WAPPINGERS FALLS, NY- It was Breakfast of Champions Night at Dutchess Stadium Tuesday evening, and after an 11-game losing streak the Renegades played like those champions as they topped the West Virginia Black Bears 7-4.West Virginia got on the board in the first inning. With two out and the bases
WAPPINGERS FALLS, NY- It was Breakfast of Champions Night at Dutchess Stadium Tuesday evening, and after an 11-game losing streak the Renegades played like those champions as they topped the West Virginia Black Bears 7-4.
West Virginia got on the board in the first inning. With two out and the bases empty, catcher Deon Stafford singled, stole as base, then scored as third baseman Dylan Busby provided the RBI single to centerfield, giving the Black Bears a 1-0 lead.
Hudson Valley, however, came back in a big way with a three-run second. Catcher Zac Law led off with a line drive double down the leftfield line. He went to third after first baseman Rafelin Lorenzo dribbled a single to left. Leftfielder Isaac Benard followed that with a sac fly to left to score Law and tie the game. The next hitter, rightfielder Angel Perez, then grounded to short where Lorenzo was retired on a fielder's choice at second, however the throw to first by West Virginia second baseman Tristan Gray was errant and Perez went to second on the error. Designated hitter Matt Eureste came up next and rifled a triple down the rightfield line to score Perez and give the Renegades a 2-1 lead. Eureste scored after third baseman Bill Pujols and lined a single into right to make it 3-1.
The Renegades added to their lead in the third with a single run. With one out, shortstop Taylor Walls drew a walk then scored on a double to left by Law to make the score 4-1 Hudson Valley.
West Virginia crept back into the game by plating two runs in the fourth. With one out, Busby doubled down the leftfield line. He scored when Gray roped a doubled off the rightfield wall to bring the Black Bears to within two. The throw to the plate got by second baseman Vidal Brujan got by Law and allowed Gray to go to third. From there, rightfielder Jared Oliva grounded to short to bring in Gray and make the count 4-3.
However, Hudson Valley wouldn't be denied as they put up three more runs in the fifth inning to put the game away. With one out, centerfielder Emilio Gustave singled to left. Two hitters later, with two away, Gustave stole second and Law drew a walk to put runners at first and second with two out. That's when Lorenzo provided the big blow with a three-run homer over the leftfield wall to give the Renegades a 7-3 lead. It was his second dinger of the year.
The Black Bears tried to make another comeback by scoring another run in the seventh. Designated hitter Bligh Madris started the inning with a double to right-centerfield. First baseman Jose Barraza followed with a single to left to put runners at the corners with no one out. But then, reliever Hunter Schryver got a huge 4-6-3 double play ball off the bat off the bat of shortstop Robbie Glendinning. Madris scored on the play, but the twin-killing killed West Virginia's rally as Hudson Valley still led 7-4.
After that, Hudson Valley's much maligned bullpen was scintillating as Schryver and the newly added Zack Mozingo retired the last seven Black Bears hitters to end the game. The pair struck out four West Virginia hitters over that span.
The Renegades had seven hits including a 2-4 performance from Lorenzo who homered, singled, drove in three runs, scored another and grounded into a double play. Law chipped in with a 2-4 performance. He doubled twice, walked, drove in a run, and scored twice. West Virginia had eight hits. Busby had two of them with a double, single, run scored and RBI. Gray went 2-3 with a double, single, RBI and run scored.
Hudson Valley starter Jhonleider Salinas (1-0) got the win after allowing three runs, two earned on five hits in five innings. He also walked one and struck out six on the evening. The loss fell to Black Bears starter Gavin Wallace who allowed five earned runs on six hits in 4.2 innings while striking out five. Mozingo recorded his first save for the Renegades as he retired all five hitters he faced in 1.2 innings, striking out two.
Hudson Valley continues their homestand tomorrow in game two of their three-game series against the West Virginia. Renegades right-hander Mikey York (1-1, 2.25 ERA) will take on southpaw Ike Schlabach (1-2, 2.70 ERA) of the Black Bears. Tickets can be purchased online at hvrenegades.com or by calling the ticket office at 845-838-0094.
