Tom Gamboa (Photo by Jim Mancari)
BROOKLYN, N.Y. – Of course, the old saying in baseball that pitching and defense win games more often than not holds true.
But unfortunately that was not the case Monday night at MCU Park in Coney Island for the Brooklyn Cyclones (8-3), who dropped a 1-0 contest in 10 innings to the Hudson Valley Renegades, the Single-A short season affiliate of the Tampa Bay Rays.
The Cyclones – who had won six straight games coming into this game – pitched and fielded well but failed to get a runner to second base all night. Pitching and defense may win games, but you still have to score.
“When we don’t get a guy to second base, we don’t have much of an opportunity to get a run,” said Cyclones’ manager Tom Gamboa.
But Gamboa was still pleased with the team’s overall effort.
“That was fun to be a part of and fun to watch,” he said. “I had a feeling after two innings with the wind blowing in and watching both guys pitch, I told my coaches that this looks like it’s going to be a 1-0 game that probably goes extra innings. And it did. I wish the outcome would have been different, but I admire a well-pitched game.”
Right-hander Corey Oswalt followed up his six-scoreless-inning performance from last week with seven scoreless innings, giving up only three hits and one walk while striking out six in a no-decision. He’s started his stint in Brooklyn with 13.0 scoreless innings.
“I felt good in the pen, and I had the same game plan the second time I was facing this team,” Oswalt said. “I just stuck with the same game plan and attacked the hitters.”
Oswalt’s performance continues the Cyclones’ recent string of dominant starting pitching.
Through 11 games, Brooklyn starting pitchers have allowed more than two runs only once
In 60.2 innings, the starters have allowed just nine runs for a combined 1.35 ERA.
Oswalt said it’s become a friendly competition among the starting pitchers as who can out-do the previous night’s starting pitcher.
“There’s always competition, but it’s good when everyone is competing out there and it just only makes the team better,” the San Diego native said.
But on the opposing side, righty Hunter Wood turned in six scoreless innings himself for the Renegades, striking out five and walking only one.
The game was scoreless until the top of the 10th inning. Cyclones’ reliever Scarlyn Reyes, who has been baffling hitters in his previous two innings of work – gave up a two-out swinging-bunt infield single to Renegades’ designated hitter Coty Blanchard.
Blanchard then stole second base on a throw that Cyclones’ catcher Tomas Nido double-clutched. The next batter was center fielder Clayton Henning, who doubled to left center to drive in the only run of the game.
Cyclones’ shortstop Amed Rosario finished 2-for-4 with two singles to right field for two of the Cyclones four hits in the loss.
“What I told the guys is that we’re never going to lose, but some nights we’ll run out of innings, and tonight was one of those cases,” Gamboa said.
Brooklyn is right back in action Tuesday night in Hudson Valley for a 6:05 p.m. start. Tall lefty Alberto Baldonado, who tossed 5.2 innings of one run ball in his first start last week, takes the mound.
Click here to view the complete box score from this game.
