Vermont 3
Cyclones 1
Aug. 30 at MCU Park (Game one)
Cyclones starter Chris Viall allowed four hits and three runs, but the boys didn’t do much, posting just five hits and producing one run as the Cyclones three-game winning streak was snapped by the Lake Monsters.
The Monsters struck early with power hitting. Ryan Gridley hit a solo home run in the top of the first to put Vermont on the board. Two innings later, Javier Godard hit a lead-off single before Will Toffey homered to put the team up 3–0.
The Cyclones followed that up with some power of their own when Edgardo Fermin led off the fourth with a solo home run to make it 3–1.
The closest the Cyclones came to scoring after that came in the fifth. Cecilio Aybar singled with one out then advanced to second off a botched pick-off attempt made by Lake Monsters pitcher Jesus Luzardo. Dylan Snypes then grounded out to advance Aybar to third, but Fermin grounded out to end the inning.
Cyclones 3
Vermont 0
Aug. 30 at MCU Park (Game two)
Cyclones pitchers Jose Geraldo and Stephen Villines allowed only four hits and no runs combined, and the Clones bats did just enough, posting five hits while knocking in three runs as the team beat the Lake Monsters to win the best-of-three series.
Our boys brought the power early. Walter “Rabbi” Rasquin was hit by a pitch before Jose Maria crushed one to left field to put the Cyclones up 2–0 in the first.
The Cyclones added more to the lead two innings later. Dylan Snnypes led off the third with a triple then Rasquin hit a sacrifice fly to score Snypes to give the boys a 3–0 lead.
But the Lake Monsters made things interesting before the game ended. With one out in the sixth, Ryan Gridley singled before Logan Farrar was hit by a pitch. Manager Edgardo Alfonzo feared the worst, so he brought in Geraldo Villines, who struck out the next two batters to kill the rally.
The Cyclones are now 19–48, and can take some solace in that the team has now won four of the last five games. Hopefully our boys can end the month of August on a high note when they play another twin-bill tonight against the Lowell Spinners at MCU Park, starting at 6 pm.
