While it wasn’t pretty at times, the Brooklyn Cyclones overcame their mishaps to split the series with Staten Island.
BROOKLYN — Edgardo Alfonzo doesn’t care if it’s pretty or not. To him, a win is a win.
Following Sunday’s victory over the Staten Island Yankees, in which the Cyclones coughed up a four-run lead and committed three errors, “Fonzie” was adamant that what matters to him is that his team comes out on top.
“I don’t think any win is an ugly win,” Alfonzo said. “It doesn’t matter how you win, you just need to win games.
That may be true, but it’s in learning from their own mishaps that the Cyclones will dig themselves out of this miserable hole. After all, there’s a reason Brooklyn (6-14) finds itself 9.5 games back of the first place Yankees. It’s because of the little things.
Well, the little things are becoming not so little. Like the team’s 36 errors, which places them at the cellar of the New York-Penn League. Or the team’s 5.64 ERA (entering Sunday’s action), which is the highest mark in franchise history.
These are important things that will need to be addressed in the weeks to come. But the ‘Clones actually pulled out the win on Sunday, so it’s crucial not to turn a blind eye to the things they’re doing right.
With another stolen base from Jose M. Medina, the Cyclones actually lead the NYPL in swiped bags. For an offense that has had its share of growing pains this season, it’s been important to move guys into scoring position and try to knock runs home in other ways.
One of the ways they’ve done this is via the bottom of the lineup. With the game knotted at zero in the bottom of the third inning, DH Carl Stajduhar, C Scott Manea and SS Franklin Correa all posted singles to start off the frame. All ended up scoring, and Brooklyn notched four runs in the inning.
Despite Michael Gibbons lasting only 3.1 innings in his post-Tommy John rehab start, Darwin Ramos kept the ‘Clones in the game and allowed Alex Cobb and Keaton Aldridge to shut the door.
OF SIGNIFICANCE
David Peterson, the Mets’ first round pick in the 2017 MLB Draft, has been assigned to Brooklyn, where he’ll spend the first chunk of his professional career. Named a first-team All-American by Collegiate Baseball, Peterson went 11-4 with a 2.51 ERA and a school-record 140 strikeouts last season. He joins Quinn Brodey (3rd round, Stanford) and Matt Winaker (5th round, Stanford) as 2017 draft picks to be playing for the Cyclones.
The ‘Clones entered Sunday’s contest with a league-worst 6.38 ERA. That’s 48 earned runs in just 67.2 innings of work. Joe Napolitano, a right hander from Concord, Massachusetts, has allowed twelve runs (eleven earned) over 8 innings of work. Meanwhile, Gregorix Estevez, a right hander from the Dominican Republic, has surrendered nine runs (eight earned) over 10.2 innings.
UP NEXT
Cyclones: RHP Nicolas Debora (0-0, 1.93 ERA) makes his fourth start of the season against Mahoning Valley in the series opener on Tuesday. He allowed three hits and walked three in 3.2 innings at Tri-City his last time out.
Scrappers: RHP Zach Plesac (0-0, 0.90 ERA) makes his fourth start of the season against Brooklyn in the series opener on Monday. He allowed two hits and walked none in 4.0 innings against the Lake Monsters his last time out.