Bummed in Burlington

Renegades Drop Series Opener to Lake Monsters

BURLINGTON, VT—A fast start by the Vermont Lake Monsters was too much for Hudson Valley to overcome as the Renegades lost 7-3 Tuesday night at Centennial Field. ­

The Renegades struggled early as the Lake Monsters plated four first inning runs to take control of the game.  Second-baseman Nick Ward led off the inning with a solo-homerun to rightfield to put Vermont in front.  It was Ward`s first homerun of the season. 

Later in the inning, after two singles and a walk loaded the bases with one away, leftfielder Nick Osborne grounded a double down the leftfield line to score two runs and increase the Vermont lead to 3-0.  Two batters later, shortstop Christopher Quintin reached on an infield single to first to bring in another run and make the score 4-0.

The beat would go on for Vermont as they scored twice more in the second.  After a triple and strikeout started the inning, third-baseman Jordan Diaz belted his second homerun of the season, a two-run shot to left, and the Lake Monsters increased their lead to 6-0.

Hudson Valley, however, would not give up as they got back into the game with three runs in the third.  Third-sacker Luis Arcendo started the inning with a line-drive triple to right, then scored on a single to center from designated hitter Greg Jones to put the Renegades on the board.  Shortstop Nick Sogard followed Jones with a lined single of his own to left to put runners at first and second, before a groundout moved each man up a base with two away.  That’s when rightfielder Hill Alexander dug in and blooped a single over the head of Lake Monsters first-baseman Lawrence Butler to score both runners and pull Hudson Valley to within three.

That was as close as the Renegades would get.  In the bottom-of-the-third, catcher Jose Rivas singled to right for the Lake Monsters, went to second on  a wild pitch, moved to third on a groundout, then scored on a two-out passed ball from Hudson Valley catcher Jordyn Muffley to make the count 7-3.

From there, the pitchers would dominate for both squads.  Hudson Valley relievers Justin Montgomery, Andrew Gross, and Joe LaSorsa held Vermont to no runs on two hits over Vermont’s final five at-bats.  Lake Monsters starter Rafael Kelly (1-0) settled down after the third and got the win by going five innings and allowing three runs on five hits with six strikeouts.  Reliever Yorlenis Noa notched his first save by tossing four shutout innings of one-hit ball.  He also struck out five.

Taking the loss for Hudson Valley was starter Edisson Gonzalez (0-1) who allowed six earned runs on seven hits in two innings.

The Renegades collected six hits in the game including a 2-3 performance from Arcendo.  He doubled, tripled and scored a run.  Jones, a first-round draft choice of the Rays in the 2019 draft, went 2-4 with a double, RBI, and run scored.

Vermont, meanwhile, banged out 10 hits including a 3-4 performance from rightfielder Danny Bautista who tripled and scored two runs.  Quintin chipped in by going 2-4 with an RBI.

The Renegades continue their three-game series with the Lake Monsters tomorrow in a 7:05 start.  Right-hander Daiveyon Whittle (0-0, 0.00 ERA) will go for Hudson Valley against Vermont righty Angello Infante (0-0, 0.00 ERA).

Hudson Valley returns home when they open a three-game series against the Aberdeen Ironbirds on Friday.  First-pitch is set for 7:05 and there will be fireworks following the game.  Tickets are on sale and can be purchased online at hvrenegades.com, in person at the Dutchess Stadium ticket window, or by calling the ticket office at 845-838-0094.