Big ninth lifts Cyclones in opener

STATEN ISLAND, N.Y. -- Lucas Duda's two-run single capped a four-run ninth inning and a four-RBI night Sunday as the Brooklyn Cyclones topped the Staten Island Yankees, 8-4, in Game 1 of their New York-Penn League first-round series.

With the score knotted, 4-4, Matt Bouchard drew a leadoff walk in the ninth, Raul Reyes tapped an infield hit and Jake Eigsti lined a single to left field to load the bases. Ezequiel Carrera stroked a hard grounder to first baseman Taylor Holiday, who fielded it cleanly but bounced his throw to the plate, enabling the go-ahead run to score.

After Micah Schilling drew a bases-loaded walk and Cesar Cordido struck out, Duda provided insurance by lashing a hard single to right field.

"I'm just glad we won," said Duda, the Mets' seventh-round pick in the 2007 draft. "The [ninth-inning single] just found the hole. Luck was on my side today."

Duda, who hit .351 with three homers in August, forged a 4-4 tie in the sixth with a two-run blast deep over the center-field wall.

Reliever Stephen Clyne (1-0) fanned one in two perfect innings for the victory.

"It's a huge a win for us," he said. "We dislike them as much as they dislike us. It's like the Mets vs. the Yankees, it's like a mini-Subway Series. We wanted to win it as bad as you can."

Brooklyn starter Michael Antonini gave up four runs on seven hits in four innings, striking out three without issuing a walk.

Ryan Zink (0-1) took the loss after giving up two runs -- one earned -- on three hits and two walks with one strikeout in 2 1/3 frames. Staten Island starter Ryan Pope surrendered four runs on four hits and two walks while fanning four in six innings.

The Cyclones (1-0) grabbed a 2-0 lead in the second on Reyes' RBI infield single and a sacrifice fly by Eigsti.

The Yankees (0-1) scored all of their runs with two outs in the fourth. Austin Krum doubled, Jose Gil blooped a single to left and Chris Raber ripped a run-scoring base hit off shortstop Matthew Bouchard's glove. Matt Morris capped the rally with a two-run homer over the left-field fence.

NOTES: The Brooklyn relief corps -- Clyne, Will Morgan and Eddie Kunz -- combined for five hitless innings. ... Ramon Castro, playing in his second rehab game since going on the disabled list with an injured back on Aug. 18, went 2-for-3 with a walk. The 31-year-old catcher, who said his swing is getting back into shape, is expected to play with the Cyclones in Game 2 on Monday at KeySpan Park. After going 2-for-4 with an RBI on Saturday to help New Orleans beat Nashville in the clinching game of their Pacific Coast League opening-round series, Castro said, "I'm hoping to drink champagne with these guys." ... Staten Island All-Star SS Justin Snyder saved a go-ahead run in the seventh with a diving snag of Jason Jacobs' line drive.