Jones homers, Renegades capture 8-1 Opening Night victory

WAPPINGERS FALLS, N.Y. (April 7, 2023) — The Hudson Valley Renegades downed the Greensboro Grasshoppers 8-1 on Opening Night on Friday at Heritage Financial Park.

Spencer Jones opened up the scoring with a solo home run off the batters’ eye in the third inning. Jones finished his High-A debut 2-for-4 with a home run, a double and two RBIs.

Welcome to High-A, Spencer Jones!

The first hit of the season for the Renegades is a MONSTER Homerun to dead center 🤯 pic.twitter.com/d2CgVHgHwW

— Hudson Valley Renegades (@HVRenegades) April 7, 2023

Greensboro tied the game in the fifth on Jase Bowen double off Zach Messinger to drive in Will Matthiessen. That was the only blemish against Messinger, who allowed just one run on three hits while striking out five and walking one in his High-A debut.

Harold Cortijo (1-0) worked in and out of trouble in the sixth before striking out Ernny Ordonez to leave the bases loaded. That would be the last threat for Greensboro in the contest.

Hudson Valley capitalized in the bottom half of the frame against Mitchell Miller (0-1). With the bases loaded, Ben Rice singled home Anthony Garcia and Caleb Durbin to hand the Renegades a 3-1 lead.

The Renegades struck for five more in the bottom of the eighth. The scoring was highlighted by a Marcos Cabrera two-run triple and a Jones RBI double. A pair of runs also scored on wild pitches in the inning.

Hudson Valley and Greensboro square off in game two of the three-game series Saturday at Heritage Financial Park. The Renegades will send RHP Juan Carela while he will go opposite RHP Bubba Chandler for the Grasshoppers. First pitch is scheduled for 4:05 p.m. Coverage begins on the Renegades Baseball Network at 3:45.