Cyclones 7
Valley Cats 4
Aug. 25 at Tri-City
The Cyclones finally won a game that they had to win, breaking a two-game losing street as they teeter in their final push for a playoff spot.
The victory, coupled with a Williamsport loss, put the Cyclones just one game back of the Crosscutters for the New York–Penn League’s lone wild-card spot.
And what a victory it was: The Cyclones got on the board first, thanks to Daniel Muno, who led off with his 19th double of the year. He later scored on an error.
The Valley Cats got that run right back on a rare error by Muno.
The game remained deadlocked until the fifth, when the Cyclones broke it open with four runs — all with two outs.
Brandon Brown doubled and Richard Lucas knocked him home with his own two-bagger. He scored when the Cats’ second baseman screwed up a Cole Frenzel grounder. After a walk, Tillman Pugh knocked in two more with a triple.
The Cats got two of those runs back in the bottom of the frame, finally getting to starter Jeffrey Walters.
Walters got the first out, but Muno let the second batter get on with an error before Walters K’d the next hitter. But then the hurler gave up a wild pitch and four consecutive singles before striking out Miles Hamblin with runners on second and third.
The Cyclones got one run back on a groundout to make it a 6–3 lead.
An insurance run scored in the eighth — all with small ball.
Pugh bunted for a base hit to lead off, stole second, went to third on a wild pitch, and scored on Carlos Leyva’s bunt single.
The Cyclones averted disaster in the eighth, squelching a Valley Cat rally. Jacke Healy had doubled with runners on first and second to drive in a run, but Charles Thurber fired to Muno who delivered a perfect relay to catcher Amauris Valdez to cut down the would-be second run.
Walters scattered nine hits in five innings, but gave up no earned runs. The bullpen was solid, yielding just three hits over the last four frames.
The Cyclones are home again at MCU Park [1904 Surf Ave. at W. 17th Street in Coney Island, (718) 449-8497] tonight at 7 pm. For info, visit www.brooklyncyclones.com.
