Cyclones fall to Aberdeen in semi-finals

After beating the Iron Birds in the first game of the South Atlantic League’s North Division semi-final, the Brooklyn Cyclones headed to Maryland to wrap up the division in Game 2 at Aberdeen.

After a strong 8-1 win at home, the Cyclones put their top second-half pitcher, Dominic Hamel, on the mound to close out the series. But the Iron Birds set the tone early, taking a 2-0 first-inning lead on a long home run by Aberdeen’s MVP, T.T. Bowens. William Lugo scored Brooklyn’s only run for the Cyclones on a solo home run, and the Iron Birds won 6-1 to force a Game 3 back at Ripken Stadium.

In Game 3 the following night, the Iron Birds jumped out to a 3-1 lead to begin the fifth inning. Bowens struck again with an RBI single to end the inning 5-1. In the sixth, Brooklyn battled back on a two-run homer by Stanley Consuegra to cut Aberdeen’s lead to 5-3. Jose Peroza’s eighth-inning homer off the center field batter’s eye narrowed it to 5-4.

However, in the ninth inning, the Iron Birds called upon their top relief pitcher, Xavier Moore, to hold their one-run lead. Moore gave up an off-the-wall double to William Lugo, but then settled down to strike out Shervyen Newton and Matt O’Neil. With Lugo ready to score from second to tie the game, Cyclones leadoff hitter Matt Rudick bounced to second for the last out and Brooklyn’s magic carpet ride season was over.