Cyclones 6
Renegades 5
June 30 at Keyspan Park
The Cyclones snatched a victory from the jaws of yet another disappointing defeat on Monday night, thanks to Ike Davis’s walk-off RBI single in the bottom of the ninth that sent the Hudson Valley Renegades home muttering what might have been.
Indeed, the pesky Renegades, who have given the Cyclones fits all season long, scored two runs in the top of the frame to tie the game, only to see the ’Clones mount a comeback that started with a walk, a sacrifice bunt, two more walks and then Davis’s single. The first-round draft choice was promptly mobbed by his Cyclone teammates midway between first and second base.
But that celebration was a long time coming. The Renegades had jumped on the board first, with two runs in the second off otherwise impressive starter Scott Shaw. The Cyclones scraped back with a run in the third on an Eric Campbell single, and two more in the fifth, courtesy of a Davis double and a Campbell single.
Then, the trouble began for the Cyclones. The Renegades tied the score at 3 in the eighth, getting a run off usually stingy reliever Jimmy Johnson (whose ERA entering the game was 1.35). Thankfully, the Cyclones scored two more in the bottom of the frame — the key blows being a Sean Ratliff RBI triple and a Zach Lutz RBI single.
Then, the ninth: After the Renegades tied the score with two runs off Jesse Orosco-like closer Yuri Santana — who picked up his first blown save of the year — the Cyclones stormed back. Leadoff hitter Will Vogl walked and was bunted to second with perfection by Cesar Cordido. Two more walks loaded the basis for Davis — and the top pick delivered the game-winning single and got Santana an unexpected win. Davis was 3-for-5 on the night and is hitting .318 since joining the Cyclones.
