Gonzo Goes 'K'razy

Hudson Valley Renegades starting pitcher Edisson Gonzalez struck out 10 over six brilliant innings of work as the Renegades defeated the Tri-City ValleyCats 4-0 Thursday night from Joseph L. Bruno Stadium. Gonzalez and reliever Shay Smiddy combined to strike out 12 ValleyCats overall. It was the Renegades first shutout of the season. 

TROY, NY- Hudson Valley Renegades starting pitcher Edisson Gonzalez struck out 10 over six brilliant innings of work as the Renegades defeated the Tri-City ValleyCats 4-0 Thursday night from Joseph L. Bruno Stadium. Gonzalez and reliever Shay Smiddy combined to strike out 12 ValleyCats overall. It was the Renegades first shutout of the season.  
 
Hudson Valley started the scoring in the third inning thanks to some timely two-out hitting. With one away, leftfielder Garrett Hiott laid down a beautiful bunt single up the third base line. He would advance to second on a two-out balk from Tri-City starting pitcher Peyton Battenfield before rightfielder Beau Brundage lined an RBI single to left to give the Renegades an early 1-0 lead. 
 
The closest Tri-City came to scoring was on two occasions. In the fourth, a two-out single and hit-by-pitch put runners at first and second before Gonzalez got designated hitter Korey Lee to strike out swinging. In the eighth, centerfielder E.P. Reese stood on first after a single with two away, then stole second. However, the umpires ruled the batter, Luis Santana, interfered with Hudson Valley catcher Jonathan Embry on his throw to second to eliminate the stolen base and end the inning.  
 
Hudson Valley then put the game away by putting three more runs on the board in the ninth against Tri-City reliever Luis De Paula. Shortstop Nick Sogard ledoff the inning with a groundball double to right. Centerfielder K.V. Edwards followed with a walk, and moved up on a sacrifice bunt by third baseman Luis Arcendo. Coming up next was second baseman Cristhian Pedroza who drilled a two-run double off the left-centerfield wall to up the Renegades` lead to 3-0. Two batters later, designated hitter Greg Jones drove in Pedroza with a double of his own to center. It was the third double of the inning and made the final 4-0. 
 
The story though was Gonzalez who allowed only two hits and walked no one over his six frames to get his first win of the season (12). After he departed, it was Smiddy and fellow-reliever Andrew Gross who combined to fire the final three innings of the contest. The loss fell to Battenfield (0-1) who allowed a run on four hits in four innings. 
 
The Renegades finished with seven hits as Jones and Sogard had two apiece. Jones doubled and drove in a run, while Sogard also doubled and scored once. Tri-City, meanwhile, was held to only four singles.   
 
The Renegades and ValleyCats now come to Dutchess Stadium to play the final two games of their three-game series with the first contest slated for tomorrow at 7:05 p.m. There will be fireworks following the game. Right-hander John Doxakis (0-0, 0.00 ERA) will start for Hudson Valley against at to-be-determined pitcher for Tri-City. Tickets are on sale and can be purchased online at hvrenegades.com, in person at the Dutchess Stadium ticket window, or by calling the ticket office at 845-838-0094.