Quickly amassing a 16-5 record this season, due to a more than healthy combination of hearty hitting and fiery pitching, the Brooklyn Cyclones were riding high atop the NY-Penn League Standings when their first taste of reality began to hit home.

With a 2-7 record over a nine game stretch in mid-July, the baby Mets weren’t nearly as dominant as they were earlier in the season.

Nevertheless, they believe the experience has been productive one and one that will help them find the continuity they need to keep their lead in the McNamara Division with a hot Staten Island Yankees team behind them.

Bouncing back over the past week, winning four out seven games, it looks like the Clones are back in the driver’s seat.

“We’re human,” said reliever Mike Lynn, who has rebounded marvelously after spending most of last season with arm problems, posting a 2.79 ERA through his first six appearances. “We got off to a great start, but everyone was still getting to know each other. It’s just a matter of how fast we can turn it around.”

Taking the series with the Yankees this past weekend, it seems they may have been doing more than spouting clichés during the week when they were grilled about their lack of production.

Getting quality pitching has always been a trademark of the team and over the past three games, the team’s pitching staff has returned to the form they had earlier in the season.

After giving up 11 earned runs through his last three starts, rotation ace Collin McHugh hurled five shutout innings to lead the team to a 1-0 win last Friday. Despite scattering nine hits the next day, Clones hurler Mark Cohoon gave up just two runs in an 11-3 win. Making just his third start of the season on Sunday, Darin Gorsk threw six innings and gave up just two runs, allowing Brooklyn to sweep the series and get back on track.

“I don’t think it’s too much adversity,” said Cyclones closer Mike Powers, who has five saves and a stellar 1.59 ERA in nine appearances this season. “Things went our way earlier in the season and we’re not getting too caught up in the highs and lows. We have a talented and experienced team and that’s what’s going to shine through in the end.”

The pitching staff hasn’t been the only thing clicking as of late. Despite not being as explosive as they were earlier in the season, Brooklyn has managed more timely hits, resulting in more wins.

Picking up the slack on offense has been the fresh-faced Tyler Vaughn, who has four hits in his first nine at bats with the team. The Clones have also gotten pick-me-ups from former major leaguers Andy Green and 2003 MLB rookie of the year Angel Berroa, who have spent time over the past two weeks with the team on conditioning assignments. While Berroa has only appeared in two games with two hits, Green has been sound, hitting .307 in seven games. Regulars Sam Honeck [.323 BA, 12 RBI] and Luis Rivera [18 RBI, .310 BA] have continued their stellar play as well, giving the team just enough offense to get over the hump.

While the team will obviously need more offense down the stretch if they want to stay in the win column, the timely hitting and excellent pitching are proving to be more than enough to get them by.

You can doubt them all you want, but according to the young team, ‘they told you so.’

“We’re like a family,” said McHugh. “This is the most fun I’ve ever had on a pro team, but it’s baseball; you’re going to win some and you’re going to lose some. We all get along though and we’re going to keep up what we were doing earlier in the season.”

Photo by Patrick Hickey Jr.

Hope you enjoy it.

After being no-hit for the first two innings by Staten Island Yankees hurler Ardonis Vizcaino, the Cyclones rallied for three runs in the third. Clones center fielder Seth Williams crossed the plate after a Vizcaino balk that tied the game. Vizcaino continued to lose control in the frame and gave up RBI hits off the bat of Matt Bouchard and Nick Giarraputo.

On the other side of the mound, Brooklyn starter and birthday boy Collin McHugh gave up two runs on five hits in innings of work.

“My fastball was working, I was getting ahead of many of the hitters,” said McHugh. “I could finish some of them off though. It was a battle. My arm felt good though.”

The Baby Mets got help from their cross-bridge rivals however, as the Yankees made two errors through the first four innings.

McHugh then lost control in the fifth, hurling a wild pitch that allowed a Staten Island run to score and make it a 3-2 game. He then beaned Luke Murton to load the bases with two outs. He was lucky enough to get Kyle Higashioka to fly out to Bouchard to end the inning though, keeping the Brooklyn lead in tact.

“He was outstanding. He did it for us over in extended and in St. Lucie,” said Cyclones skipper Pedro Lopez of his starting pitchers performance. “That’s one of the reasons why he was the number one guy for us tonight.”

John Servidio launched a lead off dinger off Vizcaino in the fifth, giving Brooklyn their two-run lead back.

Leading the team in RBI for a spell last season before a season-ending arm injury, Servidio looks to be a leader this season.

“I’m looking to have the best season of my career this year,” he said. “I’m really happy to be back. I love it here.”

Just like Servidio, Bouchard too is looking to lead. His third stint as a Cyclone, he’s hoping this one won’t be for long.

In the sixth, another holdover from last season, Mattias Carrillo, came in to pitch and responded by throwing three scoreless innings.

19-year-old catcher Juan Centeno extended the lead with an RBI triple in the sixth. He also notched an RBI single later that stretched the lead to 6-2.

“People think I can run because I’m a catcher,” said Centeno. “But it’s a big part of my game.”

Mike Powers came into the game in the ninth and got the three outs needed to end the game, earning his first save and the team’s first win in the process.

“It was everything I was looking for,” said Lopez of the win. “It was a close game and I think our boys responded. You hear a lot of things about the rivalry between these two teams and tonight was a good test for both of us. It was fun for me and it was fun for the guys. A good ballgame all the way around.”

Notes-

Mark Cohoon is scheduled to start tomorrow at Staten Island, while Angel Cuan is on the slate for Sunday in Brooklyn.

Flub of the night- Cyclones shortstop Luis Nieves misjudged a fly ball that ended up landing in for a hit. After looking like he had the ball under control, he dipped away to only have the ball drop about 15 feet behind him.

“I asked him if the ball took a bad hop up in the air. I’m going to see if I can get a rake and rake the air a bit,” said Lopez. “He hasn’t played many night games, he hasn’t played under the lights very often. We didn’t have much pop up practice because of the rain and the last time the wind was blowing in. Tonight, the wind was blowing out and he forgot. Things like that are going to happen and I’m not going to second guess him. I’m not worried about him, he’s a great shortstop with good tools. He’s going to make mistakes, he just has to learn from them.”

Attendance for the game was 9,284.

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

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.

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.

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.

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.

DemBrooklynBums.com: Most of the fans at Keyspan Park haven’t seen much of you this season. Knowing that, can you tell us a little about your game?

Seth Williams: Well, I’m a good defensive outfielder that has a big passion and love for this game. I’m not a real power hitter, more of a gap hitter with above average speed who likes to put the ball into play. I also love to win and I work real hard. In this kind of environment though, it’s not hard to get pumped up for a game. I’m loving it here. It’s really nice.

DBB: What’s so different about Brooklyn when compared to Kingsport?

Williams: When you think Minor Leagues, you think of really old stadiums with no one there. Kingsport is in the middle of nowhere and you get maybe a couple of hundred fans a night. You come here and it’s like the biggest stages and you have a lot of support. It helps a lot. In Kingsport, it’s harder to get locked in because there’s no nobody there. Here, there’s so much fan support and that makes it so much easier.

DBB: You said you pride yourself on being a good defensive outfielder. Is there someone at the Major League level that you try and emulate on the field?

Williams: That’s a tough question, but I’d have to say someone like Torii Hunter, who gives his all out there every night and isn’t scared of the fences and never gives up on the ball.

DBB: So you’re not scared of running into the wall for a ball either ?

Williams: No, but I’m happy it’s padded. That’s definitely a plus.

DBB: This outfield is kind of crowded now with guys like yourself and John Servidio playing reserve roles while Eric Campbell plays left field and Kirk Nieuwenhuis and Sean Ratliff sharing right field and center field duties. Where do you see yourself fitting in?

Williams: I was up here earlier in the season and I really liked it; I thought I fit in well here. I know I have to hit more though and I know I can. I’m just really enjoying the experience. I’m really happy to be here and looking to get a few more rips at the plate.

Photos by Patrick Hickey Jr. and Ron Hatcher

By the way guys, I sincerely apologize for posting two Q & A’s in a row, but just like the Mets Single-A Affiliate I write about everyday, I needed a break too!

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.

Giving up 15 runs on 17 hits, the Cyclones were put to bed early and tucked in without a bedtime story in an abysmal 15-2 loss to the Staten Island Yankees.

“They hit the ball all over the place,” said Brooklyn first baseman Ike Davis. “You can’t really do anything when a team is hot like that.”

Tim Stronach made his first start since July 10 and lasted only one out into the first, surrendering four runs on RBI hits by Brian Baisley, Addison Maruszak and Daniel Brewer before being replaced by Jeff Kaplan.

However, despite the new hurler, Brooklyn continued to have problems as Kaplan gave up a triple to the first hitter he faced, Michael Lyon, that scored another Staten Island run, giving the Baby Bombers a 5-0 lead before the Cyclones came to the plate.

“There’s nothing you can do about it when the team your facing is hitting everything you’re throwing,” said Brooklyn manager Edgar Alfonzo. “Our pitchers made a lot of mistakes tonight.”

Kaplan kept the score at 5-0 until the fourth, when Baisley stroked a grand slam that put the Yankees up by nine runs. Staten Island wasn’t done pummeling Kaplan in the fourth either, as Lyon added an RBI double to his resume, giving Staten Island a 10-0 lead.

Erik Turgeon was then summoned to replace Kaplan and wasn’t his usual solid self early on either, coughing up a Taylor Grote three-run homer that stretched the lead to 13-0.

14-3 this season after scoring the first run, the Yankees offense destroyed the Baby Bums’ pitching staff and thanks to stellar starting pitching from David Phelps, the Mets Single-A affiliate was held to just two hits through the game’s first five innings.

Turgeon kept the Yankees scoreless through the fifth and sixth, striking out four Yankees out in a row at one point, but the offense was unable to put anything together. Nick Asselin replaced Phelps in the sixth and like his Brooklyn counterpart, was solid, throwing a scoreless frame. His successor, Tim Dennehy, also kept the Cyclones bats quiet, but allowed a bases loaded walk to Brooklyn shortstop Matt Smith that finally got them on board.

“They did a great job of throwing first pitch strikes today,” said Smith. “They got ahead of us early and made us pay.”

Wendy Rosa replaced Turgeon in the eighth and gave up a pair of RBI singles from Ray Kruml and Jahdiel Santamaria in the ninth, which gave the Yankees a 13-run lead. Brooklyn’s offense did show a small flicker of light in the eighth however, after a Jose Jimenez solo bomb off Jacinto Gonell, but was silenced in order by Andrew Shive in the ninth, wrapping up an ugly 15-2 loss.

Losing their second in a row after winning three straight, the Cyclones have been unable to find the consistency needed to reassert themselves in the playoff hunt. Now six games back of Staten Island, Brooklyn knows they have to come back strong in the final game of the series.

“If we win tomorrow, it’s not that bad,” said Alfonzo. “I told the guys that they need to forget about this game and go in strong tomorrow.”

Notes-

The most runs the Cyclones have have ever given up in a game was 21 on August 21, 2006, against the very same Staten Island Yankees.

Check out the recap from that game here.

Turgeon had eight K’s in only 3.1 innings pitched.

“He was really good out there,” said Alfonzo. “He over matched those guys with his fastball. He threw some good sliders too.”

Davis had two of the five Cyclones hits on the night and has three hits in his past two games.

Video:

Josh Satin single

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Photos by Ron Hatcher. Video by Patrick Hickey Jr.