Finding A Way

’Gades Manufacture First Home Win of Season

WAPPINGERS FALLS, NY—Despite registering only five hits, the Hudson Valley Renegades used timely pitching and deft base-running to earn a 5-4 win over the Aberdeen Ironbirds in front of 4,418 fans Friday evening at Dutchess Stadium.  It was the Renegades first home win of the season, and the team’s third in a row.

Aberdeen started the scoring in the first inning.  Shortstop Clay Fisher led things off with a single to left, then scored when third-baseman Irving Ortega roped a triple down the rightfield line.  First-baseman Ian Evans came up next and lifted a sacrifice-fly to center to make the score 2-0.

The Ironbirds added to their lead with a run in the second.  Leftfielder Jaylen Ferguson drew a one-out walk, then stole second.  With two out, second-baseman Andrew Fregia smoked a double off the leftfield wall to score Ferguson and up the Aberdeen advantage to 3-0.

Hudson Valley started on the comeback trail by plating two runs in the third.  A single by leftfielder Pedro Diaz and a walk by second-baseman Duke Kinamon started the inning.  After a wild pitch moved both runners up, designated hitter Greg Jones scored Diaz on a groundout to second while Kinamon went to third.  Shortstop Nick Sogard followed with a bloop single to center to bring in Kinamon and pull the Renegades to within one.

The home team would tie the game under controversial circumstances in the fourth.  First-baseman Jacson McGowan started the inning with a single to center before going to second on a wild pitch.  After a groundout sent him to third, rightfielder Hill Alexander was hit by a pitch to put runners at the corners with one away.  Third-baseman Carlos Vargas followed with a groundball next to the first base bag.  Evans fielded the ball, stepped on first, then threw to second where shortstop Clay Fisher was covering to put the tag on Alexander and end the inning.  However, McGowan was ruled to have crossed home plate before the tag was made, much to the dismay of the Aberdeen coaching staff, and the game was tied at three.

Hudson Valley took their first lead in the sixth.  Centerfielder K.V. Edwards started the frame with a walk, went to second on a single by McGowan, and took part in a double-steal with McGowan to put runners at second and third with one out.  Alexander stepped in next and launched an RBI double to right to score Edwards.  McGowan was thrown out at home on the play, but the Renegades owned a 4-3 lead.

The Renegades garnered a much-needed insurance run in the eighth.  Edwards, again, drew a one-out walk, advanced to second on wild pitch, stole third, then scored on another wild pitch to make the score 5-3.

That run was important because the Ironbirds would attempt a comeback in the ninth.  Ferguson started the frame with a walk before sprinting to third on a groundout.  After a strikeout put two away in the ninth, shortstop Clay Fisher reached on an infield single to third.  Hudson Valley third-baseman Carlos Vargas threw wide of first, and down the rightfield line allowing Fisher to race to third while Ferguson scored.  After a walk put runners at the corners, reliever Andrew Gross got Evans to line out to center to end the game and nail down the victory for the Renegades.

Getting the win for Hudson Valley was reliever Steffon Moore (1-1) who pitched 2.1 shutout innings and allowed only one hit.  All seven of his putouts came by way of strikeout.  Relief man Felix Bautista (0-1) suffered the loss for Aberdeen after he gave up two runs on two hits over three innings with three strikeouts.  The save for Gross was his first of the season as he allowed a run on two hits with two strikeouts in two frames.

McGowan had two singles for Hudson Valley as he extended his hitting streak to four games.  The Ironbirds, meanwhile, banged out nine hits.  Ortega went 2-3 with a triple, RBI and run scored.  Fisher finished 2-4 with an RBI and run, and catcher Luke Ringhofer went 2-4 with two singles.

Hudson Valley continues its series with Aberdeen tomorrow in a 6:05 start.  There will be fireworks following the game.  Righty Chris Gau (0-1, 13.50 ERA) will pitch for the Renegades against fellow-righty Adam Stauffer (0-1, 4.50 ERA) of the Ironbirds.  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.