Cyclones 4
Connecticut 1
June 26 at MCU Park
Michael Katz’s first home run as a Cyclone led Brooklyn over the Tigers in the first of three-game set.
Katz, who also doubled and scored in the second inning before his dinger in the fourth, had been working on his swing with hitting coach and former Cyclone Yunir Garcia.
A study of old video led to a major improvement.
“I’m more of a visual learner so that kind of helped me,” Katz said. “[The coaching staff] was telling me before, but once I saw myself on video, it kind of clicked for me.”
Gaby Almonte picked up the win, giving up one unearned run in six innings, although he made the error.
In the first inning, Almonte tried picking off Victor Padron but the throw hit Padron and went into the outfield. It was the only error Brooklyn committed and the only run Connecticut scored.
Katz evened the game in the second when he doubled, stole third, and came home on a throwing error by catcher Will Allen.
The Tigers may not have expected the big first baseman take off for third.
“I think it caught them by surprise,” said manager Tom Gamboa. “And the catcher turned it into a run to tie the game.”
After David Thompson’s run-scoring single plated Michael Bernal, Katz’s two-run homer gave Brooklyn a 4–1 lead — insurmountable thanks to the way the bullpen performed after Almonte’s solid start.
Nicco Blank, P.J. Conlon, and Alex Palsha each pitched an inning of scoreless relief, with only one runner reaching base against Palsha — impressing the skipper.
“It was nice to see Blank have a real good outing because he’s been struggling with his control,” Gamboa said. “P.J. Conlon made his debut and was just what the scouts had told us. Real good off-speed stuff. He’ll use his change up and his breaking ball and lull the hitter to sleep and then throw a fastball.”
Palsha, who has not allowed a run in six-and-a-third innings out of the bullpen, picked up his second save of the year, and
Gamboa has been dazzled with the pitcher’s poise as well as his chucking.
“Palsha is a real good fit for us at the back end of the bullpen.”
UPS AND DOWNS
Almonte’s error means that the Cyclones have committed at least one in every game of the season.
“We almost played our first errorless game,” Gamboa said. “We’re going to get one sooner or later.”
The six-through-nine hitters in the Brooklyn order were a combined 0–13 with one hit-by-pitch. Gamboa has 16 position players he can use and will use the early part of the season for a little experimenting.
“The first third of the season, they’re all going to get a chance to play, and then their performance will make it easy for me to dictate what our basic everyday lineup will be.”
The fans who came to see fireworks didn’t have to wait very long. Brooklyn played another quick game with this one timing in at two hours and 32 minutes.
The Cyclones play Connecticut tonight at 7 pm at MCU Park. Be there or be a tomato.
