I was at KeySpan Park last night for the Cyclones season finale against the Vermont Lake Monsters. It was a simple scenario: a Cyclones victory coupled with an Aberdeen Ironbirds loss to the Lowell Spinners at Aberdeen would put the Cyclones in the NYPL playoffs as a wild card.
Vermont led 2-0 until the seventh when the Cyclones rallied for three runs. They had that lead until two outs in the ninth with two on for the Monsters. A double to right scored a run, but the runner from first was thrown out at home on an extremely close play. The game stayed tied until the 12th inning, when with runners at first and second and two outs for the Cyclones, the Vermont second baseman made a nice play on a grounder up the middle, but threw wildly past the shortstop covering second, and the runner from second scampered home with the winning run.
The Cyclones poured out on to the field and were hugging each other in a big pile at home. It was at that moment I knew Aberdeen had lost, and the Cyclones had clinched.
I have to go on a rant here at the Cyclones management. They did NOT once put an update on the scoreboard about the game in Aberdeen. Terrible job guys. I wondered all night long about that game, and couldn't find a word about it. I tried to get the game on the radio, as they are broadcast on WKRB, the Kingsborough Community College station. But that station is so weak that I couldn't even get the game sitting in a seat in the ballpark. (Last season I remember getting the Red Sox game from Boston on my Walkman when I was at KeySpan, but couldn't get the game I was watching in the stadium. The Cyclones really need to get a stronger radio station to broadcast on.)
The stadium announcer then said that the Lowell Spinners, the Red Sox affiliate in the NYPL, defeated Aberdeen, 6-1, earlier in the evening, to put the Cyclones in the playoffs as the wild card team. The playoffs begin Saturday night, and they will take on the dreaded Staten Island Yankees in a best-of-three first round series, starting at KeySpan.
Way to go, Cyclones. And thanks to the Lowell Spinners for their help in getting them in.
Makes me proud to be a Red Sox fan.
Yanks vs. Cyclones - that should be fun. Will you take in games at both venues?
ReplyDeleteProbably couldn't get the signal standing next to the transmitter, it's so bad:
ReplyDeleteAs Jere would say(Borrowed from Mad Moron Russo), "Terrible Job!"
My Bro-in-law lives just about two blocks up the hill from the stadium on S.I., by the way.
ReplyDeleteWish I could go to the playoff game on Saturday night but I have niece's christening that day. I'll be busy with the September 11 remembrance at Ground Zero and a few other things the rest of the series, so I'll have to pass.
ReplyDeleteThe Staten Island ballpark is beautiful. I've been by it but I haven't seen a game there yet. I hope your brother-in-law isn't a Yankee fan Suldog, and unfortunately I have FOUR that are! LOL
For your 4 Bro's In Law:
ReplyDeleteWill pray for their Immortal Souls(In The Words of a Mets Fan Priest of The Brooklyn Diocese).
In other Steroided Ballplayer News, "The GiamBALCO" needed another shot of Cortisone for his wrist:
ReplyDeleteThat's what he gets for his HGH & Testosterone Use, which can't be tested by urine, yet.