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Early Offense: Hot start sends Renegades to 9-3 triumph

Gabrielson homers and drives in two in High-A debut
Jesus Rodriguez clubs his second home run of the season on Wednesday night. (Dave Janosz)
August 30, 2023

Wilmington, Del. (Aug. 30, 2023) — The Hudson Valley Renegades offense slugged 14 hits in a 9-3 victory over the Wilmington Blue Rocks on Wednesday night at Frawley Stadium. Hudson Valley erupted for two runs on five hits in the second. Jake Bennett recorded the first two outs quickly before

Wilmington, Del. (Aug. 30, 2023) — The Hudson Valley Renegades offense slugged 14 hits in a 9-3 victory over the Wilmington Blue Rocks on Wednesday night at Frawley Stadium.

Hudson Valley erupted for two runs on five hits in the second. Jake Bennett recorded the first two outs quickly before the next four batters singled with the last two hits from Cole Gabrielson and Rafael Flores scoring runs to place Hudson Valley ahead 2-0.

The Blue Rocks cut the deficit in half at 2-1 after an RBI double from Matt Suggs in the bottom of the second against Brock Selvidge.

Hudson Valley responded with a five-run third against Bennett (0-3). The Renegades tallied five runs on five hits with the frame highlighted by an RBI double from T.J. Rumfield, and a solo home run from Gabrielson to stretch the lead to 7-1. In his High-A debut, Gabrielson finished the night 2-for-4 with a home run, two RBIs, and a run scored.

Wilmington trimmed the lead to 7-3, by plating two runs in the third – the first on a fielder’s choice from Murphy Stehly and the second on a sacrifice fly from Jared McKenzie. Selvidge (3-1) finished his outing striking out three and walking three in 5.0-plus innings.

Anthony Hall walked to begin the fourth before Jesus Rodriguez blasted a two-run home to centerfield to extend the Renegades lead to 9-3. Rodriguez finished the night 2-for-4 with a run scored, a home run and three RBIs.

In relief, Anderson Munoz struck out four in two scoreless frames before giving way to Harrison Cohen for the final two innings. The right-hander struck out the first two batters in the ninth before loading the bases on two walks sandwiched around an infield single. However, Cohen struck out McKenzie to end the contest to pick up his sixth strikeout.

Ben Cowles racked up two singles in the victory to extend his on-base streak to 40 games, the longest active streak in the minor leagues and eighth-longest in MiLB this season. In the contest, all nine Renegades batters in the lineup recorded at least one hit.

The Renegades and Blue Rocks continue their six-game series on Thursday. First pitch is scheduled for 6:35 p.m., with pregame coverage beginning at 6:15 on the Renegades Baseball Network. RHP Yorlin Calderon makes his High-A debut for Hudson Valley, opposed by of RHP Bryan Caceres (0-5, 8.78) for Wilmington.