The Wrong Foot

Walks and Baserunning Mistakes Get Homestand Off to Rough Start

WAPPINGERS FALLS, NY—Despite committing four errors and leaving 12 men on base, the Auburn Doubledays cut down three Renegades on the base-paths and turned a hit batsman and three walks into runs as Auburn defeated Hudson Valley 6-4 Tuesday night in front of 3,471 fans at Dutchess Stadium.  Hudson Valley hurlers walked seven batters for the game.

The Doubledays plated the game’s first run in the first.  With one out, designated hitter Jake Randa drew a walk, went to second on a single from rightfielder Eric Senior, then advanced to third on a fly out.  With two away, shortstop Jose Sanchez ripped a single to left to bring in Randa and give the Doubledays the lead.

Auburn added to its lead with two more runs in the second.  First baseman Albert Carrillo led things off with a walk before stealing second.  Second baseman Jake Alu followed by lining an RBI single to center to make the score 2-0.  After a walk to third baseman Jack Dunn, centerfielder Ricardo Mendez roped a single to center to load the bases with no one out.  Two batters later, Senior reached on an infield single to third to plate Alu and increase the Auburn lead to 3-0.

The Renegades tried to start a comeback in the second as rightfielder Beau Brundage led off with a bloop double to left.  However, he tried to stretch it into a triple and was thrown out at third base.

Hudson Valley would get a run back in the third, though they could have had more. Two walks started the inning before third baseman Nick Sogard lined a single to right.  The runner from second, leftfielder K.V. Edwards, took too wide a turn around third and was caught off the bag for out number one.  A wild pitch followed, which moved Sogard to second and centerfielder Garrett Hiott to third.  Shortstop Greg Jones stood in next and reached on a fielding error by Sanchez to cut the deficit to two.  With runners at the corners and one out, Jones was caught stealing second and designated hitter Hill Alexander flied to right to end the inning.  Two outs were recorded on the base-paths by Auburn in the inning.

More wild Renegades pitching got the Doubledays two more runs in the fourth.  With two out and nobody on base, two walks and a hit-batsman loaded the bases.  Reliever Shay Smiddy came in and fired a wild pitch to plate one run, then Carrillo smacked an RBI single to right to make the score 5-1 Auburn.

Ugly Doubledays defense helped the Renegades get back into the game in the bottom-half.  Two errors and a walk loaded the bases with two away when Hiott roped a two-run single to center to make the score 5-3.

The Renegades got a run closer in the seventh.  With two out and the bases empty, Jones singled and Alexander drew a walk to put runners at first and second.  That set the stage for McGowan who grounded a single into center to bring in Jones and make the score 5-4.  Following the single, Hudson Valley had runners at first and second with two away however Brundage grounded to short to end the frame.

Auburn would pick up a huge insurance run in the ninth as catcher Andrew Pratt eviscerated a solo-homerun to straightaway centerfield to make the count 6-4.  It was Pratt’s second homerun of the season.  In the bottom-half, Jones roped a single with two out to bring the tying run to the plate.  However, Alexander struck out to end the game.

The Doubledays collected 10 hits for the contest.  Carrillo finished 2-3 with two singles, two walks, an RBI, a stolen base, and a run scored.  Senior chipped in by going 2-5 with an RBI.  The Renegades finished with eight hits.  Hiott and Jones each had two singles.  Hiott drove in two and scored a run, while Jones scored a run and drove in another.

Getting the win for Auburn was reliever Fausto Segura (2-0) even though he allowed two unearned runs on two hits over two frames.  He also struck out two.  The loss went to starter Rodolfo Sanchez (1-1) for Hudson Valley after he allowed three earned runs on five hits in 1.1 innings.  The save went to the Doubledays’ Amos Willingham (1) who tossed two shutout innings and struck out four on a hit.

Hudson Valley continues its three-game series with Auburn in a 7:05 start tomorrow.  It will be southpaw John Doxakis (0-0, 3.29 ERA) going for the Renegades against righty Niomar Gomez (1-2, 3.00 ERA) of the Doubledays.  Tickets are on sale and can be purchased online at hvrenegades.com, at the Dutchess Stadium ticket window, or by calling the ticket office at (845) 838-0094.

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