Cyclones 4
Tri-City ValleyCats 1
Aug. 22 at MCU Park
The scrappy Brooklyn offense — combined with three crucial errors and a wild pitch — lifted the Clones over the Tri-City ValleyCats in the second night of a three-game series in Coney Island.
Cyclones starter Luis Cessa sent the ValleyCats down in order in the first inning, but the away team came back in the second as designated hitter M.P. Cokinos chopped a grounder up the middle to drive in catcher Tyler Heineman. But the righty out of Mexico recovered his control and surrendered just three hits, no walks, and no further runs in his next five innings on the mound.
Meanwhile, Brooklyn got on the board in the bottom of the second, as Coney left fielder Stefan Sabol reached base on a fielding error by Troy shortstop Joe Sclafani. Sabol advanced to second after the ValleyCats hurler plunked first baseman Alexander Sanchez, and took third after designated hitter Jeffrey Glenn grounded into a force out. A line drive from third baseman Dimas Ponce sent Sabol home, tying the game.
The Mini-Mets scored again in the third, as center fielder Brandon Nimmo whacked a liner to right field for a single, then moved into scoring position on a ground out from second baseman Richie Rodriguez. Shortstop Phillip Evans then slapped a grounder to center to send Nimmo home.
The team tacked another run on the board in the fourth frame after Glenn smacked a line drive single to the hot corner, extending his hitting streak to six games. He took second on a throwing error by third baseman Ryan Dineen, and another botched throw by Sclafani allowed Ponce to reach base. A wild pitch by Day let Glenn cross the plate.
The Clones padded their lead in the sixth, after Sabol hit one to center off reliever Juan Minaya and scored on a RBI line drive from Glenn.
Coney reliever Matthew Bowman came on in the eighth and fanned four batters to end the game.
The Cyclones remain four games behind the division-leading Hudson Valley Renegades, and four games ahead the Batavia Muckdogs in the wild card race.
The Cyclones are home again at MCU Park [1904 Surf Ave. at W. 17th Street in Coney Island, (718) 449–8497, www.brooklyncyclones.com] tonight at 7 pm as they take on the Tri-City ValleyCats.
Reach reporter Eli Rosenberg at [email protected] or by calling (718) 260-2531. And follow him at twitter.com/emrosenberg.
