See this story at BrooklynPaper.com.<\/p>\n
By David Russell<\/p>\n
for Brooklyn Paper<\/p>\n<\/p>\n
Auburn 5 Cyclones 0 <\/p>\n
August 30 at MCU Park<\/p>\n
It was Black Tuesday in Brooklyn as this year’s Cyclones squad was eliminated from playoff contention after falling 5–0 to Auburn at MCU Park. <\/p>\n
The New York-Penn League had Brooklyn listed as eliminated in the standings earlier this week. <\/p>\n
“The only highlight of the whole night was Dunn in the first three innings,” Cyclones manager Tom Gamboa said.<\/p>\n
Justin Dunn pitched three shutout innings, but Auburn got to Erik Manoah in the fifth.<\/p>\n
Erik VanMeetren led off with a walk and Daniel Johnson Jr. singled. A sacrifice bunt moved the runners to second and third and Manoah gave up the first run of the night, tossing a wild pitch that allowed VanMeetren to score. Nick Banks singled to right to drive in Johnson Jr. with Auburn’s second run.<\/p>\n
Auburn starter Yonathan Ramirez allowed just three singles and a walk in five shutout innings.<\/p>\n
The Doubledays padded the lead in the sixth when Paul Panaccione led off with a single and moved to third on Andres Martinez’s single. With runners on the corners and one out, Luis Vilorio bunted back to Manoah on a squeeze play. The pitcher mishandled the ball and Panaccione scored on the error.<\/p>\n
Manoah allowed three runs – two earned – on seven hits in four innings of relief.<\/p>\n
“Manoah did not retire the leadoff hitter in any of the four innings that he pitched, and that’s what set up the damage,” Gamboa said.<\/p>\n
Auburn scored without recording a hit in the eighth, taking advantage of Dillon Becker’s on-mound miscues. Two walks, a wild pitch and a hit batter loaded the bases for Dalton Dulin who worked another walk to push across a run.<\/p>\n
The Doubledays added one more in the ninth as Panaccione tripled off Alejandro Castro and scored on a force out. <\/p>\n
Russell Harmening, Phil Morse and Kyle Simonds combined to shut out Brooklyn over the final four innings. The Cyclones didn’t connect on an extra-base hit, racking up seven singles.<\/p>\n
The 34–36 Cyclones look to avoid a sweep against Auburn at 7 pm on Wednesday at MCU Park.<\/p>\n
UPS AND DOWNS <\/p>\n
Auburn’s first baseman is Ryan Ripken, son of baseball legend Cal Ripken Jr. Ryan was a 15th round pick of the Nationals in 2014.<\/p>\n
“Very long swing,” Gamboa said about Ripken, a .208 hitter. “He’s got a lot of work to do to make the swing shorter. He made some nice plays at first base. A nice sized kid who played well at first base but his swing is way, way too long.”<\/p>\n
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