After a rough day on the mound by the Cyclone pitchers in the game versus Staten Island on June 16, an outstanding pitching performance by Corey Oswald helped lift the team to a 5-1 victory over the Hudson Valley Renegades on Tuesday.
Corey Oswalt. Photo by: Stacy Podelski/1495 Sports
Oswald was dominant , going six shutout innings and struck out eight while also giving up three hits.
Cyclones Manager Tom Gamboa knew his pitcher could throw strikes but was surprised by the effectiveness of his pitches.
“Oswalt is an all-the-time strike-thrower,” Gamboa said. “He’s got as good or better command of all of his pitches than anybody here at this point. But stuff-wise, I never saw him pitch like that in Florida. He really pitched well and set a great tone.”
Oswald just stuck to the game plan during his first start of the season.
““I felt really good,” Oswalt, who was picked by the Mets in the seventh round of the 2012 draft, said. “I was just really mentally prepared for my start. I just trusted the game plan that I had going into it and trusted what my catcher was putting down.”
Brooklyn wasted no time getting on the board in the top of the first, with one out and two men on base Michael Katz drilled a RBI triple to right center to score Tucker Tharp and Amed Rosario. The Cyclones made it 3-0 on a ground out by catcher Thomas Nido, which scored Katz.
Gamboa said Nido getting the run in helped the team early and gave Oswalt a lead to work with on the mound.
“For Nido to get the ground ball when their infield was back, and add the third run, that’s the first time we put a three spot in an inning. That gave a little comfort,” Gamboa said.
The Cyclones increased their lead to 4-0 in the bottom of the fourth, on a solo home run from left fielder Joe Tuschak, who was surprised his ball made it over the fence.
“I honestly didn’t think it was gone,” Tuschak said. “I thought it just hit off the wall and took off to the left, so I was trying to a get a triple. Then they said it was out, and I was very surprised and very happy.”
Tuschak made it 5-0 Brooklyn in the eighth on a sacrifice fly.
Tuschak has been the hottest Cyclones hitter over the past two games. Going 3-for-4 in Monday Night’s game in addition to his 1-for-3 performance tonight.
“The last couple of games, I have been more aggressive. Just getting in the box and getting ready to hit the first pitch if it is right there,” the Mets 2011 sixth round pick said.
Scarlyn Reyes, who went three innings, gave up one unearned run, and struck out four, picked up his first save of the season.
The Brooklyn Cyclones and the Renegades square off tomorrow in Hudson Valley with first pitch scheduled for 6:05. Brooklyn will return home to MCU Park on June 23 when they host the Renegades, with the start time for that game being scheduled for 7:00 p.m.
1495 Sports is proud to bring this postgame video featuring Tom Gamboa, Corey Oswalt and Joe Tuschak:
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