Renegades Rally, Beat Birds 4-3
Manager Jared Sandberg pushed all the right buttons down the stretch for Hudson Valley (20-13), which won its third one-run ballgame in a row against the IronBirds (11-22) to secure a series victory. The win also ties Hudson Valley with the Brooklyn Cyclones atop the McNamara Division in the New York-Penn League after the Cyclones lost 3-1 to Staten Island earlier in the evening. The Renegades had not previously won after trailing heading into the ninth inning.
Aberdeen drew first blood in the bottom of the second. Leadoff man Christian Walker laced a grounder through the middle for a single, and Joel Hutter walked to put runners on first and second against Renegades starter Jeff Ames. A wild pitch by Ames advanced the baserunners to second and third, and Will Howard hit a sacrifice fly to right to score Walker. The Renegades were able to escape without any more runs coming across, keeping the deficit at 1-0.
Hudson Valley was able to tie the ballgame almost immediately. Left fielder Marty Gantt drew a one-out walk from Aberdeen starter Juan Guzman in the top of the third. After designated hitter Justin O'Conner struck out looking, second baseman Tommy Coyle shredded a triple to right-center field that plated Gantt to knot the score back up at 1-1.
The IronBirds retook the lead in the fifth. With one out, Scott Kalush worked a walk, and Anthony Vega doubled him to third base. Roderick Bernadina hit a sacrifice fly to right field that scored Kalush and gave Aberdeen the 2-1 lead. Ryan Adams lined a single to center that scored Vega to extend the lead to 3-1 before Adams was tagged out trying to stretch the single into a double.
The Renegades put runners on the corners with two outs in the top of the eighth inning, threatening the Aberdeen lead. But IronBirds reliever Alex Schmarzo managed to quell the threat in that frame, getting first baseman Luke Maile to strike out swinging to end the inning.
Hudson Valley finally took the lead in the top of the ninth. With new reliever Bobby Wilkins (1-1) on the mound for the IronBirds, right fielder Joel Caminero led off with a single through the right side. After shortstop Leonardo Reginatto struck out looking, catcher Jake DePew singled to right to advance Caminero to second. Sandberg pulled DePew in favor of pinch runner Joey Rickard. Center fielder Deshun Dixon came through with his speedy teammates on base, blasting a two-run double to left field that tied the ballgame and left Dixon himself in scoring position with one out.
Sandberg inserted Ryan Dunn as a pinch hitter for Felix Gonzalez, and the move worked; Dunn drew a walk to put runners on first and second with one out for Gantt. The Renegades left fielder lined a single up the middle that plated Dixon for the go-ahead run, giving Hudson Valley a 4-3 lead. That would be enough in the bottom of the ninth, as Marcus Jensen slammed the door with a perfect frame.
Renegades starter Jeff Ames took a no-decision, allowing three runs on four hits and four walks over five frames; he struck out two. Jose Molina worked two scoreless innings, giving up just a hit and a walk. Kris Carlson (1-1) took the victory with a scoreless eighth inning where he walked one. Jensen closed the ballgame for his fifth save, striking out two in the ninth.
Guzman took a no-decision despite a superb start, allowing a run on four hits and a walk over six innings while striking out eight. Schmarzo threw two scoreless innings, striking out two against two hits and a walk. Wilkins coughed up three runs on four hits and a walk in the ninth, recording his only out on a whiff. Jesse Fernandez issued a walk and picked up two outs to finish the top of the ninth for Aberdeen.
The Renegades will go for the sweep Sunday against the IronBirds. First pitch from Ripken Stadium is at 5:35 p.m., with righty Jesse Hahn going for Hudson Valley against lefty Cameron Coffey for Aberdeen. Ben Gellman's pregame show begins at 5:20 p.m. on 1450 and 1370 AM WKIP, as well as online at HVRenegades.com.