Stafura Goes Deep Twice as Cyclones Knock Off Renegades, 5-2
- BOX SCORE
- PLAY-BY-PLAY WAPPINGERS FALLS, N.Y. (August 30, 2026) — Playing approximately 40 minutes from his hometown of Cortlandt, N.Y., SS Sammy Stafura launched the first two home runs of his Cyclones career, powering Brooklyn to a 5-2 victory over the Hudson Valley Renegades on Sunday afternoon at
WAPPINGERS FALLS, N.Y. (August 30, 2026) — Playing approximately 40 minutes from his hometown of Cortlandt, N.Y., SS Sammy Stafura launched the first two home runs of his Cyclones career, powering Brooklyn to a 5-2 victory over the Hudson Valley Renegades on Sunday afternoon at Heritage Financial Park.
With the win, Brooklyn (31-28, 56-68) remains four games behind Greensboro for the final playoff spot in the South Atlantic League North Division with six gamedays left in the regular season.
After two scoreless innings to begin the contest, Hudson Valley (34-26, 64-60) broke through in the third.
2B Enmanuel Tejeda drew a leadoff walk before advancing to second on a wild pitch and to third on a fly out to right. Following a strikeout, DH Eric Genther looped an RBI single to right, putting the Renegades in front, 1-0.
Hudson Valley added to its lead in the fourth.
CF Maika Niu worked a one-out walk and stole second following a pitching change. With two away, RF Dean Toigo poked a run-scoring single into left to extend the Renegades’ advantage to 2-0.
Brooklyn started chipping away at the deficit in the fifth.
With the bases empty and two out, Stafura hammered the second pitch he saw to the left of dead-center field for a solo home run. The 21-year-old’s first home run with the Cyclones — and 20th in the South Atlantic League this year — made it a one-run game, 2-1.
Sammy Stafura's first long ball as a 'Clone comes not too far from 🏠
— Brooklyn Cyclones (@BKCyclones) August 30, 2026
The Westchester native goes yard at Hudson Valley to cut our deficit to 2-1 in the middle innings!#AmazinStartsHere #LGM pic.twitter.com/srpC7CaYW7
The Cyclones seized the lead for good in the sixth.
RF Trey Snyder opened the inning with an infield single to third before stealing second and advancing to third on a wild pitch. After LF Yonatan Henríquez drew a walk, Brooklyn put its speed to work.
On the next pitch, Henríquez broke for second. As the throw went toward the bag, Snyder raced for home. The relay to the plate arrived too late to prevent the double steal, allowing Snyder to score the tying run and knot the game at 2-2.
Two pitches later, CF John Spikerman roped an RBI double into the right-field corner to bring home Henríquez, giving Brooklyn a 3-2 advantage.
Going to work in the 6th 💪
— Brooklyn Cyclones (@BKCyclones) August 30, 2026
Trey Snyder steals home, and John Spikerman laces a double to give us the lead against the Renegades!#AmazinStartsHere #LGM pic.twitter.com/rBPTk1RxC4
Stafura added some final insurance in the ninth.
After 1B Eddinson Paulino drew a one-out walk and Hudson Valley made a pitching change, the Westchester County native clocked the first pitch from the new reliever over the left-center field wall for a two-run home run.
Stafura’s second homer of the day — and 21st of the season in the South Atlantic League — pushed Brooklyn’s lead to 5-2.
He did it AGAIN ‼️
— Brooklyn Cyclones (@BKCyclones) August 30, 2026
Sammy Stafura goes yard for the 2nd time today to extend our cushion over Hudson Valley!#AmazinStartsHere #LGM pic.twitter.com/NnRD14WL6q
That was more than enough offense for the Cyclones’ bullpen.
RHP Juan Arnaud entered in the bottom of the ninth and retired the side to secure Brooklyn’s victory and his fourth save of the season.
Neither starting pitcher factored into the decision.
LHP Conner Ware was charged with two runs on one hit over 3.1 innings for Brooklyn, walking two and striking out six before departing with an apparent injury in the fourth.
Hudson Valley RHP Danny Flatt scattered two hits and one walk over 3.0 scoreless innings in his High-A debut, striking out three.
RHP Elwis Mijares (2-0) earned the win in relief for the Cyclones, allowing three hits over 1.2 scoreless innings while striking out one.
Overall, Mijares, RHP Ryan Dollar, LHP Gregori Louis, and Arnaud combined to pitch 5.2 innings of four-hit, shutout relief to close out Brooklyn’s come-from-behind victory.
RHP José M. Rodríguez (1-3) was charged with the blown save and loss for Hudson Valley after allowing two runs on two hits over 2.0 innings. He walked two and struck out one.
Following Monday’s league-wide off day, Brooklyn will return to Coney Island on Tuesday to open its final homestand of the regular season against the Frederick Keys, the High-A affiliate of the Baltimore Orioles.
The day will begin with the Cyclones and Keys resuming their suspended game from July 5. Frederick will have a runner at third, two out, and a 2-2 score in the bottom of the eighth inning.
Following the conclusion of the suspended contest, the teams will play a full nine-inning game after a 35-to-45-minute break. The first pitch from Maimonides Park is scheduled for 5:30 p.m.