at-bats.

Subway Series: Mediocrity Running Wild

From the desks of:  

HEAD-BUTTING MR. MET  and  BLAME CARLOS MAY

Yankees lead series 2-1

I - NYY 6; NYM 5*

II - NYM 7; NYY 1

III - NYY 9; NYM 5

*10 innings

SUBWAY SERIES

New York Mets

vs.

New York Yankees

FROM

Yankee Stadium

River Avenue, Bronx

Game One Final

NYY  6

NYM 5

10 innings

The Yankees extended their win streak to three games on Monday with an extra inning 6-5 victory over the hosting Mets.

Logan Verrett did well in his head-to-head match-up against C.C. Sabathia.  Logan allowed three earned runs on four hits and three walks, with four strikeouts through five full innings of work, but left on the losing side of a (then) 3-2 game.

It wasn't till the sixth inning that Mets fortunes, and C.C. Sabathia's for that matter, changed when   frequent call-up Matt Reynolds connected on a three run home run, making it a 5-3 Mets lead.

Sabathia then walked pinch hitter Steven Matz (Game Three's starting pitcher) earning him Joe Girardi's hook.  All told, C.C. was tagged for five runs on eight hits, walked three, and fanned five over 5.2 innings pitched.

Luck, however, was fickle this evening, tapping Mets relievers Jerry Blevins and Addison Reed on the shoulder.  Both each allowed a run during a Yankees two-run eighth inning, tying the game at five.

Seth Lugo earned the loss after allowing the go-ahead run in the top of the 10th inning.

After hitting seven home runs in July, Wilmer Flores hit his first home run of August in the second inning off Sabathia.

Game Two Final

NYY  1

NYM 7

Tuesday's start was a test of sorts for Jacob deGrom, who passed with flying colors.  He battled lat issues early in the season, and now believes he's conquered some mechanical issues.

Against the Yankees, deGrom tossed seven shutout innings, while limiting the Yankees to just four hits and a walk.   He threw 103 pitches, with 69 going for strikes, and fanned eight batters.  

Jacob improved his record to 7-5, and sports a stellar 2.41 ERA.

The game marked Jay Bruce's first in a Mets uniform.  Acquired from the Cincinnati Reds in exchange for second base prospect Dilson Hererra, Bruce went 0 for 4 in his Mets debut.  He saw a total of 13 pitches and fanned twice.

With the exception of 2014, Bruce has hit at least 20 home runs in each of his nine MLB seasons.   He's presently leading the National League with 80 RBI, and is believed he'll provide the Mets a formidable one-two punch from each side of the plate when combined with Yoenis Cespedes.

Game Three Final

NYM 5

NYY  9

Ugly is as ugly does.

In truth, both teams played terribly, but I only root for one of them...

Was Steven Matz' 20th start of the season an omen?  Apocalyptic nightmare?  Not quite, but allowing six runs on six hits and a walk, with six strikeouts through six innings pitched was eerily unsettling.

The newly assembled one-two punch of Yoenis Cespedes and Jay Bruce lasted one game.  Yoenis is heading to the disabled list (with the other guys...) after "tweaking" his ailing quadriceps during his last at-bat in the ninth inning.  

It can be argued the Mets were foolish for devising this play/rest plan of DH'ing him against the Yankees and Tigers in the first place.  While the greater baseball establishment agrees total rest is the only effective remedy for quad strains, once again the Mets opt for playing injury roulette.  They have now exacerbated the situation, and prolonged their agony.  Meanwhile, Yoenis Cespedes' habitual golf playing requires an entirely different conversation.

The Mets offense otherwise continually shot themselves in the foot Wednesday night, essentially letting Yankees starter Chad Green repeatedly escape disaster by rolling over pitches and grounding into numerous double plays through the early innings of play.

  

Then there's Yankees first baseman Mark Teixeira, who defeated the Mets in more ways than one.   His three run home off Steven Matz in the second inning would ultimately prove the decisive blow of the game, but he also created some drama, and added a little comic relief into the fray.

With the very first pitch in Tex's very next at-bat, Steven Matz hit him in the leg with a pitch, of which Teixeira took exception, and very emphatically exhibited his displeasure.  Both benches and bullpens emptied, but cooler New York City heads prevailed.

The foolishness, however, didn't stop there.  The Yankees loaded the bases in the seventh inning with Hansel Robles on the mound and Teixeira the base runner on second.  In short, Robles thought Tex was stealing signs, and completely let Teixeira screw with his concentration.

Southpaw reliever Josh Edgin is back, making his first appearance for the Mets since undergoing Tommy John surgery.  He walked the lone batter he faced.

No one is complaining, but Jay Bruce is now 0 for 8 with a walk and three strikeouts though his first two games with the Mets.

NEW YORK METS           55-52

NEW YORK YANKEES    54-53

Extra Innings: Baseball's Most Prolific Bench Warmer

ICYMI

N.Y. Yankees: Hal Steinbrenner Backs Brian Cashman 

The Yankees were home, facing a lefty, yet Alex Rodriguez didn't even get his cleats dirty.  I question whether the Yankees front office think his skills are that badly diminished, whether they are holding a grudge against him, or if they are purposely preventing him from hitting home run number 700 of his career.  He would be the fourth player in history to do so, joining Hank Aaron, Babe Ruth, and Barry Bonds.  Yet, the lack of attention is deafening.  Hell, the club may very well even be trying to frustrate him into retiring.

The Mets will start Bartolo Colon in Thursday's series finale against whom Alex Rodriguez has enjoyed great success throughout his career.  It will be interesting to see if Alex is thrown a bone.

N.Y. Yankees: Hal Steinbrenner Backs His General Manager

From the desk of:  BLAME CARLOS MAY

First stop ... Roosevelt Avenue, Queens

Next stop ... River Avenue, Bronx

SUBWAY SERIES

New York Yankees

vs.

New York Mets

Series tied 1-1

I - NYY 6; NYM 5*

II - NYM 7 ; NYY 1

Game Three @ BRONX

Game Four @ BRONX

*10 innings

New York Yankees: The dreams and hopes of a whole generation of seven year olds ... ruined.  But in time, they'll understand.

A famous New York football coach once said, "You are what your record says you are."

The New York Yankees entered this year's Subway Series with a par 52-52 record.

Meanwhile, after posting a 15-7 record in April, the Mets have played below .500 baseball since.   There's hope, though.  After Sunday's victory over the Colorado Rockies, the Mets finished 13-13 for the month of July, and entered Monday's Subway Series opener with a 54-50 season record.

The teams, however, couldn't be headed in more opposite directions.  The Mets are struggling, but are nonetheless attempting to defend their National League title, while the Yankees have officially entered rebuilding mode.

Monday's numerous non-waiver trade deadline transactions confirmed that.

If you ask me, Hal Steinbrenner played this one correctly.  I began the season thinking Brian Cashman needed to be fired, and the only thing saving his employment was Hal's perceived lack of baseball experience on my part.

I still do not think Hal is prepared to move forward without Cashman, but having them operating on the same page of music trumps all ... to include Randy Levine.

*  *  *  The PHANTOM MENACE  *  *  *

The law of diminished returns caught up with the Yankees.  It happens.  But one must first recognize the situation for what it is.

It was indeed becoming painfully evident Randy Levine and Brian Cashman were on divergent paths with regards to the present state of the Yankees, and the club's future.  Now Cashman gets to be general manager, and do general manager stuff.  For a change, the Yankees will cultivate their own farm system instead of relying on 28 other team's developmental efforts.

He gets to rebuild a team a la Gene Michael, instead of just writing checks for other team's all-stars and jacking up YES ratings.

In fact, Brian Cashman has already done well to quietly reinvigorate a long dormant system.  The Yankees AAA affiliate (Scranton/Wilkes-Barre RailRiders) presently owns the best record in the International League.  Their AA affiliate (Trenton Thunder) owns a 68-40 record, and their New York-Penn League affiliate (Staten Island Yankees) are just 1.5 games out of first place with a 24-19 record.

Then consider Cashman's transactions:

• Top relievers Aroldis Chapman and Andrew Miller were traded to the Chicago Cubs and Cleveland Indians, respectively, for a clutch of highly touted prospects.

• Carlos Beltran was traded to the Texas Rangers for likewise highly touted Dillon Tate, among others.

• Ivan Nova was traded to the Pittsburgh Pirates for ... it doesn't matter (two players to be named later is a steal). 

Then consider Mark Teixeira's contract will come off the books after this off-season, while C.C. Sabathia has a vested $25 million dollar option for next season with a $5 million dollar buyout which I fully expect the Yankees to explore.

Alex Rodriguez' contract will finally expire after the 2017 season, but I have a strong belief the Yankees just may eat that money too.

That leaves Jacoby Ellsbury's pact as the lone remaining albatross to resolve.

There's certainly something to be said for winning.  Brian Cashman doled out nearly a half billion dollars to purchase the 2009 World Series.  Well worth it for the Core Four - without a doubt.

The Yankees have been paying an onerous price ever since.

But there's good news.  Better days are not that far away.


Head-Butting Mr. Met is next...

Vintage Bus and the Real Manhattan Transfers

Bensonhurst's most famous bus driver

Part One: 

I Brive a Dus ~ R.K.

Have car, can't travel?  Welcome to life in Gotham.  Twenty four hours a day, seven days a week, we are a sidewalk trampling, street crossing, bus hopping, subway surfing, railroad riding society.  Simply put, we New Yorkers are commuters.  From every borough and burb we are a metropolis and citizenry forever on the move.  It's our reality as urbanites, something coded into our big city DNA.


Throw in the old trolley system, and it's been this way for well over a century.  For instance, this Flatbush Avenue trolley inevitably became the B41 bus route to East 71 Street.

(Pic provided by John Landers)

Be it going to school, baseball practice, Roller Palace, the movies, Coney Island, or what have you ... the buses I took as a very young boy where still colored green.  And what kid/teen didn't want to ride the back corner seat with the window pushed open?

What kid also didn't have their parent tell us sit near the bus driver, whom indeed generally kept a watchful eye on familiar faces along their routes.  Sadly, times have changed, and drivers instead are the ones seemingly needing protection, having been made to drive behind protective glass.

The oldest of the blue and white buses traversing today's streets are the fleet that replaced the greenies of my childhood's early to mid-1970s years.  At first, they tried repainting a few of the green buses in the new blue/white motif, but ultimately retired the fleet by the early 1980s.

(Picture John Landers)

This B78 Mill Basin bus is pulling out of the Utica Avenue depot at Fillmore Avenue.

Flatbush Avenue in the background.

Ask and ye shall receive..

I asked a guard on duty if I could rummage through this bus 

parked in Red Hook.  He opened the doors without hesitation.

Thank you, Sir!

COURTESY

JOHN L. COLLECTION

Manhattan Bus Transfers

Circa 

1945-1948

COMING SOON

PART TWO:

Lost Rails of Brooklyn: 

Meet Me at the Beach

John says only a true Brooklynites know about the 

Kouwenhoven Station

more coming from

John Landers Collection

Brooklyn Cyclones: On Justin Dunn's First Pro Start

Here's my latest for 

RisingApple.com

Local kid does good...

Mets First Round Draft Pick Justin Dunn 

Sparkles in First Professional Start

Mike

senior staff writer/Rising Aplle

Brooklyn Cyclones: Lefty Thomas Szapucki impresses in first start at Coney

From the desk of:  THE SURF AVENUE SLUGGERS

GAME CALLED

BROOKLYN CYCLONES: Tuesday Twin-Bill Could Spell Double Trouble ... for Either Team.

Mother Nature said 

no Monday Night Baseball for you.

Sunday Final

Game One
Staten Is.   0
Brooklyn   3

Coach Gamboa made use of five Cyclones pitchers who combined on a four hit, 13 strikeout, whitewashing of the first place Staten Island Yankees in Sunday's series opener at Coney Island.

Brooklyn starter, southpaw Thomas Szapucki, celebrated his promotion from the Kingsport Mets with a victory in his first start with the Cyclones.  He limited the Yankees to four hits, three walks, and fanned eight batters over 5.1 innings pitched.

Relievers Kyle Regnault, Adam Atkins, Taylor Henry, and Joseph Zanghi, were perfect over the final 3.2 innings, allowing no hits, no walks, and fanning five in securing Brooklyn's 3-0 victory.

Prior to joining the Cyclones, Thomas Szapucki, 20, made five starts for the (R) Kingsport Mets where he posted a 2-1 record with an 0.62 ERA and 0.86 WHIP, while allowing just 16 hits, nine walks, with 47 strikeouts through 29 innings pitched.  Batters struggled to hit .157 against him.

Weighing in at 6'2" 205 lbs., the Mets selected Szapucki in the fifth round of the 2015 draft.

• The Cyclones got RBI from Gene Cone, Michael Paez, and Desmond Lindsay who played in just his second game with the Cyclones after four appearances with the GCL Mets.  This is Lindsay's (the Mets 2015 2nd round draft pick) second touch in Brooklyn.

• First baseman Peter Alonso (the Mets 2016 2nd round pick) seems to find Coney Island to his liking. He's slashing .315/.413/.574 through is first 15 games with the Cyclones, with five doubles, three home runs, and nine RBI in 54 at-bats.

Due to Monday night's rain-out, the Cyclones and Yankees will play a twin-bill on Tuesday.  With Sunday's victory, the Cyclones closed to within four games of the first place Yankees.

Both teams are now 4-6 in their last ten games.  Success on Tuesday can turn Brooklyn's season around on a dime.  They presently sport a sub .500 17-19 record this season.  Meanwhile, back to back losing seasons has been something unheard of in Coney Island.

Shudder to think...

N.Y. Mets: Jeurys Familia Hits Half Century Mark

From the desk of:  HEAD-BUTTING MR. MET

Seizing a Golden Opportunity

NEW YORK METS: Jeurys Familia's 50th Consecutive Save is Fourth Longest Streak of All-Time.

Although Jeurys Familia is in his second full season as Closer, his 2014 season was just as busy.  In both 2014 and 2015 he made 76 appearances.

In 2015, Familia's 64 games finished led the league.  On ten occasions Terry Collins asked him to make four and five out saves, and twice more asked Familia to complete two full innings in a game.   To TC's credit, however, Familia exceeded a full inning just once from August through the regular season's end.  Collins instead ran up the bullpen phone bill, calling on Familia 16 times during the dog days of August - easily the most appearances he logged during any month of the season.

Familia is up to 45 appearances this season versus 43 by this time last year, and once again is leading the league with 44 games finished.  Yet, he's only been asked to attempt a four-out save just once (his 25th on June 24) all season.

Thanks are largely attributable to the emergence of Hansel Robles.  Addison Reed has been stellar since arriving in Flushing. Hansel, however, was still finding himself this time last year, but has now seemingly arrived.  At the very least, he gives the Mets three-deep depth in the late innings.  Hence, the physical demands on Familia have been lessened.

If Familia would just comply...

Last year, Jeurys walked 19 batters all season.  This year, Familia is just one away from tying that mark.  Naturally then, after finishing last season with an even 1.00 WHiP, this year his WHiP is upwards of 1.218 and growing.

In other words, Familia is creating his own fires, yet continues putting them all out - every one.

Jeurys Familia remains perfect in save opportunities this season.  His league leading 34th consecutive save without a blown opportunity came on July 22 against the Marlins in Miami, but not before causing Mets fans obligatory angst.

It was actually Jeurys Familia's 50th straight save without a blown opportunity dating back to last season, making it the fourth longest such streak of all-time.

Former L.A. Dodgers closer Eric Gagne owns the MLB record with 85 straight saves.

L.I. Ducks: Oh No You Don't, Not in this Pond

From the desk of:  THE WEBBED SPIKES NINE

Raging Ducks

Ducks win series over Bluefish 2-1

I - LID 5; BPT 1

II - BPT 3; LID 2

III - LID 8; BPT 4

LONG ISLAND DUCKS: Emotions Run High During Grand Series Finale Against Bridgeport Bluefish.

Thursday night's rubber game at Bethpage Ballpark started out business as usual.  Making his 15th start of the season, John Brownell climbed the hill against the Bridgeport Bluefish, and opened the game by retiring the side in order.

Long Island fared no better in their first turn at bat.

The heart of Bridgeport's line-up saw things differently, though, connecting on two solo home runs in the top of the second.

The Ducks were quick to match them in the bottom of the frame.  Tyler Colvin's one out double put two runners in scoring position.  After Ruben Gotay fanned, Mike Blanke's base hit scored both runners.

A run in the third, and Mark Minicozzi's RBI single in the fifth gave John Brownell and the Ducks a 4-2 lead.

John Brownell continued pitching into the eighth, but allowed the Fish to close to within a run after allowing a lead-off double, and an RBI single to left fielder Adron Chambers.  With one out, Brownell was relieved by Eury De La Rosa, who fanned a pair of batters to escape the inning, but not before Bridgeport took exception to some perceived extracurricular celebration on the part of Long Island's reliever.  The benches and bullpens each emptied twice during the frame without incident.

Todd Coffey then pitched himself into a pickle in the top of the ninth, allowing a lead-off single, and double.  Naturally, Bridgeport wound up tying the game on a passed ball.

Leading off the bottom of the ninth, Anthony Vega negated a lead-off base hit by getting thrown out at second.  His team mates picked him up.  With two outs, and Lentini, Delta Cleary Jr., and Mark Minicozzi occupying the bases, you guessed it.......

DH Tyler Colvin connected on a game winning grand slam home run!

With an 8-4 victory over the Bridgeport Bluefish, the Long Island Ducks (9-3) concluded their first home stand after the all-star break with a nifty 5-1 record.  They now lead the Liberty Division by two full games over Bridgeport.