SAL Hudson Valley Renegades

HVR Game Notes - July 7, 2023

July 7, 2023 - South Atlantic League (SAL)
Hudson Valley Renegades News Release


Hudson Valley Renegades (45-33, 6-6) at Jersey Shore BlueClaws (40-37, 5-7)

RHP Zach Messinger (1-5, 2.98 ERA) vs. LHP Rafael Marcano (3-5, 4.72 ERA)

| Game 79 | Road Game 40 | ShoreTown Ballpark | Lakewood, N.J | July 7, 2023 | First Pitch 7:05 p.m. |

7TH OF JULY, LAKEWOOD:The Hudson Valley Renegades return to ShoreTown Ballpark for their second and final series in New Jersey this season. Hudson Valley took four of six from the BlueClaws in the first series matchup. The Renegades and BlueClaws are scheduled to play two series at Heritage Financial Park this season, from Aug. 8-13 and Sept. 5-10 to end the regular season.

LAST TIME OUT: The Hudson Valley Renegades are now riding a season-long six-game winning streak after holding off Jersey Shore 5-4 on Thursday night. Joel Valdez earned his second win of the season, allowing just two runs on three hits in 6.1 innings. Marcos Cabrera, Rafael Flores, and Grant Richardson each homered while Ben Cowles tallied three hits and drove in a pair of runs. Jack Neely also tossed a scoreless 1.2 innings out of the bullpen to preserve the victory.

DOMINANCE DOWN THE SHORE: Since July 4, 2022, the Hudson Valley Renegades have dominated at ShoreTown Ballpark, posting a 17-4 record in 21 games. This includes a six-game sweep from July 4-10, 2022. The only games won by the BlueClaws against the Renegades at home during the past 368 days were a pair of doubleheader sweeps, meaning the Renegades have not lost a 9-inning game in Lakewood since May 4, 2022.

GOING STREAKING: The Renegades are currently on a season-long six-game winning streak to start the month of July. Ironically, the season-long winning streak comes on the heels of a seven-game losing streak, the longest for the Renegades since 2017. The club's longest winning streak in 2022 was nine games from July 2-12, which included a six-game sweep of Jersey Shore.

BEST IN SHOW: Major League Baseball announced on Thursday that Drew Thorpe was named the South Atlantic League Pitcher of the Month for June after leading MiLB in ERA (0.31) among pitchers with at least 17.0 IP in the month. He is the first Renegade to win a monthly award since Randy Vásquez won High-A East Pitcher of the Month in August 2021. Additionally, Christopher Familia was announced as the Florida State League Player of the Month for his work with the Tampa Tarpons.

PAVING THE WAY:Since June 1st, the Hudson Valley Renegades pitching staff leads all of MiLB with 2.19 ERA in this span. Hudson Valley pitching has also punched out 362 batters in 270.2 innings, the top of the list as well.

SIT 'EM DOWN: After tossing a scoreless inning on Tuesday against Jersey Shore, LHP Clay Aguilar has extended his scoreless streak to over 10 appearances. The last run allowed by Aguilar came back on May 9 in Aberdeen. Over the course of the last 8.0 scoreless innings, the southpaw has struck out 14 and held opponents to an .087 average.

SEE YOU IN SEATTLE SPENCER:Last Monday, Major League Baseball announced that Renegades OF Spencer Jones was selected to represent the American League team in the SiriusXM All-Star Futures Game on July 8 at T-Mobile Park in Seattle. Jones becomes the 21st Renegades player all-time selected to play in the prestigious mid-summer Minor League showcase, and is poised to be the first-ever active Renegades player to appear in the game. In 2022, Renegades alumni Anthony Volpe, Ken Waldichuk and Jasson Domínguez all played in the Futures Game.

NEW KID ON THE BLOCK: Since his promotion from Single-A Tampa last Thursday, Agustin Ramírez is 12-for-30 (.400) with four doubles, one home run, three RBIs, one walk, and five runs in seven games. He recorded a hit and reached base safely in his first six games before being held hitless on Thursday night by Jersey Shore.

WE LOVE THE SHORE: Marcos Cabrera and Grant Richardson have feasted off the BlueClaws pitching this season. In seven games, Richardson is hitting .455/.556/.773 with two doubles, a triple, and a home run. While Cabrera leads the Renegades with 20 total bases against Jersey Shore and is slashing .450/.500/1.000 with two home runs and 8 RBIs. He's also collected three doubles and a triple while reaching base in all five games.

STARTERS AIN'T TOO SHABBY: Since May 31st against Aberdeen, the rotation for Hudson Valley has seen some outstanding pitching. In this span, Renegades starters own a 1.65 ERA (163.1 IP, 87 H, 38 R, 30 ER, 78 BB, 213 K), the best in Minor League Baseball in that span. The rotation leads also leads MiLB in strikeouts (213) and WHIP (1.01), while the 163.1 innings are good for fourth place.

CLOSE BUT NO CIGAR:The Renegades have played in 23 one-run games this season and they own an 10-13 record (.434) in those contests. In June, nine of the 13 Renegades' losses were decided by two runs or less. During their current six-game winning streak, two of their six victories have been decided by one run or less.

HOW LOW CAN THEY GO: The Hudson Valley Renegades pitching staff finished the month of June with the lowest ERA in MiLB at 2.16. The Vancouver Canadians (TOR--A+) finished a distant second at 2.43. The 'Gades also held the second-highest mark in strikeouts, punching out 287 batters in 220.2 innings. The Somerset Patriots (NYY--AA) sat fifth, with 272 K's in 229.0 innings and the Tampa Tarpons (NYY--A) struck out 254 batters, good for 16th.

CLIMBING THE LADDER:With a pair of hits on Wednesday against Jersey Shore, Eduardo Torrealba has tallied 124 career hits with the Renegades, good for second all-time. Angel Perez holds the franchise record with 125. Torrealba also appeared in his 151st contest as a Renegade on Sunday, passing Matt Spring for the most in franchise history.

THE K-ZONE:The Hudson Valley Renegades pitching staff has been dominant all season long at getting swings-and-misses and they have been rewarded for it. The 'Gades currently own the second-highest strikeout total in all of Minor League Baseball. The Chattanooga Lookouts (CIN--AA) have struck out 908 batters compared to 894 for Hudson Valley this year. On Sunday, the Renegades tied their season-high with 19 strikeouts against the Wilmington Blue Rocks. The mark also tied their franchise record, which they also recorded earlier this season on April 23rd versus the Rome Braves.

FROM START TO FINISH:On Monday night against the Wilmington Blue Rocks, RHP Drew Thorpe tossed a five-inning shutout in a rain shortened contest. It was the first complete game shutout by a Renegades starter since Aug. 23, 2009 when Jason McEachern threw a 7.0-inning shutout in Game 2 of a doubleheader against Staten Island.

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South Atlantic League Stories from July 7, 2023


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