Brooklyn 3, Staten Island 2

Staten Island 5, Brooklyn 2

Akeel Morris was lights out in his first start of the season leading the Cyclones to a 3-2 victory over Staten Island in the first game of a doubleheader Monday.Morris tossed 5.0 innings, allowed no runs, five hits and struck out five Baby Bombers. Morris adds to his already impressive numbers this season and lowers his ERA to 0.47. Through 38.1 IP Morris has struck out 52 opponents and allowed just two runs.

Brooklyn scored first thanks to a throwing error by Staten Island second baseman Derek Toadvine on an attempted double play. After Eddie Rohan started the bottom of the third inning with a double down the right field line, Patrick Biondi followed with a walk putting runners at first and second for Gavin Cecchini. Cecchini was looking to extend his hitting streak to 17 games, which would tie the franchise record set by Lucas Duda. Cecchini did not get a hit but rather grounded into a fielder’s choice. Biondi slid hard into second base causing Toadvine’s throw to go wide of first, which allowedRohan to score all the way from second giving the Cyclones a 1-0 lead.

The Cyclones added another run for Morris in the bottom of the fourth inning to build their lead. Both Alex Sanchez and Jonathan Clark reached base on walks putting a runner in scoring position for Rohan. Rohan was hit by the pitch loading the bases forBiondi. Biondi then laid down a perfect bunt between the mound and first base, giving the Yankees no chance of getting the speedster Biondi out at first. Sanchez scored on the play to put Brooklyn ahead 2-0.

Crisitan Chivilli relieved Morris to pitch the next 1.2 IP before being replaced byDavid Wynn. After Chivilli allowed a run to cut Brooklyn’s lead in half, the Cyclones made up for it in the bottom of the sixth to go back up by two. Juan Gamboa reached first on a fielder’s choice on an attempted suicide squeeze, but Sanchez was thrown out at the plate. With Rohan at the plate, Yankees pitcher Andrew Benek threw two wild pitches to advance Gamboa to third. On ball four, Yankees catcher Isaias Tejeda allowed a passed ball that brought home Gamboa from third, making it 3-1 Cyclones.Cecchini did not get another opportunity at the plate, ending his hit streak at 16. The Yankees nearly tied it up on a bases loaded single but Jared King threw out the tying run at the plate to end the game.

Game Two

Brooklyn jumped out to an early lead, but the Baby Bombers came back to defeat the Cyclones 3-2. Yankees pitching struck out 10 of the final 13 batters they faced on the evening, and 11 overall during the game.

In the bottom of the second, Jared King drew a leadoff walk, before moving to second on a single up the middle by James Roche. Staten Island starter, Cale Coshow then retired both Matt Oberste and Jonathan Clark for the first two outs of the inning, bringing Tomas Nido up to the plate. Nido ripped a line drive to left field that Brandon Thomas dove for, but couldn’t come up with allowing both runs to score and give the Cyclones the early lead.

Brooklyn didn’t have the lead for long though, because in the top of the third Staten Island struck for three runs off of Kevin McGowan. Trent Garrison and Hector Crespo both singled to start the inning off bringing up Abaital Avelino who attempted a sac bunt, but McGowan quickly got off the mound and threw to third to nail Garrison for out number one. It seemed that Brooklyn would get out of the inning unscathed afterMcGowan struck out Mike O’Neill for out number two, but Yeicok Calderon singled to right scoring Avelino from second. Mike Ford then came up and hit a booming double that one-hopped off the center field wall scoring both Avelino and Calderon making it a 3-2 score in favor of the Baby Bombers.

The Baby Bombers added a couple insurance runs in the top of the seventh inning to make it a 5-2 score. Garrison led off with a single before Crespo attempted a sac bunt but Ricky Knapp fielded the ball and threw to second to get Garrison for out number one. Knapp then walked Avelino and O’Neill to load the bases for Yeicok Calderon, who was already 2-for-3 with 2 RBI on the night. Manager Rich Donnelly then elected to bring in Johnny Magliozzi to face Calderon, but Magliozzi walked him to score Crespo from third and make it 4-2. Ford then hit a sacrifice fly to center scoring Avelino and making it a 5-2 score.

Key Stats

Alex Sanchez: 2-for-2, 1 3B, 1 R

Akeel Morris: 5.0 IP, 5 H, 3 BB, 0 ER, 5 K

Cristian Chivilli: 1.2 IP, 3 H, 4 BB, 2 ER

Kevin McGowan: 3.0 IP, 3 H, 2 BB, 3 ER, 4 K

Ricky Knapp: 3.1 IP, 3 H, 2 BB, 2 ER, 2 K

Tomas Nido: 1-for-3, 1 2B, 2 RBI

(BrooklynCyclones.com Team Report)