Extra Painful

BURLINGTON, VT-When it goes bad, it really goes bad. The Hudson Valley Renegades squandered several opportunities as they lost their ninth game in a row Friday night to the Vermont Lake Monsters 1-0 in 15 innings from Centennial Field. To add insult to injury, getting the win for Vermont was their second baseman Jake Godard.
The lone run started after one out in the 15^th. Shortstop Ryan Gridley drew a walk off Renegades reliever Matt Vogel. Centerfielder James Terrell III then grounded a ball back to Vogel who tried to start a double play, but his throw to second sailed into centerfield sending Gridley to third and putting runners at the corners with one out. Vogel got pinch hitter Anthony Churlin to strike out swinging for the second out, and Terrell stole second to put runners at second and third with two out. That's when rightfielder Jack Meggs lined a single down the leftfield line to end the game.
Both teams had multiple opportunities to take control of the contest.
The Renegades had left no one on base through the game's first six innings after two baserunners were thrown out trying to steal in the first and fifth innings. Leftfielder Isaac Benard began the third with a double, but was thrown out trying to stretch the play into a triple. 
In the seventh, Hudson Valley put runners at the corners with two away following singles by shortstop Taylor Walls and catcher Zac Law before first baseman Matt Dacey struck out swinging to end the threat. 
In the eighth, a fielding error and walk put Renegades at first and second with two out. The next hitter, second baseman Vidal Brujan, struck out to end the inning though.
In the 10^th, Brujan led off with a double to left. After Walls struck out, Gustave reached on a catcher's interference call by Devencenzi. However, the next hitter, Law, roped a line drive that was caught by Meggs. Brujan, thinking the ball was going to drop, took off for third and was easily doubled off second following the catch.
In the 13^th, third baseman Bill Pujols started the inning with a double to left. He was bunted to third by Brujan, but Walls would strike out and rightfielder Emilio Gustave grounded back to the mound to end the inning.
In the 14^th, Godard came on to pitch for Vermont from second base. Runners got to first and second for the Renegades with two outs in the inning, before centerfielder Oscar Rojas flied out to center to end the threat.
As for the Lake Monsters, they started the first inning with singles by Godard and Meggs. With runners at first and second and one away, catcher Jordan Devencenzi singled to right. On the play, Renegades rightfielder Emilio Gustave came up throwing to first to try and retire Devencenzi. The throw was errant and Devencenzi made a turn at first. However, Law backed up the bad throw behind first and got Devencenzi into a rundown where he was eventually tagged out for out number two and runners at second and third. Designated hitter Roger Gonzalez followed that with a soft grounder back to starting pitcher Nick Padilla to end the frame.  
Devencenzi also doubled with two away in the sixth to before Padilla struck out Gonzalez to end the threat.
After not recording a hit after that for five innings, Vermont mounted another threat in the 11^th. With one out, Godard singled to center then moved to second as Meggs followed with a drag bunt single up the first base line. However, third baseman Will Toffey flied to left and Devencenzi lined out to short on a great backhand stab by Walls to finish the inning.
In the 12^th, first baseman Jarrett Costa laced a one-out triple past Gustave to put the winning run 90 feet away with one out. However, with the infield in, leftfielder Payton Squier grounded a ball to Walls who fired to third baseman Bill Pujols. Pinch-runner Jeramiah McCray tried to get back to the base but was tagged out just in time by Pujols for the second out. Shortstop Ryan Gridley then struck out swinging to end the inning.
Each team had 10 hits. Hudson Valley had two apiece by Law and Pujols, which included a double by the third baseman. Meggs finished 3-7 for the game with three singles and the lone RBI. Devencenzi, Godard and Gridley chipped in with two hits each, with Devencenzi picking up a double and Gridley scoring the game-winning run. Each team left 11 men on base.
Getting the win for Vermont was Godard (1-0) who pitched two innings of relief while allowing two hits and striking out one after playing the first 13 innings at second base. Vogel (1-3) suffered the loss for the third time in a week for Hudson Valley after allowing the unearned run on a hit. He also walked two and struck out two others.
On a bright note, Padilla was great again for Hudson Valley as he allowed no runs on six hits in six innings of work while striking out four on one walk. The Renegades struggling bullpen had a good night as relievers Drew Strotman and Hunter Schryver combined to throw seven innings of scoreless baseball while striking out seven. Strotman threw four hitless innings, while Schryver allowed three hits in three frames.
Vermont starter Abdiel Mendoza was scintillating as he went seven scoreless innings. He allowed no walks on four hits and struck out seven.   
Hudson Valley continues its series with Vermont tomorrow at Centennial Field with game two of their three-game series. First-pitch is scheduled for 6:05. Southpaw Resly Linares (0-1, 3.18 ERA) will pitch for the Renegades against righty Argenis Blanco (0-2, 5.02 ERA) of the Lake Monsters.   Hudson Valley returns home on July 11^th as they open a six-game homestand against the West Virginia Black Bears. Tickets can be purchased online at hvrenegades.com or by calling the ticket office at 845-838-0094.

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