Late Inning Pitching Meltdown Leads To Third Loss of Series

LATE INNING PITCHING MELTDOWN LEADS TO THIRD LOSS OF SERIES

The Renegades were able to shut down the Wilmington Blue Rocks bats for the first 7 innings but collapsed and allowed five runs n the top of the 9th, ultimately leading to a 6-5 loss on Friday night.

Mitch Spence was electric for the 'Gades, playing in front of a season-high crowd of 4,778, as he delivered five innings of scoreless baseball, allowing five hits, two walks and five strikeouts.

The Renegades struck first in the bottom of the first when they scored off of a wild pitch from Blue Rocks pitcher Joan Adon. The errant toss scored Anthony Volpe.

The 'Gades wouldn't score again until the bottom of the fifth, but they did so in a big way. Josh Breaux launched his 16th homer of the season and extended the lead to 4-0.

Charlie Ruegger came in to relieve Spence, and he picked up right where Spence left off, throwing 1.2 innings, allowing one hit and striking out two.

Derek Craft came in in the 8th inning but did not have the outing he hoped for, allowing three runs on three hits, striking out two and walking one in two innings.

The lead was cut to 4-3 after a two-run homer by Justin Connell with two outs in the ninth. Trevor Holloway (1-1) relieved Craft with one on and immediately walked two batters but got out of the jam when Kyle Macdonald fielded a bouncer from Drew Mendoza and flipped it to Holloway.

The ballgame was over. Or was it?

Upon further review, the ball was foul, and the runners went back to their positions. Mendoza worked out a walk to tie the game. Omar Meregildo singled in two on the next pitch.

The Renegades scored a run in the bottom of the 9th off of an Anthony Volpe sac fly, but it wouldn't be enough and the 'Gades lost their third game of the series.

The two teams will be back in action tomorrow. First pitch is at 5:05.