Extra Serving: Renegades use big 10th for victory
Lakewood, N.J. (June 9, 2023) — A five-run outburst in the top of the 10th inning led the Hudson Valley Renegades to an 8-4 victory over the Jersey Shore BlueClaws on Friday night at ShoreTown Ballpark. The BlueClaws took the lead in the bottom of the first as they jumped
Lakewood, N.J. (June 9, 2023) — A five-run outburst in the top of the 10th inning led the Hudson Valley Renegades to an 8-4 victory over the Jersey Shore BlueClaws on Friday night at ShoreTown Ballpark.
The BlueClaws took the lead in the bottom of the first as they jumped on Juan Carela two batters into the frame. After Nick Ward was hit by a pitch, Marcus Lee Sang drove him in with a triple to left-center. Two batters later, Andrick Nava lifted a sacrifice fly to center to score Lee Sang and give Jersey Shore a 2-0 lead.
In the bottom of the third, the BlueClaws tacked on another with a two-out rally off Carela comprised of a Rixon Wingrove single and a Nava double off the wall in right to extend the advantage to 3-0.
Carela settled down after that, and did not allow another run across his 5.2 innings of work. The right-hander walked only one and struck out 10, marking the second consecutive start that he reached double digits in strikeouts.
Hudson Valley broke through against Gunner Mayer in the top of the fourth. Anthony Garcia singled and advanced to third on a Grant Richardson double with one out. Eduardo Torrealba lined a 1-0 pitch into left for a single to plate Garcia and cut the deficit to 3-1.
The Renegades tied the game in the top of the sixth, as Grant Richardson tripled to score Spencer Henson and came home on a Torrealba sacrifice fly off Jason Ruffcorn to even the score at 3-3. Richardson finished the game 3-for-4 with two runs scored, a double, a triple and two RBIs.
The game stayed tied until the top of the 10th, when the Renegades erupted for five runs off Matt Russell and Tristan Garnett. Ben Cowles drove in automatic runner Kyle Battle with a single to right field to put the Renegades in front 4-3. Rafael Flores followed with a single, and after the runners advanced to second and third on a groundout, Henson was intentionally walked to load the bases for Richardson.
He hit a ground ball to first that he beat out for an infield single to score Cowles. Garnett then threw the live ball out of play thinking time was out, allowing Flores and Henson to score on the error, and Richardson to advance to third. Torrealba singled to plate Richardson and put Hudson Valley in front 8-3.
Jersey Shore scored a run in the bottom of the 10th off Indigo Diaz on a Nava RBI single, but the ‘Gades held on for a big victory in extra innings. By virtue of the win and a win by Greensboro, the Renegades remain in a virtual tie for first place in the SAL North with the Grasshoppers with 11 games to play in the first half.
Postgame Notes: In the team’s 55th game of the season, Juan Carela recorded the sixth double-digit strikeout game of the season for a Renegades pitcher. In 2022, the Renegades only had two such performances across 130 games… Carela became the second Renegade to strike out 10 in back-to-back starts this season, joining Chase Hampton who did so on May 27 and June 3.
Hudson Valley continues its series with Jersey Shore on Saturday night at ShoreTown Ballpark. First pitch is scheduled for 7:05 p.m., with pregame coverage beginning at 6:45 on the Renegades Baseball Network. The Renegades send RHP Chase Hampton (1-1, 3.05) to the hill, while the BlueClaws answer with LHP Jordan Fowler (3-1, 3.00).