NYPL Hudson Valley Renegades

Hudson Valley Withstands Charge from IronBirds to Win Seventh Straight

Published on August 24, 2012 under New York-Penn League (NYPL)
Hudson Valley Renegades News Release


WAPPINGERS FALLS (Friday, August 24): The Hudson Valley Renegades eked out a hard-fought 8-7 victory over the Aberdeen IronBirds Friday night in front of 4,439 fans at Dutchess Stadium. The Renegades (44-20) picked up their seventh win in a row, matching a season-best as they held off a charge from the visiting IronBirds (25-39). The scores for Aberdeen snapped the Hudson Valley shutout streak at a whopping 37 innings. The Renegades assumed a six-game lead in the McNamara Division of the New York-Penn League with their win and Brooklyn's 5-1 loss at Staten Island.

Hudson Valley opened the scoring in the bottom of the first. Center fielder Joey Rickard drew a leadoff walk from starter Jorge Rivera, and designated hitter Jake DePew singled Rickard to second. A ground ball by second baseman Tommy Coyle resulted in DePew being forced out at second, with Rickard winding up at third and Coyle at first. Third baseman Richie Shaffer blooped a single into shallow center field, scoring Rickard and giving the 'Gades an early 1-0 lead.

The Renegades expanded their advantage in the bottom of the fourth. Catcher Luke Maile led off with a ground-rule double over the center field wall, and moved to third on a one-out single by shortstop Leonardo Reginatto. First baseman Michael Williams lofted a sacrifice fly to left that scored Maile and gave Hudson Valley the 2-0 margin.

The 'Gades blew the game open in the bottom of the fifth. Rickard and DePew led off the inning with back-to-back singles off reliever Mark Blackmar, and advanced to third when Coyle flew out to center. Shaffer drew a walk to load the bases for Maile, who singled home Rickard and advanced the other runners one base. Left fielder Joel Caminero pounded a ground ball single through the middle, and three runs came home to score when center fielder Anthony Vega mishandled the ball. Caminero was thrown out trying to reach third, but the Renegades took a 6-0 lead out of the fifth inning.

Aberdeen began clawing back in the sixth. Creede Simpson smashed a leadoff homer to left off Renegades reliever Ian Kendall, and Torsten Boss singled through the right side. Boss swiped second with Joel Hutter at the plate, and Hutter hit an infield single to the right side that scored Boss when Coyle's throw to first went astray for an error. The Renegades evaded further damage in the inning, and exited the top of the sixth leading 6-2.

Hudson Valley put up a run in the bottom of the sixth, getting a runner on third with no outs when right fielder Charles Epperson's single to left was misplayed by Will Howard; the ball rolled to the wall and Epperson raced to third. With one out, DePew hit a slow roller up the first base line. Blackmar tried to flip it home for the tag, but Epperson slid in safely to make it 7-2 Renegades.

Aberdeen evened up the game in the seventh. With one out, Howard singled to right, and moved to third on a double from Hector Veloz. Kendall walked Anthony Vega to load the bases, and hit Simpson with a pitch to bring home Howard. Boss then drew a bases-loaded walk to score Veloz. That chased Kendall from the game in favor of Jose Molina (3-1), who induced a force-out from Hutter that scored Vega. Simpson moved to third and Hutter made it to first, with Boss retired at second for out number two. Sam Kimmel drew a walk to load the bases again, and Cameron Edman singled to left to score Simpson and Hutter and tie the ballgame at seven runs apiece. Molina finally got a ground out from Manuel Hernandez to end the inning.

The Renegades retook the lead in the bottom of the seventh. With one out, Reginatto bounced a single up the middle, and stole second base as Michael Williams struck out against Aberdeen reliever Jose Nivar (2-2). Epperson came up and smashed a two-out double to the base of the left-field wall, scoring Reginatto, and putting the 'Gades ahead by their final 8-7 lead.

Taylor Guerrieri took a no-decision despite a superb start for the Renegades, allowing three hits over five innings and whiffing seven; he hit two batters. Kendall gave up seven runs (six earned) on five hits and two walks in 1.1 innings. Molina got the win, allowing two hits and a walk in his 1.1 frames. Ryan Garton gave up just one hit against two strikeouts in 1.1 innings for his fifth save.

Rivera allowed two runs on four hits and two walks in four innings against four strikeouts; he did not factor in the decision. Blackmar coughed up five runs (four earned) on seven hits and a walk in two innings, fanning two. Nivar took the loss, with one run allowed on two hits against two strikeouts in a pair of innings on the hill.

The Renegades will try to make it eight straight wins Saturday when they take on Aberdeen again, with righty Eduar Quiñonez starting for Hudson Valley against IronBirds righty Brady Wager. It's "Apples to Apples" Night at the Dutch! Fans will get food, fun, and fireworks on a night sponsored by the ALS Society. First pitch is scheduled for 7:05, with Ben Gellman's pregame show set for 6:50 p.m. on 1450 and 1370 AM WKIP, as well as online at HVRenegades.com.

Great seats are still available for all of the remaining Renegades regular season games, and playoff tickets are also now on sale. Call the ticket office 845-838-0094 for information or go to www.hvrenegades.com.

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