The Cyclones and Blue Jays met today at Satellite Field for the first of their two-games-in-two-weeks series. Both teams entered with season-long patterns: the Blue Jays win every other game, the Cyclones look for their first win every game. Both patterns continued as the Blue Jays won 7-2.
The game began with a bang...literally, as runner Vince Koster and first baseman Pat Alston collided on the game's first play. Although both needed a moment to recover, both gutted out the rest of the game with Koster pitching the first half of the game for the Cyclones and Alston putting up a 2 for 3 batting line with a R, an RBI, and a SB.
The Blue Jays offense was led by John Weber (3 for 3, 3 RBI), Tom Ayers (2 doubles, R, RBI), and Alston. Curt Tucker earned the win in his first 45 Division start on the mound.
The Cyclones played well, outhitting the Blue Jays, but stranding about a dozen runners. Bill Farrell finished on the hill in relief of Koster. Ken Zimmer made the defensive play of the game with a circus catch on a would-be bloop behind first base to end an inning and spoil a Blue Jays scoring chance. I still don't know how he caught it!
The teams meet again next week, 10:00am, at Schenectady Central Park's "C" Diamond. One team will break their pattern!
