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Renegades Cruise Over ValleyCats

TROY, NY—The first three hitters in the Renegades’ order combined to go 6-14 with five RBI and five runs scored in an easy12-5 win over the Tri-City ValleyCats Friday evening at Joseph L. Bruno Stadium.  With the win, Hudson Valley moved to 8-0 on the season against the ValleyCats with a chance to sweep the season-series tomorrow.  There were also 19 walks in the game, 11 by Tri-City, to go along with six wild pitches by the ValleyCats.  The game also lasted a season-high four hours.

The Renegades got the ball rolling in the first with a run.  Shortstop Greg Jones walked, then advanced to third on a single to right from centerfielder Garrett Hiott.  Two batters later, first baseman Jacson McGowan grounded to third to score Jones and put Hudson Valley on the board.

The ValleyCats got the run back in the bottom-half.  Second baseman Juan Paulino started the inning with a single to right, as did third baseman Luis Santana to put runners at the corners with no one out.  After a walk and strikeout, catcher Nate Perry grounded into a fielder’s choice to plate Paulino and tie the game at one.

Hudson Valley, though, would take control of the game by scoring the next 11 runs.  In the third, Jones singled softly to left, stole second, went to third on a fly out, then scored on an RBI single to left from rightfielder Hill Alexander. 

Three more came across in the fourth as two singles and walk loaded the bases with two away.  Hiott ripped a two-run single to right and Alexander grounded another RBI single to right to increase the Renegades’ lead to 5-1.

Two more runs would score in the fifth.  With one away and a runner at first, catcher Jonathan Embry roped an RBI double to left.  After a wild pitch moved him to third, Embry came across the plate on another wild pitch from Tri-City relief pitcher Shea Barry.

The Renegades would score five more in the seventh to put the game away.  A single and two walks loaded the bases with two out when Hiott drew a walk to force in a run.  Alexander followed and reached on a throwing error from ValleyCats shortstop Deury Carrasco to score two more runs.  Another walk would reload the bases before reliever Danny Cody fired consecutive wild pitches to bring in two more runs and increase the Hudson Valley lead to 12-1.

The ValleyCats scored the final four runs of the game to make the score more respectable.  In the seventh, centerfielder Luis Guerrero singled to center, went to second on a walk, advanced to third on another single, then scored on a bases loaded walk from relief man Steffon Moore.  Later in the inning, with the bases still loaded, Perry reached on a fielding error from Renegades reliever Eleardo Cabrera to score another run and cut the deficit to nine.

Tri-City plated another run in the eighth.  Guerrero walked, advanced to second on a catcher’s indifference, then came around on an infield single to second from Paulino to make the score 12-4.

The final run scored in the ninth when designated hitter Joe Perez delivered a one-out solo homerun to left to make the final 12-5.  It was Perez’s seventh homer of the season.

Each team had nine hits with the Renegades getting two apiece from Jones, Hiott and Alexander.  Jones scored three times, while Hiott drove in three and scored another.  Alexander, meanwhile, drove in two and scored another.  Third baseman Nick Sogard chipped in with two more hits and two runs.  The ValleyCats got two hits, an RBI and a double from Perry, while Paulino registered a couple of single with a run and RBI.

Getting the win for the Renegades was Moore (2-1) even though he allowed two runs, one earned, on three hits over 2.1 innings.  He also walked three and struck out three.  The loss fell to ValleyCats starter Manny Ramirez (0-2) after he allowed two runs on three hits over three innings with three punchouts.

The teams now come to Dutchess Stadium where the Renegades will begin a four-game homestand with the series finale against the Tri-City.  First-pitch is slated for 6:05.  Southpaw John Doxakis (0-0, 2.55 ERA) will take the hill for the Renegades against righty Kyle Serrano (0-4, 9.00 ERA) of the ValleyCats.  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.