Missed Opportunities

WAPPINGERS FALLS, NY-The Hudson Valley Renegades struck out 13 times and left 11 runners stranded in a 5-1 loss to the Tri-City ValleyCats Thursday night from Dutchess Stadium. In addition, the Renegades squandered an opportunity to up their three-game McNamara Division lead after the Brooklyn Cyclones and Staten Island Yankees both lost.
The ValleyCats jumped on the Renegades with three runs in the third. Centerfielder Ramiro Rodriguez roped a double down the rightfield line to score leftfielder Logan Mattix from second with no one out to give Tri-City the lead. After back-to-back walks from Hudson Valley starter Miller Hogan loaded the bases, designated hitter Carlos Machado lined a single to right to score Rodriguez while Dennis was gunned down at the plate trying to score from second. First-baseman Nate Perry came up next and lined a single to center to bring in Valdez from second and give the ValleyCats a 3-0 lead.
Tri-City added an insurance run in the fifth as two singles and two groundouts made the score 4-0. Valdez came in from third on a groundball to short by catcher Alex Holderbach.
Hudson Valley, meanwhile, left runners all over the base-paths throughout the game. They left nine men on through the first five innings, including the bases loaded in the first and fifth. They were unable to score any runs despite Tri-City pitchers walking six batters.
The Renegades finally broke through when third-baseman, and newly acquired Renegades Kaleo Johnson, belted a monster homerun to left. It was a solo-shot and put Hudson Valley on the board.
But Tri-City came right back with a run in the seventh. Machado singled for the fourth time, stole second, went to third on a groundout, then scored on a two-out RBI single to left-center from Holderbach to make the score 5-1.
That was enough for the ValleyCats' pitchers as four hurlers held the Renegades to five hits. Reliever Jose Rivera (1-0) got the win with three shutout innings and six strikeouts on one hit. Hudson Valley starter Miller Hogan took the loss after he allowed three runs on five hits over three frames.
The ValleyCats had 11 hits for the game, including a 4-5 night for Machado who singled four times, scored a run and drove in another while stealing a base. Mattix went 2-4 with two singles, two stolen bases and a run scored. Rodriguez finished 2-4 with two doubles, a run scored and an RBI.
The Renegades, meanwhile, finished with six hits, including two infield singles from catcher Chris Betts.  
 
Hudson Valley takes on Tri-City in game two of their three-game series tomorrow night with a 7:05 start and there will be fireworks following the game. The Renegades will trot right-hander Easton McGee (5-3, 5.98 ERA) to the mound against fellow-righty Austin Hansen (2-2, 1.40 ERA) for the ValleyCats. Tickets can be purchased online at hvrenegades.com or by calling the ticket office at 845-838-0094.