Four and More

Renegades Top Scrappers in Series Opener

NILES, OH—The Hudson Valley Renegades used four extra base-hits and more stellar work from their bullpen to top the Mahoning Valley Scrappers 5-3 Saturday night from Eastwood Field.  It was the seventh win for the Renegades in their last eight games.

The Renegades started the scoring with single runs in the third and fourth thanks to triples.  In the third, leftfielder K.V. Edwards led off with a lined triple to left.  Centerfielder Garrett Hiott came up next and grounded a single to right to score Edwards.  In the next inning, rightfielder Beau Brundage roped a triple to right.  Catcher Luis Trevino came up next and rocketed a double to center to drive Brundage in and give Hudson Valley a 2-0 lead.

The visitors would add a third run in the seventh.  With one out, third baseman Mason Mallard reached on a fielding error by Scrappers third baseman Henry Pujols.  After a walk to second baseman Kevin Santiago, Edwards sent a groundball into left to score Mallard from second and up the lead to three.

Mahoning Valley would make a game of it by plating two runs in the bottom-half.  With one away, second baseman Raynel Delgado drilled a double to right before rightfielder George Valera stood in next and belted his fifth homerun of the season to right centerfield.  The two-run blast pulled the Scrappers to within one.

The Renegades, though, got the runs right back in the eighth.  Shortstop Nick Sogard started the inning with a lined single to center.  Two batter later, with two out, Brundage smacked his first homerun with Hudson Valley on a drive to right-center to give the Renegades a 5-2 advantage.

The Scrappers added a run in the ninth.  Catcher Bryan Lavastida started the inning with a line-drive double to left.  He went to third on a groundout, then scored on another groundout from Delgado to first to make the final tally 5-3.  The next hitter for Mahoning Valley walked to bring the tying run to the plate, however closer Hector Figueroa got first baseman Michael Cooper to fly to left to end the game.

Hudson Valley racked up nine hits for the game.  Brundage went 2-4 with a triple, homerun, two runs scored and two RBI.  Edwards chipped in by also going 2-4 with a triple, run, and RBI.  Mahoning Valley had only four hits for the contest.

Getting the win in relief for the Renegades was Chris Gau (1-3) who came on in the third inning and allowed two earned runs on three hits with three strikeouts in 4.1 innings.  The loss went to Scrappers starter Liam Jenkins (0-3).  The right-hander gave up two runs over five hits in five frames.  Figueora had to go 2.2 innings for his third-save of the season.  He also allowed a run and hit while striking out three.

Over the last four games, Hudson Valley’s bullpen has allowed only five runs in 24.1 innings.

Hudson Valley now heads to Niles, OH to begin a three-game road series against the Mahoning Valley crappers tomorrow in a 7:05 start.  The Renegades will send right-hander Daiveyon Whittle (0-0, 0.45 ERA) to the hill against fellow-righty Liam Jenkins (0-2, 6.35 ERA) of the Scrappers.

The Renegades return home on Wednesday, July 17 when they take on the Brooklyn Cyclones in game one of a three-game set.  First-pitch is scheduled for 7:05.  Tickets are on sale and can be purchased online athvrenegades.com, in person at the Dutchess Stadium ticket window, or by calling the ticket office at 845-838-0094.