By Jerry Del Priore
The Brooklyn Cyclones get to play another day, as they edged the Hudson Valley Renegades (Tampa), 1-0, Thursday night at MCU Park, evening up the best-of-three New York-Penn League (NYPL) semifinals series, 1-1.
The two teams will play a deciding game three Friday night at 6:30 p.m. at MCU Park.
Jed Lowrie, on a rehab assignment from the New York Mets, led off the bottom of the fourth inning, launching a solo home run against Hudson Valley starter Evan McKendry. It was all the offense the Cyclones would need.
Lowrie also played all nine innings on defense at second base.
A combined quartet of pitchers hurled nine innings of scoreless ball. Nathan Jones struck out three over three hitless innings to start for Brooklyn, while Matthew Allan and Corey Gaconi, who fanned five batters, blanked the opposition from the fourth inning to the eighth inning.
With a runner at first base in the ninth, closer Nelson Leon induced a game-ending double play to secure the victory for the Cyclones.
Probable starters for game three: RHP Matt Cleveland (3-3, 3.78 ERA) vs. LHP John Doxakis (0-0, 1.93 ERA).
NY NJ Sports World/Brooklyn Sports World 