Vermont 4
Cyclones 3
July 18 at MCU Park
This skipper doesn’t want to go down on a sinking ship!
Cyclones manager Tom Gamboa blew a gasket on Saturday after his team’s 4–3 loss to the Lake Monsters, demanding his players smarten up and listen to his call to be patient and the plate — something he says his thick-headed players refuse to do.
“I’m starting to question the mentality of some of the guys in the locker room because they’re so stubborn,” the visibly angry coach said. “Only a fool keeps doing the same thing and expects a different result. Yet, I can go through our lineup and we have people that are committing to the baseball before it comes out of the pitcher’s hand. That’s why fans wonder why we’re swinging at balls in the dirt and balls over our head. It’s going to keep happening until guys take a different approach.”
It is not just that Brooklyn has lost five of its last six that has Gamboa frustrated. There are 160 teams from Triple-A to rookie league and the Cyclones are 157th in batting average. Of 15 position players, eight have a sub-.200 average — a fact that makes Gamboa think baseball wonks will have to reset the dreaded Mendoza Line.
“We’re going to have to create a new line for where some of our guys are at,” he said.
That line may be named for Pedro Perez the extremely light-hitting first baseman and designated hitter who struck out with two on to end the second inning, lined into a double play with the bases loaded in the sixth, and struck out to end the eighth with runners on the corners.
“They’re all tough nights for Pedro,” Gamboa said. “He just refuses to make an adjustment, and it’s killing him.”
Gamboa added that the coaches have talked to him “until they’re blue in the face.”
Tyler Badamo took the loss for the Cyclones, giving up four runs (three earned) in five-and-one-third innings. The starter retired the first eight Lake Monsters before giving up a hit on an 0–2 pitch to the ninth-place hitter. After two more singles, Mikey White cleared the bases with a double. But it was the 0–2 pitch which began the problem.
“That was the one pitch that I’m sure he wishes he had back,” Gamboa said. “That started the downfall.”
Brooklyn answered back in the third with a run-scoring single off the bat of Enmanuel Zabala.
Vermont scored in the sixth to make it 4–1, but Brooklyn responded with a run-scoring single from Hengelbert Rojas.
With the bases loaded and one out, Perez lined out to short and Jeff Diehl was doubled off second.
The Cyclones got a run in the eighth when Michael Bernal scored on a wild pitch. With runners on the corners, Perez fanned to end the inning.
Vinny Siena singled with two out in the ninth, but Bernal grounded out to end the game.
The loss put the Cyclones back in a tie for first place with the hated Staten Island Yankees, who won on the Rock.
The Cyclones will be back in action at 5 pm at MCU Park. Head out to the ballpark and plea for patience!
