Sogard Socks Yanks

Renegades Gather Huge Win; Stand Alone in First

STATEN ISLAND, NY—Hudson Valley Renegades second baseman Nick Sogard went 3-4 with two runs and two RBI as the top four batters in the lineup went a combined 9-19 with three RBI in the Renegades’ 6-5 win over the Staten Island Yankees Thursday evening from Richmond County Bank Ballpark.  The victory put Hudson Valley back in first all by itself in the McNamara Division over Aberdeen and Brooklyn with four games to play.

The Renegades started fast by plating three runs in the first inning.  With one out, Sogard and Alexander singled to put runners at first and second before catcher Luis Trevino lined a double to left to score Sogard and move Alexander to third.  First baseman Jacson McGowan followed and reached on a fielding error from Yankees third baseman Andres Chaparro, which allowed Alexander and Trevino to come home and up the Hudson Valley lead to 3-0.

Hudson Valley added another run in the second to increase the lead.  With two out and nobody on base, shortstop Greg Jones roped a single to center, then came around on a double to right by Sogard to make the score 4-0.

Staten Island notched its first run in the bottom-half when rightfielder Jacob Sanford ripped a solo-homer to right centerfield to make the score 4-1.  It was Sanford’s sixth homerun of the season.

The visitors though would continue to put the pressure on the Baby Bombers by scoring two runs in the fourth.  Edwards singled to center to start the inning, then went to second with one away on an errant pickoff attempt from Yankees reliever Nelvin Correa.  That set up Sogard who roped an RBI single into center to bring around Edwards.  Relief pitcher Bryan Blanton came in for Correa and allowed Alexander to ground another single into right while before getting Trevino to hit into a fielder’s choice. With runners at the corners and two away, Trevino got caught in a rundown between first and second, which allowed Sogard to score from third and give the Renegades their largest lead of the game at 6-1.

The Yankees would rally though.  In the fifth, catcher Carlos Narvaez doubled to center, then went to third on a groundout to third from Isaiah Pasteur.  DeMarco stood in next and lifted a sacrifice fly to left to push Narvaez across.  In the eighth, a walk by Josh Smith and a lined single to left from Beau Brundage put runners at first and second with one out.  After a fielder’s choice groundout from short to third put runners at first and second with two away, Sanford ripped his second homerun of the game; a three-run shot to right.  It was homerun number seven of the season for Sanford and pulled the Yankees to within one at 6-5.

But the Renegades would hang on as closer Eleardo Cabrera came in with two out and nobody on in the eighth inning and would record the final four outs of the game on only 13 pitches.  He tossed a 1-2-3 ninth to register his second save of the season on two strikeouts.

The win went to starter Hudson Valley Evan McKendry (4-1) who allowed two runs on five hits over five innings with four strikeouts.  The loss went to Correa (2-2) after he gave up six runs, four earned, on nine hits over 4.1 innings with five strikeouts.

Outside of Sogard, the Renegades got 2-5 performances from Jones, Alexander and Trevino to pace the attack.  Each man scored a run while Trevino doubled and drove in a run.  Third baseman Mason Mallard chipped in by going 2-4 on a couple of singles.

The Yankees got seven hits as Sanford went 2-4 with two homers, two runs scored, and four RBI.  Shortstop David Metzgar had a 2-4 night with two singles and a run scored.

The Renegades and Yankees wrap-up their three-game series tomorrow in a 7:00 start.  Southpaw John Doxakis (0-0, 2.20 ERA) will be on the hill for Hudson Valley against righty Blakely Brown (3-2, 3.45 ERA) of Staten Island.  

Hudson Valley returns home on Saturday, August 31^st when they begin their final home series of the regular season against the Aberdeen Ironbirds.  First-pitch is scheduled for 6:05 and there will be fireworks following the game.  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.