‘Dog’ days: Brooklyn Cyclones try to hold off Batavia in NY-Penn wild-card race
With the McNamara Division title likely out of their reach, the Brooklyn Cyclones will have to play their best baseball of the season down the stretch to hold off the surging Batavia Muckdogs in the race for the New York-Penn League’s coveted wild-card spot.
After losing three of their previous four games, including two of three to arch rival Staten Island over the weekend, the Baby Bums (40-27) were desperate for a win Monday night in Aberdeen.
As he has done virtually all summer long, Rainy Lara came up big when the Cyclones needed him most, pitching Brooklyn to a 2-1 victory over the league-worst IronDogs before 6,275 fans at Ripken Stadium.