On a beautiful Monday night in Coney Island, the Brooklyn Cyclones claimed victory over their borough rival the Staten Island Yankees. This win along with Brooklyn’s 11-4 offensive outburst yesterday, the Cyclones find themselves series winners with the chance to sweep on Tuesday night in Staten Island.
Brooklyn’s Monday night victory started off hot when rehabbing starter Michael Gibbons tore through the Yankees top of the line up, retiring them 1,2,3 and capping it off with a swinging strikeout. The Cyclones success carried over into the bottom frame when left fielder Antonie Duplantis got them started with a booming triple over the right fielders head. Second baseman Wilmer Reyes followed up the triple with a base hit of his own to drive home Duplantis and give Brooklyn the early 1-0 lead.
With Gibbons dealing and Yankeees starter Alfredo Garcia settling down the game quickly, it turned into a battle of the pitchers. When Gibbons completed his three innings of no-hit work the Cyclones called upon their ace, Garrison Bryant to shut down the Yankees and keep Brooklyn in the game.
The Cyclones had signs of life in the bottom of the fourth when Wilmer Reyes lined his second single of the game up the middle to lead off the inning. With a stolen base and a past ball the very next pitch, Reyes moved up to third and set the Cyclones up with a man in scorning position with only one out. First baseman Joe Genord hit a hard ground ball to third base, with Reyes taking off from third Andres Chapparo threw home to cut down Reyes at the plate and ending the scoring chance.
For the second straight inning the Cyclones had something cooking, with one away in the fifth Jake Mangum lines a triple off the left field wall for their second of the game. With Mangum at third and the infield in Duplantis grounds a hard base hit up the middle bringing home the games second run and putting the Cyclones up 2-0.
Staten Island struck right back in the top of the sixth, finally breaking through against the Cyclones. DH Ezequiel Duran struck out swinging on a ball in the dirt, with a weird bounce the ball kicked away from Ortega and Duran was able to reach first safely. With a double by Josh Smith and a one out sacrifice fly by outfielder Jake Sanford, Duran was able to score cutting the cyclones lead in half to 2-1.
With Brooklyn looking for insurance clinging to their one run lead in the bottom of the 8th, they got just that off the bat of Jose Peroza. With one out Wilmer Reyes lined a base hit to right field and advanced on a throwing error by Juan De Leon setting up Brooklyn with a chance to score. Peroza had bigger plans when he hit a screaming line drive off the left field scoreboard for a 2-run home run and plating the important insurance runs.
With Brooklyn up 4-1 they called on their closer Nelson Leon to shut the door and save the win for the Cyclones. Leon retired the side 1,2,3 striking out the last batter of the game sealing the win for Brooklyn and securing the series sweep.
After the game manager Eduardo Alfonzo was happy with how the Cyclones played emphasising that, “pitching is the backbone of this team.” Alfonzo did also touch on the sloppy base running by Brooklyn saying, “We should have been able to do more damage.” Adding, “We need to be both aggressive and intelligent on the basepath.”
We also caught up with hot hitting Antonie Duplantis after his 2 for 4 night, asking how he feels about moving around in the lineup. Duplantis said, “It doesn’t matter to me, wherever they want to put me is great. All that matters is getting that first at bat out of the way and having a good game.” With Duplantis’s good night he finds himself slashing .239/.287/.297 with six extra base hits.
The Cyclones after tonight’s win find themselves only 1.5 games behind first place in the McNamara Division and are two games ahead in the wild card spot. Brooklyns next game is the final game of the season against the Yankees on Tuesday, August 13th at Richmond County Ballpark in Staten Island New York at 7 P.M.