New York Mets

Pitchers

Bobby Parnell

Outfielders

Ryan Church- rehab stint, Daniel Murphy

Buffalo Bisons

Pitchers

Dillon Gee, Junior Guerra, Eddie Kunz, Carlos Muniz

Infielders

Nick Evans, Jon Malo

B-Mets

Pitchers

Nick Abel, Mike Antonini, Eric Brown, German Marte, Roy Merritt, Dylan Owen, Jake Ruckle, Tobi Stoner

Infielders

Matt Bouchard, Shawn Bowman, Lucas Duda, Emmanuel Garcia

Outfielders

Josh Peterson, Caleb Stewart, D.J. Wabick

St. Lucie-

Pitchers

Nicholas Carr , Matias Carrillo Jr., Stephen Clyne, Jose De La Torre, Bradley Holt, Jenrry Mejia, Eric Niesen, Edgar Ramirez, Brant Rustich, Scott Shaw, Nick Waechter

Infielders

Ike Davis, Jake Eigsti, Reese Havens, Luis Rivera, Zach Lutz

Outfielders

Kirk Nieuwenhuis,Seth Williams

Savannah

Pitchers

Eric Beaulac, Rhiner Cruz,Jimmy Johnson, Jeff Kaplan, Manny Olivares, Wendy Rosa, Chris Schwinden, Erik Turgeon

Catchers

Luis Alen

Infielders

Eric Campbell, Wilmer Flores, Jose Jimenez, Juan Lagares, Josh Satin

Outfielders

Rafael Fernandez, Sean Ratliff, Raul Reyes

Now that these rosters are available, fans will begin to have a much better idea of who may be headed to Brooklyn this season.

Here are a few notables that are missing from these rosters:

Pitchers

Pedro P. Martinez, Tim Stronach, James Fuller

Catchers

Jordan Abruzzo- DL, Caesar Cordido, Doc Doyle

Infielders

Kyle Suire, Matt Smith-DL, J.R. Voyles

Outfielders

John Servidio

Photo by Ron Hatcher.

Ike Davis- .270 BA, 15 HR and 75 RBI combined with Savannah and St. Lucie. Contrary to what many think, I don’t see Davis making his major league debut until sometime in 2010, most likely in August or September. His swing still has a few kinks in it and I think spending some time in A-Ball before heading up to High-A will help him address those concerns. When I spoke to Savannah manager Edgar Alfonzo after the instructional leagues were over this past Fall, he believed Davis had come a long way. Rather than push him through the system quickly, I think the Mets, who still have Carlos Delgado at first, will make sure Davis matures into the extra base hitter and slick fielder he’s supposed to be. I see that process beginning this season.

Kirk Nieuwenhuis- .300, six HR, 60 RBI, 30 SB with St. Lucie. Notice the higher batting average than last season? That’s because Nieuwenhuis has the tools to be an excellent professional outfielder and I believe this is the season that he begins to show it. If he can cut down on his strikeout totals from last season as well, he’ll be able to produce even more and may even warrant a call up to Double-A.

Josh Satin- .285 18 HR 59 RBI with Savannah. Eventually showing the tools of a solid second baseman last season, I think Satin would have shown a lot more if the Cyclones made the playoffs. Patient at the plate with a great approach, Satin will make a full-season team out of Spring training and begin to show some promise.

Jordan Abruzzo- .295 14 HR 55 RBI with St. Lucie and B-Mets. Not only is Abruzzo a great catcher that has the skills and attitude to manage a pitching staff at any level of professional baseball, he’s an extremely clutch hitter. While he’d secure himself a spot in Double-A right now if he could hit for more power, I think that after about 30 games this season, you’ll see him in Binghamton where he’ll earn his stripes and show why the fans at Brooklyn loved him so much. Good defensive catchers that can switch hit for power don’t grow on trees and Abruzzo can do it all. This will be the season, unless injuries slow him down, that he shows what he is truly capable of.

Photo by Ron Hatcher.

Opening Day Massacre 2006- Not only did the Staten Island Yankees destroy the Cyclones’ pitching staff, it was my first game covering a team as a beat writer. No more one-time assignments where I could do my interview with a player and leave before the game started, this was my team to cover. I still remember the tingling feeling in my feet during the national anthem or the instant messages I made to my girlfriend and father. I also remember how Jose Reyes got lit up, giving up seven runs over just 1.3 innings pitched. It was the beginning of a metamorphosis for that team as well, as after a week or so, wholesale changes were made to get the team back in the win column.

Jordan Abruzzo’s Two Dinger Night- Not many Cyclones have hit two homers in a game, and Abruzzo hit one from each side of the plate on August 31, 2008 to keep the team’s playoff hopes alive. One of the best backstops the team has ever had, Abruzzo cemented his spot in the team’s history that night powering a 3-1 over the Hudson Valley Renegades. The team’s vocal leader that season, Abruzzo seemed to always come up big when the team needed him to.

Dylan Owen’s five innings of no-hit ball- Just by the numbers alone, many Mets fans in the future will believe that Owen was the prince of the Cyclones staff in 2007. While they would be true, the way he got there was the real story. Beginning the season as the team’s extra starter, it looked like Owen was going to be used sparingly. But after Todd Privett blew out his arm and need Tommy John surgery, Owen was thrust into the rotation and didn’t disappoint. In his first start as a pro on June 27, 2007, the Georgia native threw five-innings of no-hit ball and gave the fans in attendance a sneak preview of an assortment of pitches that would captivate them for the rest of the summer.

Photo by Conroy Walker

Doc Doyle- With Jason Jacobs and Jordan Abruzzo being the guys behind the plate to lead the team in the locker room and on the field the past few years, a guy like Doyle [who's timid nature doesn't give his hard-working attitude on the field it's due] is a bit of a weird choice as the starting catcher in Brooklyn next season. Nevertheless, his offensive prowess and business-first attitude make him someone that can and will flourish in Brooklyn if given an opportunity. A .300 hitter in Kingsport, Doyle can reproduce those numbers in Keyspan.

Kyle Suire- Spending a cup of coffee in Brooklyn last season, Suire was nursing a sore hamstring and was never capable of showing the league what he was truly capable of. A more than solid hitter, I see Suire as a dependable six hitter and someone that will not hurt the team on the field. Not an amazing fielder, Suire does have good range and a capable arm, but makes the plays he has to, very similar to one of my favorite second baseman’s in Cyclones history, Jon Schemmel. If Wilmer Flores starts the season in Brooklyn like many expect him to, the Cyclones will have a middle infield that can hit and play the field with anyone in the NY-Penn League.

Mike Powers- Leading the K-Mets in saves last season, Powers, who was close to a strikeout an inning in 21 frames of work, may be one of the only players from Kingsport’s bullpen to be a real member of the Brooklyn staff next season.

Jonathan Sanchez- The former Cyclones outfielder had a solid season with the GC Mets last season and may make his return as a middle reliever. If that is the case, you can expect a few stories on his progress throughout the season. Extremely confident in his first go round with Brooklyn despite sub-par numbers, it’s be interesting to see how the tides of time have changed the youngster.

Stefan Welch- Aside from Suire and Flores, Welch was one of the K-Mets best hitters. Able to play both corner infield positions and the outfield should make him one of Edgar Alfonzo’s favorite players and should give him the type of versatility that put former Cyclone Eric Campbell in the lineup so much last season. Should be an interesting guy to watch.

Photo by Jim Dolan.

Here are a few notables:

2007, 2008 Cyclone Jordan Abruzzo is hitting .196 with three RBI in 13 games for the Honolulu Sharks. Banged up towards the end of the season, I was originally surprised to see him playing winter ball, but simply put, this kid is a warrior who loves to play the game. Hopefully he turns things around.

2008 Cyclone reliever Roy Merritt is also playing with Abruzzo on the Sharks and just like the beefy catcher, isn’t enjoying the same amount of success in winter ball as he did in the NYPL. Working on his secondary pitches for the most part, it’s safe to say that Merritt is better than his 4.70 ERA in 11 games indicates.

2007, 2008 Cyclones catcher Caesar Cordido is just getting started with Navegantes del Magallanes in Venezuela, going 0 for 3 in three games. Considering the fact that he was never given a great opportunity this season in Brooklyn, he should be a guy to keep an eye out for.

The same thing goes for reliever Mattias Carrillo, who has a 6.23 ERA in seven games with Tomateros de Culiacan. Again, a guy that was still developing as a pitcher and was never really let off the leash so to speak, it should be interesting to see how his season ends up as well.

2006 Cyclones reliever German Marte has one scoreless appearance under his belt with Gigantes del Cibao.

2004 Cyclone Ambiorix Concepcion is hitless through seven games with Leones del Escogido.

2004, 2005 Cyclone Edgar Alfonzo has 1.59 ERA in five appearances with the Navegantes del Magallanes.

Site Notes-

As some of you may know or may not know, I am in the process of writing a book about the Cyclones 2008 season. In order to do this, I have to interview several players, coaches and even fans and parents so I can tell the story the way it deserves to be told. With that being said, you can expect to see some new interviews over the next few weeks and months on the site. Like I said before, just because baseball season is over doesn’t mean this site will not be updated at least once a week, so stop by and check us out!

Photo by Ron Hatcher.

DemBrooklynBums.com: What has this season been like for you so far?

Ralph Henriquez: It’s been a bit weird actually. At first, I thought I was going to be in Kingsport, but then I found out that I was ineligible to play there because I played a certain amount of games on a full season team last season. So then I got sent here. It was kind of a last minute thing. I really didn’t know what to expect. Since then, things have been OK I guess.

DBB: Do you feel you have certain expectations to live up to, considering you were traded for one of the Cyclones best relievers last season?

Henriquez: Not really. A bunch of my friends told me that he was a really good pitcher with some good stuff, but you can never think like that.

DBB: Considering that you were rushed here last minute, how have been getting acclimated to Brooklyn?

Henriquez: It’s really different from the Key West. It’s like a completely different world. There’s so many people driving here that it’s hard to get used to at times. Over there, I’ve never gone over 30 miles per hour. There was never any need to. I don’t think there’s a speed limit here. The park is really nice here though and even though it’s most of the same thing wherever you play this game, I’m enjoying my time here.

DBB: Tell us a little bit about your game.

Henriquez: I’m a real energetic catcher and like to take charge. I pride myself on being a leader as well. I like Victor Martinez a lot and I try and mold my game after him.

DBB: Just for the fans at home to get a better idea of what kind of player you are, what do you think your numbers would be if you played a full season?

Henriquez: I really have no idea. I just want to be behind the plate every single day. If that happens, then I’m happy.

DBB: If you got an opportunity to face Vinditte again, would you do anything different?

Henriquez: I’d go up there left-handed and see what happens.

Photo by Patrick Hickey Jr.

With three RBI on the night, the Jordan Abruzzo-powered Clones kept their magical playoff carpet ride alive for another night, defeating Hudson Valley 5-3.

“We’re in good shape right now,” said Abruzzo. “We’re confident and everything is coming together right now. You can see it coming.”

Hudson Valley got on the board in the top of the first after a Jacob Jefferies RBI single off Brooklyn starter Chris Schwinden that scored lead-off hitter Robi Estrada and gave the Renegades an early 1-0 lead.

Not looking like the same pitcher that made the NY-Penn League All-Star team a weeks ago early on, Schwinden knew he had to make a few adjustments.

“The wind was blowing pretty good and I was trying to nibble at the hitters,” said Schwinden. “After the first, Fonzie told me to pitch to contact and it ended up working for me.”

The Clones got some help soon after, as Hudson Valley starter Chris Andujar coughed the lead over the next half inning, giving up a pair of RBI singles from Eric Campbell and Abruzzo and putting the Mets Single-A affiliate up 2-1.

After Schwinden and Andujar threw scoreless frames in the second, Hudson Valley catcher Frank Mollicone got tied the score at 2-2 in the third with a RBI single. The Baby Bums then answered back quickly in the fourth, after a Kirk Nieuwenhuis RBI double scored Josh Satin and gave Brooklyn a 3-2 lead.

In the fifth, the Clones added to their lead with an Abruzzo two-run homer off Hudson Valley reliever Neil Schenk, which put them ahead 5-2.

“I told Schwinden earlier in the game to pitch to contact because of the wind,” said Cyclones manager Edgar Alfonzo with a laugh. “I didn’t think anyone was hitting it out tonight. After Abruzzo hit his homer, he came to me and asked me to ‘say that again.’”

After giving up two runs in his first three innings, Schwinden settled down and hurled scoreless innings in the fourth, fifth and sixth, before leaving favor of Jimmy Johnson in the seventh.

“When he’ good, he attacks the zone,” said Abruzzo of Swinden. “He made adjustments tonight and was very good for us.”

With a three-run cushion supporting him on the mound, Johnson pitched a scoreless seventh and eighth, but gave up a run in the ninth and left the game with two outs and runners on first and second. With the winning-run at the plate, lefty side-armer Ron Merritt came out of the Brooklyn pen and retired Hudson Valley’s Jason Tweedy on a line drive to second baseman JR Voyles, cementing a 5-3 Cyclones win.

Winners now of 13 of their past 16 games, Brooklyn’s confidence seems at a season high. However, despite the win, Brooklyn failed to separate themselves from Jamestown, who won their game over Batavia 13-4.

Nevertheless, the Baby Bums seem determined to keep their miracle season going.

“We’re playing incredible baseball now,” said Schwinden. “We can’t play any better than we’re playing right now. The chemistry is there and we want to keep this going.”

Notes-

In my three seasons covering the Cyclones for pretty much every local newspaper in the area, I have never had a fan approach me after a game and tell me to put them in my story for the night. That is until tonight, when little Sol Ayal wanted to share his thoughts on the Cyclones play as of late.

“They’ve been awesome,” he said. “And of course, they are making the playoffs. I think they are going to win it all.”

Well, if Sol said it, it must be true.

On a more journalistic note…

After rejoining the Brooklyn lineup on Sept. 1 against Aberdeen, Reese Havens was taken out of the lineup the next game and hasn’t been there since. After Thursday’s game, Alfonzo said Havens was out for the season.

“He’s done,” he said.

Photos by Ron Hatcher.

If they’re the Brooklyn Cyclones, they win.

Powered by 12 hits and a solid starting pitching performance from Jenrry Mejia, the Mets Single-A affiliate defeated the Oneonta Tigers 6-0 Thursday Night and kept their ever-shrinking playoff hopes alive.

“From now on, every win is important,” said Cyclones skipper Edgar Alfonzo. “We’re playing good baseball lately and today was crucial.”

With Mejia keeping the Tigers scoreless through the first three innings, Brooklyn grabbed a four-run lead after RBI singles by Eric Campbell, Jordan Abruzzo, Juan Legares and Ike Davis. Recent addition Wilmer Flores also got in the action, adding an RBI single of his own that capped a five-run Brooklyn third.

Pitching with a rare multi-run lead behind him, Mejia responded with another scoreless frame in the fourth and got even more support after Abruzzo singled in another run to put Brooklyn up 6-0.

Walking three and scattering five hits over five innings pitched, Mejia wasn’t at his best, but he pitched well enough to win his first game since Jul. 25.

“I had confidence and I was comfortable,” said Mejia through a translator. “I didn’t think I was that good, but I had the support I needed. I was lucky tonight. I’m happy I got the win though.”

Reliever Wendy Rosa replaced Mejia in the sixth and kept the shutout bid alive, pitching 3 2/3 shutout innings, giving up only two hits and striking out seven. Erik Turgeon then came into the game with two outs in the ninth and got the last out, cementing a convincing 6-0 Brooklyn win.

Still trailing both the Staten Island Yankees and Batavia Muckdogs for first place in the McNamara Division and the Wild Card after the win, Brooklyn isn’t ready to throw the towel in just yet.

“It’s not over,” said Alfonzo. “We have to win and see what happens. All we can do is go out there and do the best we can. I really like the way we’re playing right now.”

Notes-

Flores went three for four with an RBI in his Brooklyn debut and showed a more than adequate arm at shortstop. However, Alfonzo also stated that Flores was only filling in at shortstop for Juan Legares, who was the designated hitter on Thursday due to soreness in his throwing arm. Nevertheless, he did admit to liking what he saw from the 17-year-old Mets prospect.

“He’s still a kid, but he’s good,” said Alfonzo. “He’s not flashy and he’s still young, but he’s going to be okay here. He can catch all the routine balls and he can hit a little. Having him here gives us some flexibility.”

Update- 7:00 P.M.

Video- Wilmer Flores in BP this afternoon.

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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.

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Photos by Ron Hatcher. Video by Patrick Hickey Jr.

“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.

On Sunday, he proved good things come to those who wait.

Going two for four with two RBI, Havens played a pivotal role in a crucial 6-5 Brooklyn extra-inning win and answered any questions about his ability on the field.

“He looked really good today,” said Cyclones manager Edgar Alfonzo. “He was ready to play and so was the team. I had faith in them.”

Jordan Abruzzo got the Cyclones on the board in the first with an RBI double that was followed by a two-run triple by Havens and an Eric Campbell sacrifice fly that gave Brooklyn an early 4-0 lead.

Continuing to add to their lead in the second, the Baby Bums got another run on a stand-up triple by Kirk Nieuwenhuis that scored John Servidio and stretched the lead to 5-0.

Cyclones 18-year-old starter Jenrry Mejia [2-1, 4.03 ERA] wasn’t on his game however and gave up three runs in five innings of work, but nevertheless left in the sixth with Brooklyn still ahead 5-3.

“He was working very slow today in between pitches,” said Alfonzo. “He wasn’t hitting his spots with his fastball or breaking ball either.”

Lefty side-armer Roy Merritt then made his 16th appearance of the season and kept the Muckdogs scoreless through the sixth, but left the game in the seventh in one out and runners on first and second.

Yury Santana, who made his first appearance after straining a muscle in his throwing arm on the road, wasn’t able to clean up Merritt’s mess though and allowed a pair of RBI singles from Colt Sedbrook and Shane Peterson that tied the game at 5-5.

After a scoreless eighth, Stephen Clyne pitched the ninth for Brooklyn and kept the score 5-5. Havens led off the bottom of the inning and was sent down swinging, while Eric Campbell and Ike Davis were also retired, sending the game into extra-innings.

With Clyne coasting, Alfonzo was confident of Brooklyn’s chances.

“When Clyne came in and pitched the way he did, it made me feel confident,” said Alfonzo. “I knew we were going to win.”

Clyne continued to silence Batavia’s bats in the tenth and that’ when the Clones were able to put something together offensively for the first time since the second inning.

After a Sean Ratliff lead off single and a sacrifice bunt by Servidio, Nieuwenhuis singled for his second hit of the game to score Ratliff, giving the Baby Bums a hard-earned 6-5 win.

“Any time you can lead off an inning like that, you feel like it can end it with a swing of the bat,” said Ratliff. “I was happy I got on base and when Servidio moved me over, I knew we were in good shape. Kirk [Nieuwenhuis] took care of the rest.”

Winning the second game of the three-game series, Brooklyn currently finds themselves three and a half games behind the Yankees, who had today’s game canceled due to inclement weather.

Winners of four of their last five games, they know they’ll have to keep up the pace in order to stay in the playoff hunt.

“There’s plenty of baseball left and we’ve been playing well,” said Ratliff. “We just have to keep it going.”

Notes-

Josh Satin is still recovering from a bone bruise on his right knee and is expected to be out for another week.

Alfonzo was asked for an update on Clones third baseman Zach Lutz and said that he hadn’t heard anything from Florida where the 2007 fifth round pick is rehabbing.

Alfonzo also said he was a little worried about Havens when he legged out a triple in the first, but believed he got more comfortable with him as the game went on.

“I wasn’t used to seeing him at shortstop either,” he said with a laugh. “I’m happy he’s on the field with us now.”

Photos by Patrick Hickey Jr., Jim Dolan and Ron Hatcher.