Jimmy Johnson: At one point, he tried to shy away from contact, but after a while he looked like a veteran out there. He has three pitches he can throw for strikes. He started the season as more of a lefty specialist, but ended it as someone who is very dependable in late innings.

Roy Merritt: He came down to his arm angle and really took to it. He was probably the biggest surprise we had here all year. He’s got good movement and has the same thing Joe Smith had when he was here. His pitch speed fluctuates to the point where you’ll see a fastball at 84 and then one at 89. That’s why it seems why hitters have trouble with the same pitches every night. He’s very good at what he does. Remember he was a center fielder a few years ago; he just picked this up and ran with it.

Wendy Rosa: He wasn’t anywhere near the strike zone and wasn’t on a team out of spring training. But through hard work at Extended Spring Training, he got called up to Savannah and then back here and he was a different pitcher. He’s another guy that just went out and surpassed our expectations. He can throw three pitches for a strike and is another one that can find himself in the big leagues with that plus slider and plus curve ball that he has.

Mattias Carrillo: He’s more of a specialty guy who has to change speeds and be where he wants to be in the strike zone. He has a good changeup to the lefties and a good curve ball to the righties. With that being said, he has to really rely on his command to be good. He did it this season

Jim Fuller: To me, it’s a little disappointing that we didn’t get to see him very much, because he has so much talent. A really small guy with a power arm that can hit 91,92 and 93 miles per hour. He gets a lot of swings and misses at this level and is a guy to keep your eye on. He may be a special guy in the big leagues one day. He’s one of our best workers too and has been a pleasure to coach.

Eric Turgeon: He was a position player at UConn and came here with minimal experience, but he worked hard. He was one of those guys that was always pulling at my coat and wanted to work with me. He ended up giving us some tremendous outings that bridged us into the eighth and ninth innings.

Stephen Clyne and Yury Santana: We had Clyne’s experience on the mound and Yury’s ability to throw a secondary pitch for strikes this season and it helped us a lot. Santana’s slider scored a 65 out of 80 on our rating scale. It gets up to 84-85 miles per hour at times and that’s why you saw all those swings and misses.

Notes-

For some reason, the team’s stellar long man, Jeff Kaplan, wasn’t mentioned in this interview even though his name was brought up a few times. Can’t blame Berrios however, he was pretty much cornered by a four or five reporters and asked to spill his guts.

Aside from that, you have to like what he said about the pen. The only question is who makes it to the bigs from this staff?

For my money, I go with Roy Merritt. The guy’s slider is amazing and just like Berrios said, he mixes his speeds up so well that hitters can’t explain why they can’t hit a 85 mile an hour fastball. A characteristic like that just cannot be taught.

However, considering the fact that this is indeed Single-A ball, we’ll have to wait a while to see if my prediction holds water.

Photographs by Ron Hatcher.

With Kirk Nieuwenhuis, their best hitter all season at the plate in the bottom of the tenth, an absolute bomb off the third round pick’s bat was torn from the sky courtesy of Hurricane Hanna-inspired winds, right into Aberdeen outfielder Jacob Julius’s glove in right center field.

Seconds later, the last Fireworks show of the summer at Coney Island started, symbolizing a beautiful season that in the end, just wasn’t meant to be.

A half inning afterwards, an error from closer Yury Santana opened the door for a two-run Aberdeen 11th, effectively euthanizing the Cyclones 2008 playoff hopes.

“I’m sad, but I’m happy,” said Cyclones manager Edgar Alfonzo. “Everyone got better this year and when you are 15 games over .500, it’s a successful season regardless.”

The Cyclones got on the board in the first after an Eric Campbell sacrifice fly scored Nieuwenhuis and gave them a 1-0 lead. The Mets Single-A affiliate continued to produce in the second as well after a Josh Satin single scored Seth Williams and a Jose Jimenez sacrifice fly [his second RBI since the All-Star break] scored Satin, putting Brooklyn up 3-0.

With an early three-run lead, Cyclones starter Scott Shaw was solid and despite some control problems in the third, kept Aberdeen scoreless and the lead intact. In the fourth however, Ironbirds third baseman Tyler Kolodny brought the shutout bid to end with an RBI single. A passed ball and a sacrifice fly later in the inning allowed two more runs to score, tying the game at 3-3.

Reliever Wendy Rosa replaced Shaw in the fifth and pitched 1.2 innings of shutout ball before walking a pair of hitters. Mattias Carrillo then came out of the Brooklyn bullpen and got the final out of the inning and pitched two shutout innings before leaving in favor of Jeff Kaplan with two outs in the top of the eighth. Getting the final out of the inning, Kaplan kept the score at 3-3 going into the ninth.

The Brooklyn offense could not come through in the bottom of the ninth however, sending the game into extra innings.

Kaplan’s night then came to an end in the tenth, as he lasted only one out into the inning after allowing a walk to Calvin Lester and a sacrifice bunt. Alfonzo was then forced to bring in Santana and things got interesting after that, as Lester stole third with only one out. Santana was on his game though, retiring both hitters he faced to keeping the game tied going into the 11th.

Santana was again on the mound after Brooklyn after the Baby Bums couldn’t produce at the plate in the tenth. This time however, the 26-year-old wasn’t as sharp and committed an error on a routine dribbler down the first base line, which opened the door for a TJ Baxter RBI single later in the inning that put Aberdeen ahead 4-3. Santana then walked the next hitter he faced and was replaced by Roy Merritt with the bases loaded. Despite striking out the first hitter he faced, Merritt soon ran into trouble of his own, walking home a run before ending the inning with the Ironbirds up 5-3.

Continuing to have problems against Aberdeen pitching, Brooklyn couldn’t get back in the ballgame, as catcher Caesar Cordido grounded into a double play after a lead-off walk in the bottom of 11th. Pinch-hitter Sean Ratliff was then retired on strikes to end the game 5-3.

With the loss, the Cyclones are eliminated for post-season play and will not make the playoffs for the first time in three seasons.

“It disappointing,” said Nieuwenhuis. “But we all worked hard this season and we played great baseball down the stretch.”

Notes-

Winning 13 of their last 16 before Friday night’s game, Brooklyn’s offense mustered only eight hits on the night.

With his 79th hit tonight, Nieuwenhuis tied the Cyclones single-season hit record with Dustin Martin and Ambiorix Concepcion.

“I had no idea,” he said. “I would have liked to get one or to more today, but the wind got them.”

Nieuwenhuis also tied the Cyclones single-season record for most games played, set by Ian Bladergroen in 2003.

Even if Brooklyn would have won on Friday, things would have remained tricky in assessing their playoff hopes. Because of the remnants of Hurricane Hanna, which has already begun to hit Brooklyn, the Cyclones may not have been able to play today’s game. Then, if Batavia would have won their season finale today and Brooklyn was unable to play due to the weather, Batavia would have made the playoffs as the wild card due to a higher win percentage. However, if Brooklyn didn’t play and either Batavia or Jamestown lost, Brooklyn would have made the playoffs for the third consecutive season.

Update: 1:30 P.M.

Today’s season finale has been canceled.

Photos by Ron Hatcher.

Jeff Kaplan: In the beginning of the year, I came from pitching a lot of innings in college and I was on a strict pitch count from the start. We had seven guys who could start and the organization thought I was worn out a bit and decided I’d be more effective out of the bullpen. So this season I’ve been trying to get my arm strength back to were it was when I was in college and I feel that I have. So far, so good.

DBB: What do you think of Brooklyn?

Kaplan: It’s fun to play in front of all of these people. It’s really a test and it takes some people some adjusting to get used to playing here. I played in front of some big crowds in college though [Cal State Fullerton] and I love this. The atmosphere is great here.

DBB: You have this really laid back attitude, almost stoic on the bench, but on the field, you’re a pretty tough customer. Where did that attitude come from?

Kaplan: My persona changes when I step on the field. I’m the kind of guy that doesn’t like to talk a lot. I just like to do my job and I do whatever I have to do to help the team win. It’s a switch that I’ve learned to turn on when I have to go into a game and with the switch from starting to relieving this season, I’ve had to work on that as well, so my mind is right when I get on the mound in a tight situation.

DBB: Stephen Clyne has that type of mentality as well. As a matter of fact, he looks downright mean on the bench sometimes. Has he helped you at all wit that or is that something you had before?

Kaplan:It’s something that I’ve had pretty much my entire life. Stephen is very similar to me though. It’s funny because we’ll talk about things and we usually have the same opinions. I’ve learned a lot from him on the mound though and in the bullpen this season. He’s a great guy.

DBB: What do you think of the team’s playoff chances?

Kaplan: We have to concentrate on what we do and win games. We can’t worry about what the other teams do. If we make it ,great, if not, then we don’t. But it won’t be because we didn’t work hard enough out there.

Link:

Box Score to last night’s 5-1 Cyclones Loss.

Photos by Ron Hatcher.

That reason however is an easy one- pitching coach Hector Berrios.

Entering his tenth season as a pitching coach and his fifth with the Cyclones, Berrios has consistently taken young pitchers to the top in Brooklyn. This season is no different.

Coming into the season, everyone in the organization knew that supplemental pick Brad Holt was going to be the bee’s knees, but no one could have possibly pondered how successful relative unknowns Jimmy Johnson, Chris Schwinden, Erik Turgeon and Roy Merritt were going to be. All picked in the 22nd round or later in the 2007 and 2008 drafts, many believed these youngsters were simply needed to fill out the roster.

Instead, they’ve been stalwarts on the mound and have played an integral part in the team’s success, thanks in part to the hard work of Berrios behind the scenes.

“It’s been a real pleasant experience with these guys this season,” he said. “Once these guys got their feet wet this season, they all really took off. You’re seeing it right now.”

In his five years in Brooklyn, Berrios has kept the Cyclones in the top three in team ERA every season and has consistently made heroes out of the most unlikely. Take the 2008 22nd round pick Schwinden for instance, who came into the season coming out of the bullpen sparingly, to only find himself one of the team’s dominant starters by the All-Star break.

For players like Schwinden, Berrios is an angel that makes their first year in professional baseball a dream come true, rather than a nightmare.

“Hector is an amazing pitching coach,” said Schwinden, who made the NY-Penn League All-Star team this season under Berrios’ tutelage. “He’s always there for us and you know he’d take our side in a fight if he had to. He’s gives us so much information and he always leaves it up to us to take it. He prepares you for so many things on the mound and by doing that, he makes you a better pitcher than you were before.”

A ninth round pick of the San Francisco Giants in 1983, who played parts of two seasons at the Triple-A level, Berrios knows how tough life in the minors can be.

That alone has played a huge part in his success as a pitching coach.

“Your the first guy that they learn from and that experience lasts a lifetime,” said Berrios. “I don’t like to do this just so they get to the big leagues. I always try and make sure that they know I care about them and I’m very passionate about their success. That creates a real bond and I don’t think any of them ever forget Brooklyn and what they learned here.”

Becoming a father figure to the players he coaches, Berrios has put together quite a resume for himself over the past half decade in Brooklyn, as Florida Marlins reliever Matt Lindstrom, Royals starer Brian Bannister and current Mets relievers Eddie Kunz and Joe Smith have all passed through his bullpen in Coney Island.

That, Berrios said, is something he’ll never forget.

“It’s been an awesome ride and it’s great that I get calls back from guys that feel that comfort and they know they can talk to me when things are going bad or even when they are going good.”

The way the team has pitched this season, it’s fair to say that he’ll be getting plenty of phone calls this winter.

“I don’t even want to think about where I’d be without him this year,” said Turgeon. “I was so lucky that I got the chance to come here and work with him.”

Link-

Box Score to last night’s 5-4 Cyclones Win.

Photos by Patrick Hickey Jr. and Ron Hatcher.

After reliever Jeff Kaplan inherited a one run lead in the fourth and pitched his best game this season however, that thread just got a little longer.

Beating Oneonta 3-2 behind Kaplan and a two-RBI night from Seth Williams, Brooklyn, who have now won six in a row, aren’t laying down and are focused on stealing a playoff spot anyway they can.

“I feel like they know what they need to do now to win games,” said Cyclones manager Edgar Alfonzo. “A couple of weeks ago, it was scary. Right now though, everyone is ready to contribute.”

The Cyclones got on the board first on a Sean Ratliff RBI double in the second that scored Wilmer Flores and gave them a 1-0 lead. Williams then stretched the lead even further in the second after an RBI single that scored JR Voyles and Kirk Nieuwenhuis and put them up by three.

The Mets Single-A affiliate saw their lead shrink the next half inning however, after a Brent Wyatt single down the third base line [that was argued by Alfonzo to no avail] scored two runs and made it a one-run ballgame at 3-2.

“That hit really got in my head and I lost my concentration because of it,” said Martinez through a translator. “Other than that, I thought I was okay.”

Giving up six hits in 3.1 innings, Martinez was replaced by Jeff Kaplan with runners on the corners in the fourth. Getting the finals two outs of the inning, Kaplan held the lead and pitched 4.2 innings, giving up only one hit. Losing his spot in the rotation earlier in the season, Kaplan has been a revelation in relief over his past seven outings and has given up only two earned runs in 19.2 innings pitched.

“I knew if I threw strikes, my defense would help me out,” said Kaplan. “I pitched my game.”

Jimmy Johnson came out of the bullpen and replaced Kaplan in the ninth, but lasted only two outs after giving up a lead-off single and an error by Flores.

With the winning run on first base for Oneonta, Alfonzo called in closer Yury Santana, who retired the only hitter he faced via strikeout and gave Brooklyn their 40th win of the season.

Despite the win however, Brooklyn failed to gain any significant ground in the playoff race, as both Batavia and Staten both won their respective games, putting them one and half games out of the Wild Card and four back of the McNamara Division lead. Nevertheless, Kaplan and the Clones know that they can’t control how other teams play and are focused on winning their remaining games.

“We know that we have to win,” he said. “We can’t worry about what everybody else does and we’re not.”

Notes-

Wilmer Flores had three hits again for Brooklyn and by the smile on his face on the field, he seems to be enjoying Brooklyn immensely. [By the way, just to answer a fan's e-mail yesterday, yes, Flores still has braces.]

The coaching staff is enjoying his play as well.

“He’s played well these two games,” said Alfonzo. “This kid is doing good and he has a routine.”

Clones shortstop Reese Havens was seen during batting practice on Friday looking very much like a player very close to returning to the lineup. The Cyclones however, refuse to rush the first rounder back.

“We don’t want to think about it now,” said Alfonzo. “As of right now, we’re still wait and see with him.”

Video-

Havens fielding during BP yesterday.

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Photos by Ron Hatcher. Video by Patrick Hickey Jr.

Getting another quality outing from staff ace Brad Holt and clutch hitting from Sean Ratliff, the Baby Bums looked recharged indeed and scratched out a hard-fought 3-1 win.

“The way we played tonight, I feel like this team is relaxed and ready,” said Cyclones manager Edgar Alfonzo. “They know what they have to do now and I believe in them.”

Things didn’t start Brooklyn’s way however, as after hurling four scoreless innings, Holt gave up two hits and threw a wild pitch in the fifth that allowed an Oneonta run to score and gave the Tigers a one-run lead.

“I started off well,” said Holt, who threw 90 pitches on the night. “My changeup was good all night, except for the one that spiked past the catcher and gave them the lead. Other than that, I think I was alright.”

The Clones wasted no time getting back into the game however, as a Ratliff a solo bomb off Oneonta hurler Trevor Feeney in the bottom of the fifth tied the score at 1-1.

Lefty reliever Roy Merritt came out of the Brooklyn bullpen in the sixth, replacing Holt and kept the score deadlocked at 1-1 through the eighth. The Mets Single-A affiliate then broke the game wide open the following half inning, getting a bases-loaded single from Ratliff that scored Ike Davis and Jordan Abruzzo and put the Clones ahead 3-1.

“I got a changeup I was able to hit over the second baseman’s head and get us the lead,” said Ratliff, who has four homers in his past 10 games. “I’ve been feeling great out there lately and it feels good to help the team in a clutch situation like that.”

After getting their first lead of the night in the eighth, Jimmy Johnson was summoned out of the bullpen and wasted no time, retiring the side in order, earning the first save of his professional career and securing a 3-1 Brooklyn win.

Winning their fourth game in as many days, the Baby Bums know that with only 10 games left to go, the winning ways must continue for their playoff dreams to come true.

“We’re rolling right now,” said Ratliff, who also made a pair of diving grabs in keep the game tied. “We really want to keep this going.”

Notes-

Clones starter Chris Schwinden, who was forced to leave his last start after being hit by a ball on his upper thigh in Tri-City, told reporters today that he’s fine and should be ready to pitch when his turn in the rotation comes up.

“I’m a little purple,” he said of his thigh. “But I’ll be okay. I was pretty lucky”

Update 5:15 P.M.-

Mets 17-year-old prospect Wilmer Flores has been sent to Brooklyn and will be hitting seventh tonight against the Oneonta Tigers. Hitting .310 with 48 RBI with Kingsport this season, Flores is one of the fast-rising prospects in the organization and should be able to do more than just fill in for first round pick Reese Havens.

Photos by Ron Hatcher.

That, however, is exactly what the Brooklyn Cyclones and Lowell treated the 7,341 fans in attendance at Keyspan Park to on Friday, but unlike the night before, it was the Spinners who were on the winning end, edging out the Baby Bums 2-1 in a game that produced only six hits between both clubs.

“Tonight was tough,” said Cyclones manager Edgar Alfonzo. “You have to tip your cap to the way they pitched tonight.”

After Scott Shaw and the Brooklyn bullpen limited Lowell to only one-hit on Thursday, Mets first round pick Brad Holt was more than solid against the Boston Red Sox Single-A affiliate as well, throwing two scoreless innings to start the game. Holt [4-3, 1.75 ERA] ran into trouble in the third though, giving up a pair of hits, including an RBI double by Ronald Bermudez that put the Spinners ahead by one.

Those two hits were all Holt, who had 10 strikeouts on the night, gave up, but it wasn’t enough for to come out with a victory.

“A lot of the time, they weren’t even swinging,” said Holt. “They were just watching.”

As good as Holt was, Spinners starter Kyle Weiland was that much better, limiting the Mets Single-A affiliate to only one hit in five innings of work.

Righty reliever Charle Rosario replaced Weiland in the sixth, but Brooklyn was still unable to muster any offense in the inning. The Clones did catch a break however when Mitchell Herold came into the game in the seventh for Lowell with a runner on third with two outs. The first hitter he faced, Jordan Abruzzo, hit a routine ground ball to short, which should have ended the inning, but first baseman Ricardo Burgos couldn’t stretch out far enough to grab the throw, allowing Kirk Nieuwenhuis to score and tie the game at 1-1.

“It felt good to get that run in the eighth,” said Nieuwenhuis. “But it just didn’t happen for us tonight. Their pitchers were keeping us off balance all night.”

Clones closer Yury Santana replaced Holt in the eighth and kept the game at 1-1 until he gave up a monstrous solo home run off the top of the Keyspan Park scoreboard courtesy of Luis Sumoza in the ninth, giving the Spinners their one-run lead back at 2-1.

Seth Garrison then closed the game out for Lowell and retired all three hitters he faced, putting the finishing touches on a 2-1 Cyclones loss.

“If you don’t hit, it’s hard to win,” said Alfonzo. “Tonight was the first time in a long time that we only had two hits. We have to go out tomorrow and beat these guys.”

Notes-

Ike Davis continues to struggle this season and has hit .207 in his last ten games.

There is still no timetable on the return of Reese Havens or Matt Smith, who are suffering from groin and calf injuries respectively.

Havens is however expected to run the bases in practice tomorrow and will be evaluated again.

Video-

Brad Holt strikeout.

[youtube FLPcOuEv0ac]

Photos by Ron Hatcher. Video by Patrick Hickey Jr.

Looking at his stats, you’d think Turgeon would be a huge mass, armed with a plethora of tattoos, a Fu Manchu mustache and handle-bar sideburns.

Striking out 19 and walking only four in 14 innings this season for Brooklyn can do that kind of thing.

However, the “real” Erik Turgeon looks more like a young soap opera star, sporting a scruffy black mop on his head and a trademark smile. Despite his unassuming and almost pretty boy look on the mound however, Turgeon has proved to be a commodity for a Cyclones team that depends on their pitching staff to win ballgames.

“He’s been very good for us this season,” said Cyclones manager Edgar Alfonzo. “He has good command of his fastball and hits his spots. All of our guys have had a chance to pitch in all types of situations this season and they’ve proven themselves. He’s definitely done that as well.”

Coming from U-Conn after the draft, Turgeon knew he had to learn and adapt to get his game to the next level and wasted no time doing so. Dedicating himself to learning the art of pitching under the Confucius of pitching himself, Brooklyn pitching coach Hector Berrios, Turgeon feels he has transformed himself into a different player under his guidance.

“Hector has worked with me everyday,” Turgeon, who was originally drafted by the Red Sox in the 49th round in 2005, said. “This is my first season in professional ball and my first as just a pitcher and without him, I don’t want to think about where I’d be. Everything you see me doing on the mound, I’m working on in the bullpen. It’s been a year of changing things up, while working with the things that got me here. It’s been hard, but it’s been fun too.”

Now with the tools to succeed at the Single-A level, Turgeon doesn’t even want to think about what his game was like just a few months ago in U-Conn.

1-0 with a 6.67 ERA in 28.1 innings with the Huskies this season, before being drafted in the 25th round of the amateur draft by the Mets, Turgeon has grown by leaps and bounds as a player in a very short time.

“In college I threw a curve ball freshman and sophomore year, but they shut it down,” he said. “My junior year, I was throwing a slider, but it wouldn’t slide. It was like a straight 84-mph fastball. Now I’m throwing the curve ball and the slider and I still have my changeup. My go to pitch is still my fastball and I’m still learning, but I know I still have to develop more.”

Nevertheless, despite his struggles in college ball, Turgeon does use them as a reference point.

Refusing to stop developing his pitches, Turgeon has vowed to never be unprepared on the mound again.

Becoming a better pitcher everyday he’s on the mound, Turgeon has exhibited the arsenal of pitches and overall toughness to be a competent reliever at any level he performs at.

He doesn’t need a Fu Manchu mustache or handle bar sideburns to prove it either.

“Pitching in college, all I had was a fastball,” said Turgeon. “Aluminum bats and fastballs aren’t a good combination, especially when they know it’s coming. Here, I’ve worked on my off-speed pitches and in college I just threw them. Here, I have to also make sure I always work down. I’m happy it all got me here, but I’m happy college is over and I’m glad I’m here.”

Photos by Ron Hatcher.

Five games back of the McNamara Division leading Yanks after the split, the Clones know they still have enough time to surprise a few people before the season’s climax.

“We know that there is time left and we’re playing well,” said Cyclones skipper Edgar Alfonzo. “We’re right in the middle of everything.”

Jose Jimenez got the Cyclones on the board in the first on a RBI double off Tri-City starter Shane Wolf that scored JR Voyles and gave Brooklyn an early 1-0 lead. Recent addition Juan Lagares then added an RBI single, giving the Mets Single-A affiliate a 2-0 advantage after only one inning of play.

After giving up two hits in the first inning, Brooklyn starter Jenrry Mejia threw two scoreless innings in the second and third, but wasn’t able to get himself out of a base-loaded jam with no outs in the fourth. Giving up a run on a Jonathan Gaston RBI single, Mejia was saved by a double play that got him out of the inning with the Cyclones still ahead by a run.

The Baby Bums got the two-run lead right back after a Kirk Nieuwenhuis RBI single in the bottom of the fourth, but Mejia got himself into another bases-loaded dilemma with two outs in the fifth and walked in a run that made it a one-run ballgame once again. Yury Santana was then summoned from the Brooklyn pen and got the Clones out of the inning with the score still 3-2.

“He was very inconsistent today,” Alfonzo said of his 18-year-old starter. “He was all over the place. I think he was trying to do too much out there today.”

Santana had problems of his own as well and left in the sixth with no outs and the bases-loaded for Stephen Clyne, who gave up a sacrifice fly that tied the score at 3-3. A J.B. Shuck ground out then sent another Tri-City Valley run across the plate, giving the Valley Cats their first lead of the game at 4-3.

The Clones offense wasn’t able to come back in the sixth and after a Caesar Cordido strike out, Alfonzo was ejected for arguing the called strike three with home plate umpire Matt Jones.

“I wasn’t upset about the call,” said Alfonzo. “I was mad that he made the call before the pitch got to the catcher. The ball was halfway there when he called it a strike. I don’t think it was right. I was disappointed about it.”

Clyne continued to pitch in the seventh and hurled a scoreless inning, but it wasn’t enough, as Brooklyn left the tying run on first base, after a Jimenez strike out ended the game with Valley City victorious 4-3.

Game two of the twin bill started eerily similar to game one, as the Cyclones jumped out to a 2-0 lead in the first courtesy of RBI doubles by JR Voyles and Eric Campbell. In the second, the Mets Single-A affiliate got two more runs after a Nieuwenhuis single and error by Tri-City starting pitcher Jarred Holloway, stretching the lead to 4-0.

Clones starter Pedro P. Martinez supported his teammates by allowing only one run and striking out six in 5.2 innings of work.

“He had a good sinker and breaking ball tonight,” said Alfonzo. “All season-long he’s pitched well for us.”

With Martinez baffling Tri-City, Campbell padded the Cyclones lead in the bottom of the fifth with a two-run bomb that put the Mets Single-A affiliate ahead by five runs.

U-Conn product Erik Turgeon came into the game in the sixth with two outs and gave up a run in the seventh, but pitched well enough to secure a 6-2 Brooklyn win.

Splitting the series, the Baby Bums will look to win the rubber game tomorrow before taking a three-day breather for the NYPL All-Star Break.

Still hanging around a playoff spot with 18 games remaining, Brooklyn knows how important the next stretch of games are in determining their post-season hopes.

“This is very exciting,” said Alfonzo. “We’re right in the middle of things for the wild card and I know these guys are playing hard.”

Notes-

Lagares had hits in both games of the twin bill and until Reese Havens is completely recovered from another groin injury he suffered on the road this week, Lagares figures to be the team’s starting shortstop.

“He brings a lot to the table,” said Alfonzo. “He can hit, run and he’s very smart. I hope he keeps doing what he’s doing.”

Brooklyn Dodgers legend Carl Erskine will be at Keyspan Park tomorrow and will play the National Anthem on his harmonica in addition to having his number retired by the team.

Photos by Ron Hatcher.

“They were great,” said shortstop Reese Havens, who ended up with the game-winning RBI. “As far as I’m concerned, they’ve been great all season.”

Just like Sunday, the Mets Single-A affiliate got on the board first. Batavia starter Zach Pitts wasn’t sharp in the early going and gave up a pair of doubles from Kirk Nieuwenhuis and Jordan Abruzzo, sandwiched in between a wild pitch that allowed Nieuwenhuis to score and gave Brooklyn a 1-0 advantage. Havens then padded the lead with a two-out RBI single that scored Abruzzo and gave the Clones a 2-0 lead after one inning of play.

“When you get an early lead, it helps,” said Cyclones skipper Edgar Alfonzo. “You play harder. It happened tonight.”

Coming off of his first win of the season on Aug. 6, Brooklyn starter Pedro P. Martinez [1-2, 3.20 ERA] wasn’t his normal solid self early on and was unable to work his way out of a bases-loaded jam in the second, giving up a Jairo Martinez RBI single that cut the Brooklyn lead in half.

That’s all the Cardinals Single-A affiliate could muster off the righty however, as Martinez stifled them over his last three innings pitched, striking out a season-high eight batters and keeping the game at 2-1.

“He did his job tonight,” Alfonzo said. “He pitched well enough to win.”

Jimmy Johnson came out of the Brooklyn bullpen in the sixth and kept the Muckdogs scoreless through the eight and left with two outs in the ninth. Yury Santana was then inserted and got the final out, securing the team’s 29th win of the season in the process.

With Staten Island’s doubleheader split on Monday, the Baby Bums are now only three games out of first place and feel confident going on the road against Auburn, before coming back home for a three-game series with the Tri-City Valley Cats this weekend.

“We’ve played great on the road this season,” Johnson said. “The offense always steps it up away from home and the way we’ve been playing as a team lately, we know this is an important stretch.”

Notes-

The rumor circulating around the park tonight was that Mets closer Billy Wagner will be making a rehab appearance at Keyspan this weekend.

Video-

Amazing grab by Kirk Nieuwenhuis in the eighth

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Photos and Video by Ron Hatcher.

However, unlike the pitching staff that was again on it’s game, Brooklyn’s bats couldn’t lend a helping hand in a 2-0, three-hit loss to Batavia.

11-12 at home this season, the Cyclones still seem confused at the plate behind their hometown fans and are searching for answers as the season begins to wear down.

“It’s hard to win when you have only one hit going into the ninth inning,” said Cyclones skipper Edgar Alfonzo.”

The game remained scoreless through the third, as Brooklyn starter Brad Holt [3-3, 2.08 ERA] and Batavia’s Thomas Eager [3-3, 1.83 ERA] were strong early on, allowing only a hit apiece.

“I got ahead early and got a lot of ground balls,” said Holt. “I felt really good and the defense was strong behind me.”

Things opened in the fourth however, as Holt got himself into a bases loaded jam and ended up coughing up a Chris Swauger single that gave the Muckdogs a 1-0 lead.

Throwing 36 pitches in the inning, Holt was replaced by Mattias Carrillo in the fifth. Carrillo gave up two hits in 1.2 innings pitched, with one being a solo home run by Colt Sedbrook that stretched the Batavia lead to 2-0.

Jeff Kaplan was then summoned out of the bullpen to finish the fifth and kept the game at 2-0 the rest of the way. The Mets Single-A affiliate’s offense continued to struggle off Eager and George Brown however, who replaced him in the sixth and gave up just one hit through the final three innings. Adam Reifer then had mop up duty and despite leaving two runners on, retired Ike Davis for the last out of the game .

With State Island’s win, the Cyclones now find themselves four games back of the McNamara Division lead and know they have to start producing at home if they want to make the playoffs this season.

“We can’t explain it, it’s crazy” said catcher Ralph Henriquez in reference to the team’s play at home this season. “On the road, we’re much more aggressive and at home we freeze up. With four weeks left, we know we’re still in it though. We just have to come out and play hard and anything can happen.”

Notes-

Mets first round pick Reese Havens made his return to the starting lineup on Saturday after missing over two weeks with a pulled groin.

According to Alfonzo, Havens will most likely start at shortstop today as well.

Alfonzo also said that Holt was taken out of the game due to the team’s late arrival today and didn’t want to tire him out. After the game, Holt was fine and actually said he thought he could have pitched into the next inning.

Henriquez reached base twice in the game, once on an error and once with a single in the ninth.

Video-

Reese Havens bomb dies in the Coney Island wind.

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Pics by Ron Hatcher and Jim Dolan. Video by Patrick Hickey Jr.

But after just two appearances, it was apparent that something was wrong with the southpaw, who threw a whopping 93 innings and compiled an impressive 9-3 record at Southern Connecticut State University before being drafted this season. Suffering from a strained left arm for over a month, Fuller’s absence created a void in the bullpen that the team never fully recovered from.

However, since making his first appearance back with the team on Aug. 2, where he threw two scoreless innings, Fuller has proved that good things come to those who wait. During the outing, Fuller showed just how thrilled he was to be back in the lineup by fielding a pair of ground balls and firing them over to first baseman Jason Jacobs with an intensity that could only be described as “energetic.”

Obviously happy to be back on the mound, Fuller is ready to be a influential member of the Brooklyn staff and seems fully recovered from the arm problems that took him off the roster for most of the first half of the season.

“It was the first time I was out there in a month, so I was really anxious to get started,” said Fuller, who’s fastball clocks in at 92 miles-per-hour. “It’s hard sitting on the bench for a month not knowing when you’re going to be ready to come back. All you can do is stick with your rehab and do whatever it is you have to do to get back out there and that’s exactly what I did. I’m so excited to be back”

Aside from his fastball, Fuller also throws a curve ball, slider and a changeup, which gives him an uncanny amount of versatility out of a Brooklyn bullpen that hasn’t been very solid over its past few games.

Looking for more depth in the middle of a pennant race, the Cyclones coaching staff is fully aware of what Fuller brings to the table and plan to use him accordingly.

“We’re happy to have him back and healthy,” said Cyclones skipper Edgar Alfonzo. “We don’t know where he fits in right now, but I do know that we’re going to be working him in as much as we can the rest of the season. He’s going to get plenty of innings.”

Despite the coaching staff’s fondness of his repertoire and poise on the mound, Fuller knows with crafty relievers like Roy Merritt, Chris Schwinden, Wendy Rosa and Jimmy Johnson in the bullpen that playing time may be harder to come by than the coaching staff thinks.

Nevertheless, he’s focused on making the most of what’s left of his season.

“It feels great to know that this team is going to give me an opportunity to prove myself ,” Fuller, who models his game after Mets closer Billy Wagner, said. “I want to help this team win and we’re playing well right now, so it’s good that I get to be a part of all of this. I want to contribute as much as I can.”

Notes- According to a source, former Cyclone Bobby Malek was coaching first base in place of Guadalupe Jabalera, who has left the team for personal reasons. To my knowledge, Malek is the first former Clone to ever serve as a coach.

Link-

Box Score from last night’s 7-0 Cyclone win.

Update-New Podcast up!

Interview with Jordan Abruzzo on 8-04.You can download it from I-Tunes here, or stream it from the web, here. Enjoy!

Photos by Patrick Hickey Jr. and Ron Hatcher.

Their bullpen somehow failed to receive the message however as another solid pitching performance by Jenry Mejia and timely hitting were wasted in an ugly three-error, four-run seventh inning that resulted in a 9-4 Staten Island win.

“We didn’t play that bad until the seventh inning,” said outfielder Kirk Nieuwenhuis. “Then we made mistakes and the Yankees took advantage.”

Staten Island got on the board first, courtesy of a Brian Baisley RBI ground out in the opening frame, but starter Mejia [2-1, 4.30 ERA] limited the damage and kept it a 1-0 ball game after striking out Marcos Vechionacci to end the inning. Brooklyn carried that momentum into the bottom half of the first and quickly tied the game on a Nieuwenhuis lead-off triple and an RBI ground out of their own from JR Voyles.

Mitch Abeita wasn’t too fond of the Brooklyn comeback attempt however and nailed a solo-homer over the left field wall in the second that gave the Yankees their one-run lead back. Staten Island spot starter Andrew Shive then rebounded after a sloppy first and managed to hurl 3 2/3 scoreless innings on 57 pitches before being replaced by Drew Shetrone with runners on first and second with two outs. The Mets Single-A affiliate couldn’t get back in the game though, as Caesar Cordido was retired on strikes to end the inning and keep the game at 2-1 through the fourth.

The Clones didn’t waste another opportunity in the fifth though, as Eric Campbell doubled home Nieuwenhuis, who reached base on a walk, tying the game. The next hitter, Ike Davis, then hit an RBI ground out that gave Brooklyn a 3-2 lead.

Things continued to go the Baby Bum’s way in the sixth as Mejia settled down and kept the Yanks scoreless and kept the game deadlocked at 3-2.

“I felt great out there today,” Mejia said through a translator. “In my earlier starts, I wasn’t as comfortable and I felt hitters were waiting on my pitches. It felt like they knew what I was going to throw. I’m comfortable out there now.”

Brooklyn then replaced Mejia with lefty side-armer Roy Merritt, who had an even bigger cushion to work with after a Nieuwenhuis RBI double in the top of the sixth gave the ‘Clones a 4-2 lead.

Uncharacteristically erratic, Merritt, who threw a wild pitch and committed a throwing error on a failed pickoff attempt, wasn’t helped either by two errors by his teammates in the inning, one of which allowed Jahdiel Santamaria to score and made it one-run ballgame.

Lasting only two out into the seventh, Merritt was replaced by Erik Turgeon, who couldn’t get the Clones out of trouble either, giving up a Vechionacci RBI double that tied the score. Things continued to get worse for Turgeon, who left the game in favor of Wendy Rosa after Jack Rye added an RBI single that gave the Yankees a 5-4 lead.

“That’s when it all started to fall apart,” said Cyclones manager Edgar Alfonzo. “Merritt was throwing outside and was staying away from contact. It wasn’t any of their faults though. Our last few starters went short and I’ve been using them a lot.”

Rosa, like Merritt and Turgeon wasn’t his usual self, as Dan Brewer enjoyed the same success as Rye, slapping an RBI single that gave the Yankees a two-run lead.

Losing their lead and most of the 8,667 fans in attendance after Josue Selenes shut them down in the seventh and eighth, Brooklyn looked demoralized and exhausted. Staten Island continued to feast on Brooklyn’s bullpen however, scoring three runs in the ninth off reliever Jim Fuller on a Steven Strausbaugh RBI single and a Santamaria sacrifice fly, which gave them a five-run lead.

Still unable to mount a comeback over the final inning, Brooklyn went down without a fight against Staten Island reliever Nick Asselin, resulting in an ugly 9-4 loss.

Now three-games back of the Yankees with no games left between them this season, the Clones know they’ll have their work cut out for them if they want to catch their cross-bridge rivals for first place in the McNamara Division this season.

“The bullpen is usually great,” said Mejia. “But it’s not going to be that way everyday.”

Notes-

Despite the loss, Brooklyn is 11-4 in their past 15 games.

Cyclones first baseman Jason Jacobs was sent to St. Lucie following the game.

According to manager Edgar Alfonzo, Clones reliever Yury Santana suffered a strained muscle in his throwing arm on Sunday in Staten Island and his current status is unknown.

Video-

Caesar Cordido strikes out in the fourth.

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Photos by Ron Hatcher. Video by Patrick Hickey Jr.