JAMESTOWN, NY – What you are about to read may surprise you, but I promise you that you’re reading it correctly: the Brooklyns won a game Tuesday night.
Yes, the Brooklyns. The Brooklyn Cyclones, a single-A affiliate of the New York Mets playing in the New York-Penn League.
In front of a crowd of 2,714 fans at the grand old Diethrick Park in Jamestown, NY, the team representing the great county of Kings defeated the Jamestown Jammers 2-1, recording the first win for a professional Brooklyn squad since the Dodgers left for Los Angeles following the 1957 season.
Down 1-0 in the fifth inning, Edgar Rodriguez, making his professional debut, launched an opposite-field, 420-foot home run into the trees beyond the right field wall, knotting the score at one and, in the proces, recording the Cyclones’ first-ever homer, RBI and run with one swing of the bat.
The blast brought cheers from the likes of Pat Witt, of Fort Greene, a Cyclones fan so rabid he already has a Web site dedicated to the team, and from Alec Daitsman, who journeyed to the western reaches of New York State to root for his new home team.
"We wouldn’t miss it for the world," said Witt who, before the game, admitted he was too young to have seen the Dodgers play. "It’s great to have a team back representing our borough. I’ve got season tickets."
The score quickly became untied in the sixth when Cyclones shortstop Robert McIntyre led off with a line-drive single to right field. After advancing to second on a wild pitch by Jammers reliever Andrew Brown, catcher Michael Jacobs worked out a walk. The hard-throwing Brown then struck out both Noel Deverez and Jeremey Todd, leaving the task at hand to stocky left fielder Francis Corr, who was also making his pro debut.
Corr lashed Brown’s first offering down the left field line for a double, plating McIntyre.
A rattled Brown then hit center fielder Forrest Lawson, bringing up Rodriguez with the bases loaded.
It was then, for the first time ever, that the chant of "Let’s go Cyclones" emanated from a small contingent of the crowd sitting down the right field line.
Alas, Rodriguez popped out to left to end the threat, and now it was up to the Cyclones bullpen to hold the lead.
Right-hander Chad Bowen struck out two to finish the sixth inning before giving way to Australian Matthew Gahan, also making his pro debut. The 25-year-old righty struck out the first three batters he faced and retired the first eight before giving up two singles in the ninth. He settled down to strike out Kevin Green to end the game and earn the save.
While Gahan struck out five of the 11 batters he faced, after the game he was only worried about those two hits he gave up.
"Well, I got a couple of fastballs up," he said. "But hey, that’s not bad for an Australian."
Starter Luz Portobanco wiggled his way through the first two innings before settling down in the third and fourth when he struck out four of the final seven batters he faced.
Corr, whose double in the sixth proved to be the game’s winning hit, said afterward that the team was relieved the first game was finally over.
"To tell you the truth, it feels good," he said. "We all had some butterflies going out there. We’re all just saying ‘Let’s get out of here and go to the hotel.‘"
The team did just that, leaving behind Diethrick Park without even showering after the game, but leaving Cyclones fans – especially the ones that made the trip up north – with a pleasant taste in their mouths.
Ups and Downs
The first hit in Cyclones history was delivered by cleanup hitter Noel Devarez, the 19-year-old right fielder who last year batted .305 for Kingsport.
Dominican Republic export Edgar Rodriguez, who went into the record books three times with one blast, modestly said after the game, "It feels very good."
The Cyclones’ roster was filled out with the addition of first baseman Jeremey Todd, who joins the squad from Capitol City, a full-season single-A affiliate of the Mets. The 24-year-old Todd told The Papers that he doesn’t consider the move to the short-season squad a demotion but rather a chance to play every day, something he wasn’t doing in Capital City.
Before the game Manager Edgar Alfonzo talked about some of the players he expects big things from during the season. He called starting catcher Michael Jacobs a "gamer" who possesses leadership qualities, and he feels that shortstop Robert McIntyre is a "take-charge guy who likes to talk a lot and keep guys up."
Alfonzo said Atlantic League-veteran Michael Piercy, who received a pie in the face from teammates during an interview Monday morning at Keyspan Park, has already emerged as the team’s prankster.
"He keep’s everybody relaxed," he said. "He’s got a great attitude, and that’s fine, because we’ve all got jitters."
All told, Cyclones pitchers struck out 14 Jammers while scattering eight hits.
Jammers shortstop Tony Pena, son of the former Pirates, Braves and Red Sox catcher of the same name, had three hits including a double and scored the Jammers only run. Cyclones pitchers easily handled Jammers DH Kevin Green, hitting in the number three spot, who struck out four times.
This year’s Cyclones games can be heard by tuning in to 90.9 FM WKRB where Warner Fusselle, who for years worked with broadcasting-great Mel Allen on the syndicated "This Week in Baseball," and Reggie Armstrong will team to bring you all the action.
The games can also be heard on the Internet by clicking on the link at www.Cyclones.com.
For the record, the first pitch thrown by a Cyclones pitcher, hurled by Luz Portobanco, was a strike, right down the middle.
