The Cyclones entered this weekend’s a four-game set with the hated Staten Island Yankees playing their worst ball of the season, though their record, at 16-4, was still the best in the league. It was a weekend when starting pitching faltered and batters could not manage a clutch single.
The Clones were lucky to get out with a lone win — and a 4-1/2-game lead over the second-place Hudson Valley Renegades.
Cyclones 4
Yankees 0 (Game 1)
Friday, July 10, at Staten Island
The weekend series opened up with a bang, thanks to a complete game, seven inning gem by starter Brandon Moore, who raised his record to 3–0 and lowered his ERA to a stellar 0.62.
The Cyclones got on the board in the second on a Luis Rivera groundout.
But in the seventh, the visiting Cyclones broke it open. First, Ralph Henriquez led off with a triple. Then, after three straight walks plated Henriquez, Luis Nieves grounded out for the final run.
Moore gave up just five hits and struck out eight.
Cyclones 2
Yankees 3 (Game 2)
Friday, July 10, at Staten Island
In the nightcap, Cyclone reliever Matias Carrillo couldn’t get the job done.
The story here was the seventh inning, with the Clones holding a slim 2-1 lead and starter James Fuller tiring. The first two batters singled and then Fuller botched the inevitable bunt, loading the bases.
That’s when manager Pedro Lopez summoned the usually reliable Carrillo, who promptly gave up a walk-off double. Game over.
The Cyclones didn’t do much all night offensively, scoring one run on a groundout and another after a Yankee error.
Yankees 6
Cyclones 0
Saturday, July 11, at Keyspan Park
This one was just a disaster for stellar starter Collin McHugh, who earned his first loss of the season by giving up three runs on five hits and three walks in four innings.
Reliever Mike Johnson didn’t fare much better, also giving up three runs in his two innings of work.
The Cyclones did manage eight hits on the night, but stranded a leadoff double by Alex Gregory in the third, a bases-loaded situation in the fourth, another leadoff double by Gregory in the seventh, and two straight singles to lead off the ninth.
Damn Yankees.
Cyclones 3
Yankees 5
Sunday, July 12, at Staten Island
Yes, the Yankees got off to a three-run lead, but the Cyclones stormed back, putting up a trey in the fifth, mostly thanks to John Servidio’s double.
But that was all she wrote for the Clones.
Starter Mark Cohoon gave a valiant seven innings, but took his first loss of the season.
The loss left the Cyclones just 4-1/2 games ahead of the second-place Renegades, a team they have led by as much as eight games.
