Brutal…Just Brutal

Gades Blow Several Chances; Lose to Yanks

STATEN ISLAND, NY—In the heat of a pennant race, the Hudson Valley Renegades squandered a tremendous start by pitcher Edisson Gonzalez and left 11 men on base as they fell to the Staten Island Yankees 3-2 Wednesday night at Richmond County Bank Ballpark.  The bullpen could not hold a two-run lead in the late innings as the Renegades lost their fourth consecutive game to the Yankees who clinched the season series with the win.

The Renegades began the scoring in the third with a run.  Rightfielder Beau Brundage started the inning with a line drive triple into left.  After a popup and walk, shortstop Greg Jones lifted a sacrifice fly to right to score Brundage and Hudson Valley owned a 1-0 lead.

They would add another run in the fourth.  With one out, designated hitter Hill Alexander grounded a single into center.  A wild pitch moved him to second before first baseman Jacson McGowan ripped a double down the rightfield line to increase the Renegades’ lead to 2-0.

However, the Renegades let a tremendous opportunity to blow the game wide open go by the wayside in the fifth.  A single, walk, and failed fielder’s choice attempt loaded the bases with nobody out to start the frame.  With centerfielder Garrett Hiott batting the runner from third, leftfielder K.V. Edwards, was picked off on a strong throw from Yankees catcher Carlos Gallardo for the first out.  Hiott and Alexander would each follow with strikeouts and Hudson Valley came up empty.

Things stayed that way until the seventh when the Yankees scratched across two runs to tie the game.  With one out, reliever Joe LaSorsa walked the .175 hitting Gallardo on four pitches.  Shortstop Josh Smith and second baseman David Metzgar followed with singles to load the bases before third baseman Andres Chaparro lofted a sac fly to right to plate Gallardo and move Smith to third.  With two away, centerfielder Jacob Sanford reached on a fielding error from McGowan bringing in Smith and tying the game at two.

Hudson Valley had a chance to retake the lead in the eighth when third baseman Nick Sogard started the inning with a single to right.  With two out, he stole second and McGowan drew a walk to put runners at first and second.  However, Staten Island reliever Barrett Loseke came into the game and got catcher Luis Trevino to ground to first and end the inning.

Staten Island would take the lead in the eighth.  Designated hitter Carlos Narvaez led off the inning with a double to right center and was lifted for pinch runner Isaiah Pasteur who moved to third on a passed ball.  That set the stage for pinch hitter Borinquen Mendez who blooped a single into shallow rightfield to push across Pasteur and give the Yankees a 3-2 advantage.  

In the ninth, Brundage was hit with a pitch to lead off the inning.  However, Loseke settled down and got pinch hitter Mason Mallard to line to short, Edwards to pop to second, and shortstop Greg Jones to ground to second and finish the game.

Getting the win for Staten Island was Loseke (3-0) who went the final 1.1 scoreless innings.  The loss fell to LaSorsa (5-3) after the southpaw gave up three runs, two earned, on four hits in only one inning of work.  The loss wasted a tremendous effort by Gonzalez who tossed six shutout innings for Hudson Valley on six hits with a walk and four strikeouts.

The Renegades had only five hits in the game, while the Yankees registered 10.  Metzgar finished 3-5 with three singles, while Narvaez went 3-4 with a double.

The Renegades and Yankees continue their three-game series tomorrow in a 7:00 start.  Right-hander Evan McKendry (3-1, 1.31 ERA) will be on the hill for Hudson Valley against fellow-righty Nelvin Correa (2-1, 0.72 ERA) of Staten Island.  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.