Shutout: Renegades blank Blue Rocks 4-0 in opener
Wilmington, Del. (May 23, 2023) — Three Hudson Valley Renegades pitchers combined to throw the team’s first shutout of the season as they blanked the Wilmington Blue Rocks 4-0 on Tuesday night at Frawley Stadium. Joel Valdez (1-2) turned in the best start of his season, firing 6.0 shutout innings
Wilmington, Del. (May 23, 2023) — Three Hudson Valley Renegades pitchers combined to throw the team’s first shutout of the season as they blanked the Wilmington Blue Rocks 4-0 on Tuesday night at Frawley Stadium.
Joel Valdez (1-2) turned in the best start of his season, firing 6.0 shutout innings while allowing only three hits – all singles – three walks, and striking out three. It was the first time that the left-hander had completed six innings in his career, and was also his first scoreless start with the Renegades.
The Renegades gave him some support in the top of the second when Eduardo Torrealba crushed a solo home run to left off minor league rehabber Jackson Tetreault to open up a 1-0 lead.
Spencer Jones led off the top of the third with an opposite field double, and came home to score on the next pitch as Alexander Vargas laced an RBI triple to right. Vargas finished the night 3-for-4 with a run scored, a triple, and an RBI, his eighth multi-hit game of the season.
Hudson Valley tacked on another against Tetreault (0-1) in the frame when Aaron Palensky brought in Jones with a single to extend the lead to 3-0. Palensky finished the night 2-for-4 with a double and his team-leading 28th RBI of the season.
The ‘Gades added another run in the top of the ninth against Dustin Saenz, who threw the final six innings of the contest for the Blue Rocks, on a Torrealba RBI single. Torrealba went 2-for-4 with a run, a home run and two RBIs on the night.
After Valdez was done, Bailey Dees tossed two hitless innings of relief, striking out three, and Ryan Anderson finished off the win by working around an infield single and a walk in the ninth. Combined, the three Renegades pitchers allowed only four hits, a new season-low for the staff in a single game.
Hudson Valley continues its series with Wilmington on Wednesday morning at Frawley Stadium. First pitch is scheduled for 11:05 a.m., with pregame coverage beginning at 10:45 on the Renegades Baseball Network. RHP Tyrone Yulie (1-2, 6.11) takes the mound for the Renegades taking on Blue Rocks RHP Kyle Luckham (0-0, 3.00).