The Brooklyn Cyclones jumped out to a 7-0 lead only to hang
on and win 9-8 (box).
It all seemed so easy.
Luke Ritter (2 for 3, 3 runs) scored on a Joe Genord groundout in the
second. Then in the third Brooklyn
exploded for 6 runs on 7 hits highlighted by a double and two more RBIs from
Joe Genord and a double from Ranfy Adon to give them a 7-0 lead.
In the bottom of the third, the O’s Aberdeen team plated
three to try and get back in it. Then in
the top of the 4th, Gavin Garay drove in a run with one of his three
hits for the night and it looked like Brooklyn had a comfortable 8-3 lead.
But wait a minute. One
of Brooklyn best relief pitchers this year, and a NY Penn League all-star,
Mitch Ragan came on to pitch in the bottom of the fourth. After allowing a single, double, and a walk, while
striking out two, Aberdeen’s Jaylen Ferguson connected off Ragan for a long
grand slam and the Aberdeen Iron Birds were back in it at 8-7. It had been the first home run allowed by
Mitch Ragan this year.
The next thing that happened surprised me. Mitch Ragan, after allowing the four runs in
the 6th, was allowed to come back out and pitch the 7th
in this big game. Mitch responded by
throwing a scoreless inning. Allowing a
pitcher to get right back out there after a tough inning? Great move by a manager that I grow more impressed
every day, Edgardo Alfonzo.
In the top of the 8th, Brooklyn went to manufacturing
an insurance run like they do best.
Ranfy Adon walked. Jake Ortega
bunted him to second. Ranfy took third
on Yoel Romero’s long fly ball. Then
with two out, Jake Mangum came through with a clutch two out hit and a big
insurance run and an 9-7 lead.
Brooklyn would need the extra run as Nelson Leon started off
the 8th by hitting a batter, throwing a wild pitch and then giving
up a single to Aberdeen’s Jean Carmona.
Then, perhaps the turning point of the game. Jake Ortega, picked off Jean Carmona at first. Nelson Leon settled down at that point. Finished the 8th and a scoreless
ninth to earn his 3rd save.
In other NY Penn games, the Staten Island Yankees beat the
Rays’ Hudson Valley Renegades which means that Brooklyn and Hudson Valley are
tied for first, Aberdeen is just a game out and the Yankees are just a half
game back of Aberdeen. Between now and
Labor Day, they all play each other.
But wait there’s more playoff baseball in NY.
The Syracuse Mets got back to winning Wednesday night with
an 8-3 win (box)
over the Phillies’ Lehigh Valley team Monday and pulled a half game behind the
Yankee’s Scranton/Wilkes-Barre who were rained out against Pawtucket.
Nimmo led off, split time in center and left, went 2 for 4,
with 2 runs scored and a 2 run homer.
Lowrie hit second, played 5 innings at 2nd base and went 1
for 3. Sam Haggerty also had a solid two
for two with two RBIs in relief of Lowrie.
Haggerty is hitting .343 after being called up from Binghamton. On the mound Harol Gonzalez improved to 5-0
since his Binghamton call up with 2 runs in 5 innings. Eric Hanhold and Daniel Zamora each added two
innings apiece in relief.
Syracuse manager Tony DeFrancesco told Syracuse.com
that Lowrie will get in a couple at-bats against the Phillies’ AAA Lefty JoJo
Romero to get the switch hitter some reps from the right side. Brandon Nimmo is expected to have Thursday
off.
Finally, Kingsport lost on Wednesday to get eliminated from
playoff contention. Why not bring some
of the K-Mets up to Brooklyn to join the fun?
3 comments:
Nimmo and Lowrie can't get to NY fast enough.
Better than starting out with a 0-10 beginning
Like to see Sam Haggerty heating up - could bid for a back up OF spot in 2020.
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