Cyclones 7
Yankees 4
July 20 at Keyspan Park
The Cyclones evened the three-game series against their hated, cross-Narrows rivals with a lead-from-the-start-but-almost-collapse win that sets up a climactic rubber game tonight in Staten Island.
The last-place Clones jumped out to an early lead, thanks to a Jordan Abruzzo double, followed by two walks and an Eric Cambell RBI single. Another walk and a double-play scored two more.
Then, leading 3–0, the Cyclones broke it open with a five-hit (all singles!) fourth. John Servidio singled home what turned out to be the game-winning run — his second RBI of the night — with the bases loaded. The next batter, Cesar Candido, who went 2-for-4 on the night, padded the lead with a two-run single to right field.
Those insurance runs proved to be vital as the Yanks, down 7–1, stormed back with four in the ninth, all off usually reliable closer Yuri Santana.
But it was too little, too late for the first-place Baby Bombers. Later, manager Edgar Alfonzo said the win was a vital one for his ailing squad.
“When you come out and win a game like this after a game like last night — that means a lot,” Alfonzo said. “The season starts today.”
Fonzie singled out the starting pitching of shaky righty Jennry Meija, who threw five innings of one-hat ball to lower his ERA to 6.23.
The big win erased the bitter memories from just 24 hours earlier, when the Yankees beat the struggling Cyclones, 7–6, on a ninth-inning walk-off, three-run homer by Melky Mesa.
Mesa sent the Richmond Bank Ballpark crowd home in a fine mood when he turned on Cyclones reliever Steve Clyne’s first pitch and promptly sent it sailing deep to left for the end-of-game buzz kill.
The Yankees were trailing 4–2 when the inconsistent reliever Clyne was brought in to close what could have been a momentum-changing win for the 13-17 Cyclones.
But Clyne made it tough on himself, giving up a leadoff bunt single and then a single of the normal, line-drive variety.
Clyne did induce a groundout, but then the mini-Melk man delivered big time.
Clyne got a his first blown save and first loss of the year on the same pitch.
The homer undid a lot of great work by a the Cyclones, who again seem to have their bats back in action. The nine-hit attack featured a 2-for-4 night from Josh Satin (1 RBI) and Jordan Abruzzo (who knocked in two in the sixth with his first homer of the year).
Starter Brad Holt (1–1) was effective, scattering four hits, including a solo homer in the first. He lowered his ERA to 1.91.
With Sunday night’s win, the 14-18 Cyclones remain in the depths of the McNamara Division, six games behind the first place, 20-12 Yanks.
A win tonight, on The Rock, would go a long way towards righting this listing ship. As all Cyclone fans know, head to BrooklynPaper.com for all the action.
