BROOKLYN, NY-The Hudson Valley Renegades were two outs away from being swept by the Brooklyn Cyclones and losing their fourth-consecutive game. However, catcher Chris Betts wouldn't let it happen as his two-run homerun in the ninth inning tied the game and helped propel Hudson Valley to an 8-7 win in
BROOKLYN, NY-The Hudson Valley Renegades were two outs away from being swept by the Brooklyn Cyclones and losing their fourth-consecutive game. However, catcher Chris Betts wouldn't let it happen as his two-run homerun in the ninth inning tied the game and helped propel Hudson Valley to an 8-7 win in 10 innings Wednesday night at MCU Park. The victory snapped a three-game losing streak for the Renegades.
For the second consecutive night, it appeared the Renegades would squander multiple leads en route to another loss with Cyclones second baseman Jose Brizuela playing the hero. His homerun Tuesday proved to be the go-ahead run in a 7-5 win. On Wednesday, he followed up with a solo homerun in the sixth to give Brooklyn a 6-5 lead. The Cyclones added another run on a squeeze bunt from shortstop Angel Manzanarez, to make it 7-5.
However, with one out and nobody aboard in the ninth, first baseman Jacson McGowan drew a walk against relief pitcher Ronald Sanchez before Betts smacked his first dinger of the year over the rightfield wall to tie the game.
Hudson Valley took the lead in the 10th as leftfielder Bryce Brown started the inning at second, moved to third on a groundout, then scored on a sac fly to center by shortstop Ford Proctor.
The Renegades started the scoring in the first as a sacrifice fly from second baseman Tyler Frank scored third baseman Justin Bridgman to give the Renegades a 1-0 lead. Later in the inning, McGowan reached on a throwing error from Cyclones third baseman Brian Sharp. Betts stood in next and lined a double to right to bring McGowan in from first.
Brooklyn answered with two of their own in the bottom of the first. Three consecutive singles with one out loaded the bases before a 6-4 fielder's choice by Sharp scored the first run of the game for the Cyclones. Centerfielder Ross Adolph followed and grounded a single to center to score the next run and tie the game at two.
The Renegades retook the lead with two more runs in the fourth. A walk and ground-rule double put runners at second and third with two away before rightfielder Jake Stone roped a single to left to score both runners and put Hudson Valley ahead 4-2.
As in the first, Brooklyn came back with two of their own in bottom-half; all after two were out with the bases empty. After rightfielder David Miranda singled to right, catcher Kevin Hall smacked a double to left to score him from first. Manzanarez, followed with a single to center to score Hall and tie the game at four.
Brooklyn took the lead for the first time in the fifth on a bases-loaded, sacrifice fly with one out from Adolph. Hudson Valley responded with a run of their own in the sixth as a fielder's choice from Brown scored Betts to tie the game at five.
There were 27 hits in the game; 14 by Hudson Valley. Betts and Bridgman went 3-5 with Betts doubling, driving in three runs and scoring twice to go along with his homerun. Bridgman scored once and doubled as well. Brooklyn got three hits from designated hitter Dionis Paulino, including a double and run scored. Hall, Adolph and leftfielder Wagner Lagrange had two hits apiece. Lagrange scored twice, Adolph scored once and drove in two runs, and Hall doubled twice, scored once and drove in another run.
Reliever B.J. Myers (1-0) got the win for Hudson Valley after working out of two jams in two scoreless innings with five strikeouts. With runners at first and third and one out in a tied game in the ninth, he got strikeouts of Adolph and Miranda to keep the Renegades alive. In the 10th, he again had runners at the corners with one away before inducing a 1-6-3 double play ball from Brizuela to end the game. The loss went to Sanchez (0-1) who allowed three runs, two earned, on two hits in two innings.
The Renegades return to the Hudson Valley to kick off the home portion of their season when they face the Vermont Lake Monsters tomorrow. First-pitch is slated for 7:05p.m. and fireworks will follow the game. Right-hander Paul Campbell (1-0, 0.00 ERA) will go for the Renegades against fellow righty Brady Feigl (0-0, 0.00 ERA) of the Lake Monsters. Tickets can be purchased online at hvrenegades.com or by calling the ticket office at 845-838-0094.
