An ‘Unearned’ Win

Four Unearned Runs Lead Gades Over Bears

WAPPINGERS FALLS, NY—The Hudson Valley Renegades used four errors by the West Virginia Black Bears to push across four unearned runs in a 5-1 victory Friday evening at Dutchess Stadium in front of 4,133 fans.

The Black Bears started the scoring in the third as shortstop Cory Wood rocketed his first homerun of the season.  It was a solo-shot over the rightfield wall and gave West Virginia an early 1-0 lead.

West Virginia had several opportunities to extend their lead, however they left eight on base for the game and six through the first four innings.  With two on and one out in the first, Renegades starting pitcher Edisson Gonzalez got a strikeout of rightfielder Matt Fraizer and a popup to first by catcher Kyle Wilkie to end the inning.  In the third, the Black Bears put runners at first and second with one away before Frazier and Wilkie grounded out to end the threat.  In the fourth, the visitors had two more on with one out but second baseman Dean Lockery popped to third and Wood lined to left to finish the attempted rally.

Sloppy play by the Black Bears allowed Hudson Valley to come back with three in the bottom-of-the-third; two unearned. With one out, second baseman Cristhian Pedroza was hit with a pitch which set the stage for centerfielder Garrett Hiott who ripped an RBI triple down the rightfield line to tie the game.  Shortstop Nick Sogard followed by knuckling a sinking line-drive to centerfielder Blake Sabol.  The ball was missed, and Sogard went to third on a three-base error as Hiott scored.  Sogard was credited with an RBI on the play.  He would then score on a sacrifice fly to center from rightfielder Hill Alexander, and the Renegades owned a 3-1 lead.

Hudson Valley would pick up two more unearned runs in the fifth thanks to two more Black Bears’ errors.  Leftfielder K.V. Edwards led things off with a double to left.  After a groundout moved him to third, Edwards scored as a line drive to third off the bat of Hiott caromed off the glove of Jared Triolo for an error.  With Hiott at first and one out, West Virginia reliever Alec Rennard was errant on a pickoff attempt that went down the rightfield line.  Hiott scored from first on the play to make it a 5-1 game.  It was the second three-base error for the Black Bears, and the second time in as many nights that Hiott had scored on such a play.

That was all the Renegades would need as the pitching was solid.  Reliever Chris Gau (3-4) picked up his second consecutive win by tossing 3.1 scoreless innings on two hits with four strikeouts.  Gonzalez struggled at times, but allowed only the one run on five hits in 4.2 frames.  Reliever Joe LaSorsa finished the game by tossing a scoreless ninth.  The loss went to West Virginia starter Mike Burrows (2-2) who gave up three runs, one earned, on a single hit in four innings.

Again, the Renegades won despite being outhit.  Hudson Valley collected five hits, however the five included two doubles and a triple.  The Black Bears, meanwhile, had eight hits including a 3-4 effort from Triolo who doubled.  It was the third-straight game the Renegades were outhit, but still won.

  

Hudson Valley continues its three-game series with West Virginia in a 6:05 start tomorrow.  It will be right-hander Evan McKendry (2-1, 1.88 ERA) going for the Renegades against fellow-righty Austin Roberts (0-1, 2.12 ERA) of the Black Bears.  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.