Brooklyn Boro

Slumping Cyclones suffer odd defeat to Yankees in Staten Island

Valdez Balk Big Downer for Brooklyn

July 16, 2015 By John Torenli, Sports Editor Brooklyn Daily Eagle
Brooklyn reliever Carlos Valdez balked home the winning run Wednesday night in Staten Island as the Cyclones dropped a 3-2, 10-inning decision in bizarre fashion to the rival Yankees. Photo courtesy of Brooklyn Cyclones
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The Cyclones’ red-hot start and first-place standing in the McNamara Division may be a distant memory as soon as this weekend if things keep going like this.

Brooklyn suffered its season-high third consecutive defeat and fourth in five games Wednesday night on Staten Island as the Baby Bums dropped a disheartening 3-2, 10-inning decision to the rival Yankees in front of 3,093 fans at Richmond County Bank Ballpark.

Entering the bottom of the 10th deadlocked at 2-2, Brooklyn manager Tom Gamboa put the ball in the capable hands of reliever Carlos Valdez to get the Cyclones to the 11th with a chance to claim a victory in their first game following the annual All-Star break.

Perez, who had not allowed a single earned run over his first eight appearances out of the Brooklyn bullpen, got Jeff Hendrix to ground out to start what proved to be the decisive frame in the fourth installment of this year’s Verrazano rivalry.

But Kyle Holder and Jhalan Jackson singled around a force out by Thairo Estrada, putting runners at the corners with two out and Jake Hernandez at the plate for the surging Baby Bombers.

Perez balked home Estrada from third while trying to issue an intentional walk as the pitching faux pas ended both his personal scoreless streak and the Cyclones’ bid for a 3-1 season series lead over the Yankees this summer.

With the win, Staten Island (14-10) crawled within a single game of first-place Brooklyn (15-9) as the teams prepared to finish off their three-game series with Thursday night’s game on Coney Island and Friday’s return trip to S.I.

Brooklyn, which has committed 11 errors during its recent slide, opened the month with seven victories in eight contests, including a season-high five-game winning streak from July 4-9.

But things have deteriorated since.

A throwing error by Cyclones third baseman David Thompson allowed the Yanks to take the early lead in the bottom of the first, but Brooklyn starter Andrew Church shook off the misplay by tossing five innings of four-hit ball.

The Bums put Church in position to get the win when Thompson’s booming double fueled a two-run rally in the sixth.

However, Church’s replacement, Blake Taylor, surrendered an RBI double to Jackson in the bottom of the inning that tied the game, producing a rare blown save for the Bums’ pen men.

Taylor delivered four solid innings of relief before Valdez fired two intentional balls with Hernandez at the plate, and allegedly broke his motion before delivering the third, forcing home plate umpire Fred DeJesus to call the decisive balk.

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In other local pro sports news, the Brooklyn Nets revealed Wednesday that forward Thomas Robinson underwent successful arthroscopic surgery to remove torn cartilage from his right knee at the Hospital for Special Surgery in Manhattan.

The surgery was performed by Nets Medical Director Dr. Riley Williams III.

Robinson, who was injured on Tuesday while working out in New York City, according to a team-issued statement, will begin rehab immediately and will be ready for on-court activities before the start of training camp.

Signed as a free agent by the Nets just over a week ago, Robinson owns career averages of 5.1 points and 4.8 rebounds in 14.1 minutes per game in 194 games with Sacramento, Houston, Portland and Philadelphia.

In 54 games (four starts) split between Portland and Philadelphia during the 2014-15 season, he averaged 5.7 points and 5.6 rebounds in 14.8 minutes per game.

On Tuesday, the Nets picked up forward Quincy Miller from the Detroit Pistons in exchange for veteran point guard Steve Blake, whom Brooklyn originally acquired from Portland in the Draft Night deal for first-round pick Rondae Hollis-Jefferson.

The 6-foot-9 Miller has appeared in 69 games, including 16 starts, over three seasons with Denver, Sacramento and Detroit, posting career averages of 4.3 points and 2.4 rebounds in 13.5 minutes per game.

He has also spent time with the Iowa Energy and Grand Rapids Drive of the NBA Development League.

The 22-year-old was originally selected with the 38th pick of the 2012 NBA Draft by Denver.

The Nets continued the Las Vegas portion of their Summer League slate Wednesday with a 75-68 victory over Philadelphia at the Thomas & Mack Center.

Second-year guard Markel Brown poured in 23 points, including 10 in the fourth quarter, as the Nets advanced to the second round of the tournament.

Nets center Willie Reed, another of general manager Billy King’s recent additions to the roster, added 11 points and nine rebounds for Brooklyn.

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