Cyclones 7
Hudson Valley Renegades 4
Aug. 29 at Dutchess Stadium
Big hits from right fielder Maikis De La Cruz and first baseman Jayce Boyd let the Cyclones come back from a deficit and rack up an important win against their division-leading rivals the Hudson Valley Renegades.
The Renegades put one on the board in the first after Coney starter Gabriel Ynoa pitched himself into a jam by walking shortstop Leonardo Reginatto, surrendering a single to second baseman Thomas Coyle, then giving up a walk to third baseman Richie Shaffer with just one away. Reginatto crossed the plate on a force out by catcher Luke Maile, but Ynoa limited the damage by fanning first baseman Ryan Dunn.
The Clones tied the game in the second, after designated hitter Alexander Sanchez hit a double off Renegades starter Tayler Guerrieri. A fielding error by Dunn allowed Boyd to reach base and Sanchez to take third. Hudson Valley turned two on a ground ball off the bat of left fielder Jorge Rivero, but Sanchez managed to score.
The Renegades re-captured the lead in the next inning, after Reginatto singled and moved up to third on throwing error by Boyd. Shaffer then dropped one into center to drive Reginatto in. But Brooklyn rallied in the seventh with an RBI grounder by Boyd that drove in pinch-runner Gavin Cecchini, an offensive substitution for Sanchez. Rivero drew a walk, and De La Cruz hit a base-clearing double to give the Clones a 5–2 lead.
In the top of eighth, Renegades reliever Rob Finneran plunked Cecchini, then let Boyd go deep over the left field wall, tacking two more runs onto the board for Brooklyn.
The Renegades attempted to come back again in the eighth, as right fielder Joel Caminero reached first on a force out, then took second on a throwing error by second baseman Jeff Reynolds. Center fielder Joey Rickard then chopped a grounder up the middle off reliever Logan Taylor to drive Caminero in with two away — shattering the Oklahoma-born righty’s previously flawless 0.00 ERA and causing Cyclones skipper to yank him for hurler Beck Wheeler. Wheeler gave up a double to Reginatto, letting Rickard score, but Rivero flied out to end the inning. Closer Tyler Vanderheiden sent the Renegades down in order in the ninth to end the game and pick up his 11th save of the season.
The Clones narrowed Hudson Valley’s lead in the McNamara Division to four games, though they remain just two ahead of the Batavia Muckdogs in the wild card race with seven games left in the regular season.
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 Hudson Valley Renegades.
Reach reporter Eli Rosenberg at erosenberg@cnglocal.com or by calling (718) 260-2531. And follow him at twitter.com/emrosenberg.
