New York, New York

Sunday, July 3, 2011

A chance for us to get out of town for a day brought us to New York to meet/visit some friends. We left Sunday morning, parking in Harrison and taking the trains to Times Square. There, we met Kim and Chuck Oehrlin, along with their children Richard and Beth, for lunch at the Bubba Gump Shrimp Company. A repeat visit for us there, but the first time our friends from Alabama had been to one (ironic, eh?).

After lunch, they were off to see the Lion King, we hopped back onto the subway, taking the 6 line to it's last stop, and then one more. We rode the 6 train through the old city hall station, a little known fact of something you can do in New York. The train doesn't actually stop there, but does go slow enough in turning around from the downtown path to uptown path so you can see some of the architecture of this old, now unused, subway station.

We then did something else we had wanted to do for quite a while - walk the Brooklyn Bridge. Starting on the Manhattan side, we walked over to Brooklyn. Great views from this historic structure of Manhattan, the Statue of Liberty, and Brooklyn.

Walking a few blocks in Brooklyn, we jumped on the "F" train and took it a few stops. Our next destination was Four & Twenty Blackbirds on 3rd Avenue. There, we had some dessert, which for Michael and Jill was salted caramel apple, and I had the strawberry balsamic. Both were very good and yummy choices!

Back on the subway (again), and this time we were off to Coney Island. The Nathan's Annual Hot Dog Eating Contest was the next day, on this day we were headed to the Brooklyn Cyclones game. This would be our third visit to this ballpark by the beach, and it always proves to be one of our favorites. May have a little to do with the owner of the Cyclones (none other than the New York Mets), but the view of Coney Island, and the beach, helps make this a great experience.

We stayed until the seventh inning before heading back to the subway. We walked a bit up the boardwalk, and stopped at a candy store along Surf for some traveling snacks, before taking the "F" back to Jay Street, picking up the "C" there back to Chambers Street, then walking over and taking the PATH back to Harrison. Stopped at the WaWa at the outset, then made the rest of the drive home.

July 3rd -- Brooklyn, New York -- For the second night in a row, Staten Island rallied late as Brooklyn fell to the Yankees (14-2) 3-2 after the start of the game was delayed by 23 minutes due to rain. Staten Island extended their winning streak to a franchise-best 13 games.

The Cyclones put two on the board in the bottom of the first inning. Hot-hitting Ismael Tijerina, who entered the day batting .351, began the frame with a double on a line drive to right field before Luke Stewart deposited a 1-1 offering well into the rightfield bleachers for a two-run lead off of Baby Bombers’ starter Bryan Mitchell.

The Yankees narrowed the deficit to a run in the top of the third inning which was the first time starter Carlos Vazquez had given up a run before the fifth inning in his four starts. Bobby Rinard doubled with one-out to left field before Mason Williams doubled in a run on a line drive just in front of Charley Thurber.

With a runner on second and one out in the top of the fifth inning, Cito Culver chased Vazquez with a line drive double to left, scoring Williams who had doubled to start the rally. Vazquez finished with five strikeouts and a walk on seven hits before being replaced by Steven Winnick with one out in the fourth.

Second round pick Cory Mazzoni made his Cyclones’ debut by throwing an inning of scoreless relief in the top of the seventh walking one and striking out two. Staten Island scored the deciding run in the top of the ninth inning when Rinard began the frame by reaching base on a fielding error by Cyclones short stop Ish Tijerina. Mason Williams placed a bunt down the third baseline that Richard Lucas fielded cleanly but on the play Rinard was able to make it all the way to third as the Cyclones left the base unattended. Cito Culver brought home the go-ahead run on bloop fly ball that landed just out of the reach of a pair of Cyclones.

In the ninth, Brandon Pinder retired the Cyclones in order for his league-leading fifth save of the season.

The series resumes on the road tomorrow at 7:00 PM as Jeff Walters (0-1, 2.70 ERA) battles William Oliver (1-0, 3.29 ERA) before Brooklyn returns home for a three game series with the Vermont Lake Monsters beginning Wednesday at 7:00 PM. Reggy the Purple Party Dude will make an appearance and fans can run the bases at the conclusion of the game. Tickets are still available by calling 718-507-TIXX, at the MCU Park box office, or at BrooklynCyclones.com.

Total Mileage: 327 Miles

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