Back-And-Forth Contest Favors Renegades 

With the Blue Rocks and Renegades scoring the same amount of runs through the series' first four games, Saturday was set to be a tightly contested ballgame.

The Renegades would take advantage of some poor defense in the top of the first. The first error of the inning put T.J. Rumfield on base off an errant throw by YoYo Morales. The second, more costly error occurred when second basemen Jose Sanchez would drop a flyball that would score Rumfield, providing Hudson Valley with an early 1-0 lead.

The tides would turn quickly, as an RBI double from Brandon Boissere would tie the game up with two outs. Four hitters straight, following the Blue Rocks’ first basemen, would reach base. A single from Jared McKenzie, an RBI single from Matt Suggs and a two-run single off the bat of Sanchez sandwiched a walk by Sammy Infante.

The entire Blue Rocks lineup would bat in the first en route to a three-run inning, and force Renegades starter Cam Schlittler’s night to conclude before recording three outs.

After a shutdown second inning from Brad Lord, Daylen Lile wasted no time getting another rally started during his second plate appearance. Lile would launch his second home run of the season over the right field wall, adding another insurance run to the Blue Rocks’ 4-1 lead.

Lile would showcase his speed in the top of the third, tracking down a deep line drive by Rumfield with an incredible jump to rob any semblance of a hit.

In the top of the fourth, Alexander Vargas would lead off with a single, steal second and third base, and score on a sacrifice fly from Christopher Familia. An RBI double by Cole Gabrielson later in the inning would bring the Renegades to within one run. Lord was able to work out of the inning before surrendering the Bue Rocks 4-3 lead.

Lord would find himself in trouble just two innings later. A fielding error by shortstop Kevin Made allowed Benjamin Cowles to reach safely. Lord would give up a single to Christopher Familia which left runners on first and third, and end his outing.

Richard Guasch would attempt to get out of the jam out of the bullpen, and at first, things looked promising as he struck out the first two batters he faced. But the Renegades were able to capitalize with two outs.

A triple to left centerfield by Anthony Hall scored two and gave Hudson Valley the lead. Jared Serna would drive him in with a triple of his own. 6-4 Renegades heading to the bottom of the sixth.

The Blue Rocks found themselves runners on first and third with just one out in the bottom half of the sixth but were unable to convert against Anderson Munoz.

Two more runs would cross in the ninth inning for the Renegades, and the Blue Rocks would pick up one run in the ninth but their last-inning comeback attempt was futile. They will host the Renegades on Sunday at 1 p.m. for their last home game of the season.