Staten Island, NY – The Staten Island Yankees finally figured out Luz Portobanco’s pitching, as the Baby Bombers took game one of the McNamara Division series from the Brooklyn Cyclones, 6-1. 

John Blankenship got the win, pitching 8.0 strong innings, giving up just one run (unearned) on four hits, striking out four.

The Yankees touched Portobanco for two runs (both earned) on six hits.  Until tonight’s game, the Baby Bombers had just five hits and two runs (one earned) against the “Yankee killer.”

Staten Island opened up scoring in the bottom of the second.  Juan Camacho led off with a double to centerfield.  After a pop up by Aaron Rifkin and a strikeout by Shelley Duncan, Jason Turner drilled a 2-2 offering into centerfield for the first run of the game.

Blankenship had a 1-2-3 third and Portobanco got out of jams in the third and fourth innings before the Yankees added another run in the fifth.  Bernie Castro singled to right center to lead off the inning, stole second and advanced to third on an error by the shortstop.  He crossed home on a ground out by John-Ford Griffin.

The Cyclones cut the lead in half in the sixth when an error led to one unearned run for Brooklyn.  The Yankees added four funs in the seventh.  Castro singled to right and, with one out, stole second for the second time in the evening.  Griffin struck out for the second out of the inning before Chris Martin singled and advanced on an error, scoring Castro.  Todd Faulkner singled to center, driving in Martin before Duncan drew a walk.  Turner then laced a two-RBI triple to left center for the 6-1 lead.

Staten Island will travel to Brooklyn tomorrow for game two of the series.  Jason Anderson will face Michael Cox.