Scandal Padlocks Pride Center

In 2007, Lisa Winters (Left) posed with a member of the Weather Girls who performed for a gala fundraiser for the Bronx Community Pride Center. The center will cease operations on Saturday.

(Photo by Gary Quintal)

BRONX, NEW YORK, June 27- The Bronx’s only gay community center will close its doors for good on Saturday in the wake of the scandal in which its former director has been charged with embezzling over $300,000.

Lisa Winters, former executive director of the Bronx Community Pride Center was indicted last week on charges that she used $338,000 in center funds to pay for such items as a trip to South Africa, clothes, personal expenses including a dog walker. 

The Bronx Community Pride Center has released the following statement: 

The board of directors of the Bronx Community Pride Center (BCPC), the borough’s largest LGBTQ service organization, has unanimously voted to cease operations of the center on June 30, 2012 and to begin making arrangements for current services to be provided by partner organizations within the Bronx.

Due to BCPC’s current economic difficulties, past debt and inability to raise sufficient unrestricted funding, the organization can no longer implement its current programs. The organization has debts which exceed revenues at this time and without significant cash infusions from major donors they are unable to continue operations financially.

The Board of Directors is committed to assisting in any way to make sure that our clients continue to be served, especially since this population is traditionally under served in the Bronx. We’re a group of caring individuals and this decision has been difficult for us to make but we will never give up for our mission of heath equality.

“As BCPC closes I ask that all Bronx LGBTQ organizations come together and fill the void that would be left behind. The Board of Directors is committed to assisting in any way to make sure that our clients continue to be served, especially since this population is traditionally under served in the Bronx. We’re a group of caring individuals and this decision has been difficult for us to make, but we will never give up for our mission of heath equality,” said Antonio Centeno Jr., BCPC Board Chairperson.

The Bronx Community Pride Center is a non-for-profit organization which was incorporated in 1997 as the Bronx Lesbian and Gay Health Resource Consortium. Around 2005/2006 the name and mission was changed and the agency then became a community center. The organization is a lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender (“LGBT”) center that provides direct supportive and case management services including educational, cultural and wellness programs to nurture and support members of our community. They provide training and education opportunities to help train future leaders which will promote the heath of the LGBT community.

Ump Blows it as Yanks Win

Replay Debate Heats Up after Screw Up

By Rich Mancuso

BRONX, NEW YORK, June 27- Phil Hughes pitched eight strong innings and the New York Yankees, with a three-run first inning and a late home run from Alex Rodriguez overcame a ninth inning rally and defeated the Cleveland Indians 6-4 in the Bronx Tuesday night.

But the game story was not about the Yankees hitting another home run, a solo shot by Rodriguez in the seventh that gave New York a 5-0 lead. It was a ball that was supposedly caught by Dewayne Wise when he went over the wall down the left field line with two outs in the Indians seventh inning, on a ball hit off the bat of Jack Hannahan.

Third base umpire Mike DiMuro, after the game, saw the play on replay and realized the ball hit off Wise’s glove and fell in the stands. At the time, the Indians had a runner on third base.

Had the play been ruled a foul ball, it may not have mattered in the final outcome. Though Cleveland would score four runs in the ninth off Cory Wade, including a home run before Rafael Soriano recorded the final out and his 16^th save.

DiMuro, a veteran umpire of twelve years said, “Now that I see the tape it is obvious that the ball fell out of his (Wise) glove. In hindsight, I should have asked him to show me the ball since he fell into the stands and out of my line of vision.”

Yankees manager Joe Girardi said about the play, “It was a tough play. As much as we want them to be perfect (umpires) they are so much under a micro scope.” But, the Yankees, as with every team in baseball have been the victims of calls that have gone against them.

This time they could joke about the play and call. However, the missed call once again brings up the question about expanding the use of instant replay in the game.

Wise got a huge ovation from the crowd and tapped the glove of Yankee captain Derek Jeter as they ran to the dugout.

“What was I supposed to do run back to left field?” commented Wise about the play that also got a smile from Hughes. “I saw him looking at my glove so I just got up, put my head down and ran off the field,” he said about the call from DiMuro.

Hughes (8-6) gave up six hits, and struck out four in winning for the fifth time in his last seven starts. Rodriguez hit his 13^th home run and 642^nd of his career. The Yankees increased their major league lead home run total to 116 and won their fourth straight game.

“We only hit one home run,” said Girardi that got a laugh from media in his post game press conference. New York had a streak end of five straight games with two home runs or more. 

They look to sweep Cleveland Wednesday afternoon and are a season high 17 games over .500, with a four game lead in the American League east.

e-mail Rich Mancuso: Ring786@aol.com

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Yankees were no “chickens” as they dominate Mets in Subway Series

(Photo by Gary Quintal)

By Rich Mancuso

BRONX, NEW YORK, June 25– A chicken became a story line Friday night at Citi Field before the New York Mets took the field for the first of three against the cross-town Yankees. Sunday evening, after the Yankees took the finale of their six-game inter league series, they Yankees were not the chickens.

Instead, Robinson Cano hit the go ahead home run for the Yankees in the eighth inning at Citi Field. The Yankees won their fifth straight individual series against the Mets. 6-5, and a chicken joke about the team, initiated by Mets reliever Frank Francisco, became a novelty.

Because the Yankees once again proved they are the better baseball team in New York, a chicken joke to them meant nothing. They took five of six games from the Mets, the first time they have done that since 2009.

“They hit balls out of the ballpark like there’s nothing to it,” said Mets manager Terry Collins who admitted it may have been a mistake not bringing in lefty Tim Brydak to face Cano.

Miguel Batista (1-2) gave up the home run ball, the 16^th by Cano leading off the eighth with two strikes. It was hit straight to center, the 15^th home run hit by the Yankees against the Mets in the six games. Seven of those long balls were hit at Citi Field the past three games, which accounted for 24 of the Yankees 32 runs.

The Yankees were not chickens in this latest installment of the Subway Series that had some more interest the past few weeks. The Mets have been a better team this season and that also accounted for another sellout at Citi Field, 42,364 the largest crowd for the ballpark that opened in 2009.

And Francisco was placed on the 15-day disabled list Sunday with a strained muscle on his left side. So the chicken initiator, who saved the Mets win Friday night, had no bearing on the outcome of the finale. 

It was supposed to be an anticipated pitcher’s duel. R.A. Dickey of the Mets, without allowing an earned run in 44.2 innings and dominant with an 11-1 record and 2.00 ERA ,who will most likely get the start for the NL all-stars in a few weeks at the midsummer classic.

He surrendered a run in the third inning on a sacrifice fly. He threw a wild pitch in the fifth inning and allowed five runs earned. The streak is over for now.

“I didn’t have a great knuckleball,” commented Dickey. “It was just coming out wobbly a little bit. I kept searching for it,” he said.

The 37-year old helped the Mets overcome a four-run deficit. He got a single off CC Sabathia the Yankees starter in the fifth inning. Sabathia did his part, 9 hits in 5/2-3 innings. But he gave up five runs, one earned.

“My focus was on tonight,” said Dickey who made a point that it was like a playoff atmosphere pitching against the Yankees in a crowded ballpark. “It was nice,” he said about the scoreless streak. “I’m hoping to start another one.”

Ruben Tejada in his first game back from the disabled list went 2-for-4 and drove in two runs, and a single off Cory Wade tied the game in the sixth.  Andres Torres also had two hits and drove in two runs, including a two-out hit that went past Mark Teixeira at first in the same inning.

“Tomorrow is another game,” said Torres who experienced his first stint of games against the Yankees.

And with the chicken quickly disappearing from the scene, there is a realization that the six games, which have been a part of this home and home series, will be a thing of the past.

Next year, with the schedule going more towards more inter league games, the Mets and Yankees cross-town series will be reduced to three games which was the original format when inter league play started in 1997.

“We don’t get caught up taking two of three here,” said Yankees manager Joe Girardi.

He also won’t complain about the series going back to three games next season. Girardi is an advocate for that more balanced schedule and winning games against teams in your division.

The Yankees have won 14 of their last 18 road games, with or without the balanced schedule. Collins won’t mind not seeing the Yankees again, unless of course they should meet in October.

“Not bad for a bunch of chickens,” added the Yankees Nick Swisher who got hold of a Dickey knuckleball and hit his 11^th home run to right-center in the Yankees four-run third inning.

e-mail Rich Mancuso: Ring786@aol.com

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Yanks fry up some Amazin’ Chickens

(Photos by Gary Quintal)

By Howard Goldin

QUEENS, NEW YORK, June 24- For the second consecutive evening, home runs accounted for all the runs scored by the Yankees. Unlike the previous night, the four runs were sufficient to the give the Yankees the win. The Yankee win ended the team’s longest losing streak of the year, three games.

The home runs and excellent relief work by the bullpen contingent of the Yanks combined to earn the Yanks the win over the Mets.

Although Yankee starter Ivan Nova only pitched 5.2 innings and was not involved in the decision, he managed to raise his undefeated road streak to 16 starts. His record during the streak is 12-0.

The first hit Nova surrendered was a lead-off home run to Kirk Nieuwenhuis in the third.

An error by Alex Rodriguez on Scott Hairston, the first batter in the following inning allowed him to reach first. Hairston crossed the plate on a double to center by Omar Quintanilla.

The final Mets run off Nova came on an RBI single by his counterpart, Chris young, with two out in the sixth. Nova left the game after the hit. He gave up five hits and three walks while fanning seven in his stint.

The Yankee relievers continued their outstanding work for the final 3.1 innings of the contest. The five hurlers, Clay Rapada, Cody Eppley, Boone Logan, David Robertson and Rafael Soriano, combined to keep the Mets scoreless while giving up only two hits and two walks. Eight of the ten outs were recorded by strikeout. The save for Soriano was his 14^th in 15 save opportunities.

The Yankees bullpen staff entered the game second in the American League in ERA and first in allowing the lowest percentage of inherited runners to score. They improved their numbers in each categpry during the game.

Both managers were impressed by the performances of the Yankees relievers. Mets skipper terry Collins said, “They threw the ball good; they made good pitches.”

Mets starter Chris Young kept the Yanks scoreless and yielded only two singles in the first six frames. The visitors scored all four runs in the seventh and all by the long ball.

Mark Teixeira led-off by drawing a base on balls. Nick Swisher’s 1,000^th hit in the majors was a double to right that Lucas Duda dived for but could not grab. The next batter, Raul Ibañez, tied the game at three with his 11th home run of the year.

After the homer, Jon Rauch entered to relieve Young. Eric Chavez was sent by Yankees manager Joe Girardi to pinch hit. On an 0-2 count, the 34 year-old veteran hit his 237^th big league homer, but first as a pinch hitter to left field. The blast decided the outcome in favor of the Yankees.

Girardi spoke highly of the two veterans whose homers gave the team the victory, “They’re experienced guys. They’re not going to get caught up in the moment. They know how to get the ball out.”

The Yankees lead the majors in homers with 11o. The four bagger has been their decisive weapon this year. The Yankees have a compiled a 41-15 mark in games during which they homer while finishing 1-13 in games in which they don’t drive the baseball in the seats.

The rubber game of the second Subway Series of 2012 will feature a potential pitching duel as CC Sabathia (9-3) hooks up with R.A. Dickey (11-1) on Sunday night.

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Mets Walk All Over Pettitte

(Photos by Gary Quintal)

BRONX, NEW YORK, June 23- Yanks fans are left shaking their heads after the improbable loss to the Mets as the Amazin’s win their first game in the Subway Series. What is most troubling is the fact that old reliable Andy Pettitte gave up five runs in the first inning. 

Although Pettitte settled down after the first inning massacre, the damage was done. 

Then a ninth inning rally was thwarted by Frank “They’re All a Bunch of Chickens” Francisco. The ace struck out Curtis Granderson leaving the tying runs on the base.

The Mets went on to win it 6-4.

Boiling Mad

It’s Ugly for Yanks as Team Sweats Out Another Loss

(Photos by Gary Quintal)

BRONX, NEW YORK, June 21- It was a hot and ugly outing for the Yankees yesterday as the 10-5 loss to the Braves left fans simmering. 

Atlanta hit four home runs off the Yanks.

In addition to the home run rally, Yankee players Robinson Cano and Nick Swisher were steamed at the home plate umpire’s calls. In two incidents the Yankee sluggers let their emotions boil over with the ump.

Streaking Ends for Yankees

(Photos by Gary Quintal)

Nothing seemed to go right for the Yanks as their 10-game win streak came to an end last night with a 4-3 loss to the Atlanta Braves. 

Two runners were thrown out at the plate. A ground ball hit off Mark Teixeira’s heel. 

The question now is whether the loss was just a bad night or the beginning of problems for the Yankees.