Baby Bombers Fall to ‘Clones on Opening Day

Baby Bombers Fall to 'Clones on Opening Day  | read this item

In front of a sold out crowd of 7,171 fans at the Richmond County Bank Ballpark the Staten Island Yankees dropped the 2010 opening day contest to the rival Brooklyn Cyclones.

Casey Stevenson rounding second base Photo Credit: Robert M Pimpsner

The Baby Bombers were the first to get on the board in the bottom of the first inning.  Casey Stevenson led off the game getting hit by the pitch and went to third when Francisco Arcia lined a single to leftfield.  Shane Brown was up next and grounded the ball to the third baseman who threw to the plate to get Stevenson.  A bases clearing double by the big slugging first baseman Kyle Role put Staten Island ahead 2-0.  After a strike out by Kelvin DeLeon designated hitter Michael Ferraro brought home Roller on a line drive single to center.

In the top of the third the Brooklyn Cyclones go on the board, plating two runs off of Staten Yankees starter Shane Greene.  Cody Holliday walked to start it off but was quickly erased on a force out hit into by Darrell Ceciliani.  Cory Vaughn was next up and he was hit by the pitch before JB Brown singled to load the bases.  After Jeff Flagg struck out William Cherry lined a two-run single to left field.

Shane Green started the game for the Staten Island Yankees - Photo Credit: Robert M Pimpsner

Shane Greene went four and two third innings for the Baby Bombers allowing 2 runs on 4 hits and 3 walks.  He struck out 3 giving him a 3.86 ERA after his first game of the 2010 season.  Next on the mound for Staten Island was Preston Claiborne who made his professional debut pitching against only 1 batter.

Zachary Varce was next on the mound, coming into the game to start the sixth inning.  Varce was hit hard in his professional debut allowing 3 runs on 4 hits.  Juan Centeno started it off with a one-out single to left before going to third on a double by Rylan Sandoval.  After Cody Holliday struck out Darrell Ceciliani lined a RBI single to left.  Sandoval then scored the fifth run when Cory Vaughn singled.

Richard Martinez took over on the mound in the top of the seven, setting the Cyclones in order in his first outing of the season.  He went on to pitch 3 shutout innings allowing only a hit and getting a strike out.

The Yankees attempted a comeback in the ninth when Eduardo Sosa started it off with a base hit to center and then went to second on a wild pitch.  Casey Stevenson then struck bout but a passed ball allowed Sosa to move over to third for Carlos Urena who came to the plate as a pinch hitter.  Urena struck out on four pitches for Shane Brown who worked a full count before a walk.  The slugging first-baseman Kyle Roller was next at the plate.  Roller was walked on four consecutive pitches, Kelvin De Leon came up next and after the pitching change he promptly grounded out to the third baseman on the first pitch.

These two teams will meet up again tomorrow night at the newly renamed MCU Park over in Brooklyn.

SI Yankees President Joe Ricciutti (left) and General Manager Jane Roger (middle)s accept the the NY-Penn League Championship Trophy from League President Ben Hayes (right) - Photo Credit: Robert M Pimpsner

Notes: Former Borough President Jim Molinari and current Borough President James Molinaro were on hand to throw out the ceremonial first pitch and preside over the raising of the 2009 NY-Penn League Championship Banner.  NY-Penn League President Ben Hayes was also on hand to present Staten Island Yankees Team President Joe Ricciutti and General Manger Jane Rogers with the NY-Penn League Championship Trophy.  The Staten Island Yankees grounds crew mowed a SI and 5X into the outfield grass to signify the 5 NY-Penn League Championships the team has won.

Because of long lines at the concession stands the Staten Island Yankees made a great gesture to their fans to honor exchanges for another game during the 2010 season.  This season the Baby Bombers changed how their high successful Pinstripe Plan operated making the All-You-Can-Eat plan available at all concession stands in the ballpark.

Left-handed pitcher Gavin Brooks is listed on the Staten Island Yankees Roster on the 60-Day Disabled List.  The left-hander hurt his shoulder during spring training and had arthroscopic surgery on his  labrum earlier in the morning.

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