Cyclones 11
Staten Island 3
August 31 at MCU Park
The Cyclones’ playoff dreams are still alive thanks to Sunday night’s blowout win against the hated Staten Island Yankees.
John Mora once again led off the night by reaching on an error. That was followed by another error that got Amed Rosario on base. The two made it home with some good old-fashioned small ball.
Two more Cyclones runs came in during the second inning after newcomer JC Rodriguez hit a triple, his first hit for the Mini-Mets, which plated Michael Bernal. Rodriguez crossed the plate on sacrifice fly.
The hits and runs didn’t stop there. The third was an explosive inning with a three-run shot from Adrien Abreu, who went 3–4 and just a triple shy of hitting for the cycle.
Cyclones pitcher Alberto Baldonado gave up his only run of the night in the fourth inning. Baldonado pitched five innings, giving up four hits, and striking out seven. He was replaced by Carlos Valdez in the sixth. Valdez gave up a two-run home run in his first inning on the mound.
Three more Cyclones runs crossed the plate in the seventh, giving the team the 11–3 lead that would remain till the end.
The Cyclones take on the Yankees for the final game of the regular season on Staten Island today — and they had better win it as they are still in a dead heat with the Connecticut Tigers for the wildcard slot.
Ups and downs
Triple threat
Cyclones right-handed pitcher Marcos Molina nabbed the pitching triple crown this season. He is tied for the New York–Penn League’s leading number of wins with seven, and tops the league in earned-run average, with a stellar 1.77, and strikeouts, with 91. This is the first time in Cyclones history that a Clones pitcher has led all three categories.
Playoff push
The Yankees’ crushing defeat meant that the team was eliminated from the playoff running, as the universal order dictates they ought to have been. The Lowell Spinners also lost their shot at the title.
The Cyclones and the Tigers were tied for the wildcard spot going into Sunday night’s game and the detente held steady as both won. A loss tonight by the Cyclones or a win by the Tigers would end Brooklyn’s dreams of the big-time.
