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Bullpen Struggles Continue

Renegades Fall as Pen Squanders Lead
July 15, 2017

WAPPINGERS FALLS, NY-Hudson Valley's bullpen struggled again as the Renegades fell to the Mahoning Valley Scrappers 6-2 on Saturday at Dutchess Stadium.Starters Resly Linares of Hudson Valley and Gregori Vasquez of Mahoning Valley kept the game scoreless through the first five innings before the Scrappers finally got on the board

WAPPINGERS FALLS, NY-Hudson Valley's bullpen struggled again as the Renegades fell to the Mahoning Valley Scrappers 6-2 on Saturday at Dutchess Stadium.
Starters Resly Linares of Hudson Valley and Gregori Vasquez of Mahoning Valley kept the game scoreless through the first five innings before the Scrappers finally got on the board off reliever Eduard Rosillo in the sixth. Back-to-back singles by third baseman Nolan Jones and leftfielder Oscar Gonzalez started the inning, then a walk to first baseman Ulysses Cantu loaded the bases. That's when a passed ball got by Hudson Valley catcher Zac Law to score Jones and give the Scrappers a 1-0 lead. 
Fortunately, that was all the Scrappers got as the Renegades plated two in the bottom of the sixth to take the lead. With two out and the bases empty, the Scrappers lifted Vasquez for reliever Kyle Nelson who promptly hit leftfielder Isaac Benard with a pitch. The next batter, rightfielder Emilio Gustave, then sent Nelson's next offering over the leftfield wall for his team-leading third homer of the year to give the Renegades a 2-1 lead.
Unfortunately, the lead didn't stick as the bullpen continued to struggle. In the seventh, Rosillo hit designated hitter Dillon Persinger with a pitch then went to second on a wild pitch. Shortstop Ernie Clement followed with an RBI single to right to tie the game. 
Rosillo was replaced by Blake Pflughaupt who allowed a bloop single to left by centerfielder Austen Wade to put runners at first and second with still no one out. After a sacrifice bunt from second baseman Samad Taylor moved the runners to second and third, Jones grounded a ball to Renegades second baseman Vidal Brujan. With Clement charging from third, Brujan fired home hoping to get an out at the plate, however Clement beat the throw to give the Scrappers a 3-2 lead. Gonzalez followed with an RBI single of his own to make the score 4-2 in favor of Mahoning Valley.
The Scrappers added two more runs off of Hudson Valley's fourth pitcher, Matt Vogel, in the eighth. Catcher Simeon Lucas single and Persinger was hit with a pitch to start the inning. After a sacrifice bunt by Clement moved them to second and third with one out, Wade grounded a single past a drawn-in infield to left to score Persinger and move Clement to third. Taylor followed with a sac fly to center to score Clement and make the final count 6-2.
Hudson Valley had only five hits in the game. First baseman Matt Eureste went 2-4 with a double. Gustave's homerun was the only other extra-base hit for the Renegades. Mahoning Valley had seven hits, including two singles apiece by Wade and Gonzalez. Wade went 2-3 with two walks, an RBI and run scored. Gonzalez went 2-5 with an RBI.
The win went to Mahoning Valley's Nelson (1-0) despite allowing two earned runs on a hit in 1.1 innings. The loss went to Hudson Valley's Rosillo (0-2) after he allowed three runs, two earned, on three hits in only one inning of work. Though he did not get a save, Johnathan Teaney of Mahoning Valley tossed two scoreless innings to finish the game, striking out five of the seven men he faced and hitting a batter. There were four hit batters in the game, two for each team.
Though they did not figure into the decision, each teams' starting pitcher performed well. Linares fired five hitless innings for the Renegades and allowed no runs while striking out four and walking four more. He retired the last eight men he faced. The Scrappers' Vasquez tossed 5.2 scoreless inning and allowed four hits and a walk. He also struck out two.
The Renegades' bullpen combined to allow six runs, five earned, on seven hits in four innings. They also walked two and struck out five amongst the three hurlers.
Hudson Valley wraps up its six-game homestand as they take on Mahoning Valley in the finale of their three-game series tomorrow. First-pitch is slated for 5:05. Renegades righthander Austin Franklin (1-0, 1.86 ERA) will take on fellow righty Zach Plesac (0-0, 1.38 ERA) of the Scrappers. Tickets can be purchased online at hvrenegades.com or by calling the ticket office at 845-838-0094.
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