'Gades Battery Takes Beating

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STATEN ISLAND, NY- Hudson Valley pitchers and catchers combined for four wild pitches and two passed balls as the Renegades dropped game two of their best-of-three New York-Penn League Semifinal Series to the Staten Island Yankees 4-1 Sunday afternoon at Richmond County Bank Ballpark. The loss ties the series at one game apiece, with a deciding game three set for Tuesday night at Staten Island.
Staten Island, again, drew first blood against Renegades starting pitcher Jacob Faria who was making a rehab start for the Tampa Bay Rays. Centerfielder Andy Diaz started the inning with a walk before shortstop Wilkerman Garcia moved him to second on a groundball single to right. Each man moved up a base after Faria threw into centerfield on a pickoff attempt at second. Rightfielder Timmy Robinson then stood in and roped a two-run double into the leftfield corner to give Staten Island a 2-0 lead.
Hudson Valley tried to get back into the game in the third inning. Rightfielder Angel Perez started the inning with an infield single to second. After two flyouts, centerfielder Carl Chester blooped a single into left-centerfield. Perez tried to go from first to third on the play, but was gunned down on a strong throw from Diaz to third baseman Welfrin Mateo to end the inning.
The Yankees added another run in the fourth thanks to some errant Renegades pitching. Mateo started the inning with a lined single into left. He then went to second and third on wild pitches from Faria. With one out, Faria was lifted from the game for right-hander Drew Strotman. With catcher Jason Lopez at the plate, one of Strotman's pitches got by Renegades catcher Zac Law for a passed ball. Mateo scored from third on the play to up the Yankees' lead to 3-0.
The Renegades had a chance to get back into the game in the fifth. With two out and nobody on, Perez laced a single to right. A walk to shortstop Taylor Walls and a third strike wild pitch to Brujan loaded the bases. However, Yankees starting pitcher Jonathan Loaisiga got centerfielder Carl Chester to groundout into a unassisted fielder's choice to third to end the threat.
More wild Hudson Valley pitching allowed Staten Island to plate another run in the sixth. First baseman Keith Skinner started the inning with a line drive single into left-centerfield. He then proceeded to score on another passed ball by Law and two wild pitches from Strotman to give Staten Island a 4-0 lead. It was the third, fourth and fifth wild pitches of the game for the Renegades.
Getting the win for Staten Island was Loaisiga (1-0) who allowed four hits in five scoreless innings. He also walked one and struck out four. Faria (0-1) suffered the loss for Hudson Valley after he allowed three runs, two earned, in 3.1 innings. He also allowed three hits and walked three, while striking out three more.
The Renegades outhit the Yankees nine to four. Leading the way for Hudson Valley was Perez who finished 3-4 with three singles and the lone RBI. Third baseman Deion Tansel chipped in by going 2-4 with a double. Nobody had more than one hit for the Yankees.
After an off day tomorrow, the Renegades will return to Staten Island on Tuesday for a winner-take-all game three against the Yankees. First-pitch is set for 7:00 p.m. Starters for neither team have been announced. Should the Renegades advance past this round, their next home game would be Wednesday against a team and time to-be-determined in the New York-Penn League Championship Series. Tickets can be purchased online at hvrenegades.com or by calling the ticket office at 845-838-0094.
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