SAL Hudson Valley Renegades

Renegades Game Notes

May 15, 2024 - South Atlantic League (SAL)
Hudson Valley Renegades News Release


Hudson Valley Renegades (16-15) vs Jersey Shore BlueClaws (20-14)

RHP Baron Stuart (0-1, 4.50 ERA) vs. LHP Sam Aldegheri (3-0, 0.64 ERA)

| Game 32 | Home Game 14 | Wednesday, May 15, 2024 | Heritage Financial Park | Wappingers Falls, N.Y. | First Pitch 11:05 a.m. |

TV: MiLB.tv & Bally Live App

Radio: WBPM 96.5 FM - Beacon, WGHQ 92.5 FM/920 AM Kingston, W232DQ 94.3 FM Peekskill, WBNR 1260 AM - Beacon, WLNA 1420 AM - Peekskill

Internet Radio: www.hvrenegades.com/broadcast

IT IS FINALLY OVER!: The Renegades return home after a difficult two-week road trip to Wilmington and Aberdeen. There were 12 games scheduled, but only ten games were played, after two consecutive postponements due to rain in Wilmington on May 4 and 5. After exploding offensively in the first two games against the Blue Rocks, much of the road trip was a struggle for Hudson Valley. They lost the last two games played against Wilmington, and then dropped the first five games of their series with the IronBirds. The seven game-losing streak was tied for the longest skid in the Yankees Era (2021-present). Hudson Valley did take the final game of the series 4-3 in a thrilling win to return home on a high note.

PLAYING SPOILER: With an 8-5 victory on Tuesday night, Hudson Valley snapped Jersey Shore's 11-game win streak. The BlueClaws' 11 consecutive victories represented the longest streak n the minors in 2024. After trailing 4-1 in the fourth inning, the Renegades struck for three runs to tie game, featuring a Kiko Romero two-run single. In the sixth, the Renegades had a four-run frame to take the lead for good. Nelson Medina notched a single that knocked in two, and Roc Riggio added an RBI hit of his own. Hueston Morrill and Cole Ayers combined for four innings of one-run ball out of the bullpen. Ayers recorded the final seven outs without allowing a baserunner, striking out four Jersey Shore batters.

THE RETURN: The Jersey Shore BlueClaws return to Heritage Financial Park for the first time in 2024 this week. Jersey Shore and Hudson Valley were very evenly matched last year, with both teams winning 12 of 24 regular season games against one another. Days after the two teams concluded the regular calendar with a six-game series, the Renegades and BlueClaws faced off in the South Atlantic League North Division Series, with the Renegades winning the best-of-three series with two consecutive wins at home. The two divisional foes will face off 24 times again this season.

RAIN, RAIN, GO AWAY: After two games were postponed at Wilmington on May 4th and 5th, the Renegades have had five road games postponed due to rain already this season. During the first road trip of the season vs. Rome, there were three games rescheduled, including one game was canceled after a prolonged rain storm in Georgia. Hudson Valley will now play eight games in six days vs. Wilmington from June 4-9. Last week, there was also rain sporadically during the Aberdeen series, but despite delays, all six games were completed as scheduled. The 'Gades have played only 30 games, at least one game less than the rest of the SAL North, and three less games than Brooklyn, Jersey Shore, and Aberdeen.

AT LAST: The Renegades snapped a seven-game losing streak on Sunday, tallying 11 hits in a 4-3 victory over the IronBirds. Four players had multi-hit games for Hudson Valley, including Jared Serna, who was 3-for-4 with an RBI and a run scored. Serna's RBI double in the top of the ninth broke a 3-3 tie, scoring Kyle Battle on what proved to be the winning run. The Renegades trailed 3-0 into the sixth, before scoring four runs in the final four frames to take the victory.

ROAD BIG FLIES: The Renegades displayed tremendous power during the 10 games of the road trip. Hudson Valley clobbered 12 home runs on the road, nearly matching its total of 13 long balls through 20 games. Despite two games being postponed, those 12 home runs rank fourth in the South Atlantic League during that span. Jared Serna produced a three-homer game at Wilmington, and Jesús Rodríguez showed off his power with four home runs during the road trip. As a team, the Renegades also have a .841 OPS since April 30, which is the best mark in the South Atlantic League.

HE WENT TO JARED: Jared Serna had a sensational road trip for Hudson Valley at the plate. During the 10 games of the trip, Serna batted .348 with 14 RBIs, eight runs scored, and a 1.052 OPS. During last Wednesday's 13-10 victory at Wilmington, he hit three two-run homers, driving in six runs and scoring three runs. Serna is just the third Renegades player since 2005 to hit three home runs in a game, and first since Everson Pereira on Sept. 5, 2021 at Greensboro. Serna has hit all five of his long balls on the road this season. He is third in the South Atlantic League in RBIs with 23, and is tied for fifth in the SAL with 20 runs scored. Serna more than doubled his season RBI total in 10 games.

LATE NIGHT BASEBALL: Saturday's game between the Renegades and IronBirds was delayed two hours and 41 minutes due to inclement weather in Northern Maryland. Both teams agreed to make the matchup a seven-inning affair consider the delayed start time. The first pitch was thrown at 9:46 P.M. With the score tied 5-5 after seven innings, the game was forced to go into extra innings. Aberdeen secured the 6-4 victory in the bottom of the eighth. The game reached its conclusion at 12:32 A.M. on Sunday, five hours and 27 minutes after the originally scheduled first pitch.

THE 'PEN IS MIGHTIER: The Renegades bullpen collectively sports a 2.80 ERA (44 ER/141.1 IP) this season, the third-best mark in High-A and eighth-best mark in the minors. Renegades relievers have combined for 11.8 K/9 this season. Over the last two games, through 9.1 innings, the bullpen has combined to allow just one earned run across three hits.

LIMITING HITS & RUNS: Hudson Valley pitchers have been on a roll, and have allowed only 192 hits through 31 games. The Renegades have allowed the fewest hits in MiLB, six fewer than the Carolina Mudcats (MIL, A). Incredibly, Amarillo (AZ, AA) has allowed a staggering 322 hits through 34 games, most among all non-AAA teams. The team's 3.48 ERA is the ninth-best mark in High-A. Hudson Valley has recorded 9+ strikeouts in 13 of their last 17 games. Renegades pitching struck out 14 batters on Sunday, including a career-high eight punchouts for starter Ben Shields.

OVER A DECADE OF SUCCESS: With a 70-62 (.530) record in 2023, the Hudson Valley Renegades recorded their 11th consecutive season with an above .500 record (since 2012). During that span, the team has won two league championships (2012 and 2017), seven playoff appearances (12, 14, 16-19, 23), and five league championship series appearances (12, 16-18, 23). Including their 9-6 start to 2024, among teams in affiliated baseball with at least 800 games, the Renegades have the best winning percentage (.573) in MiLB.

FINISHING STRONG: Over his last 14 games of the 2023 regular season, Jesús Rodríguez went 19-for-53 (.358) with two doubles, a triple, two home runs, 9 RBIs, and seven runs scored. Rodríguez has carried that success into the 2024 season by reaching base safely in twenty-four of his first twenty-nine games. Over his last fifteen games, Rodríguez is hitting .367 with nine extra-base hits, 14 RBIs, a .667 slugging percentage, and a 1.085 OPS. On the season, the Renegades infielder is currently batting .330 with five home runs and 19 RBIs with a .916 OPS on the young season, and already has thirteen multi-hit games, the most on the team. On Tuesday at Aberdeen, Rodríguez was 3-for-4 with two home runs and three RBIs. His 38 hits are the second most in the South Atlantic League, despite the Renegades playing less games than their divisional foes, and his batting average ranks second. Rodríguez's 59 total bases are the highest tally in the SAL.

MIDWEST REINFORCEMENTS: Jace Avina debuted with the Renegades on April 17 after being traded to New York for Jake Bauers in November from Milwaukee. The 20-year-old has quickly made a big impact for the Renegades. He is currently in the midst of a 20-game on-base streak, which is tied for the longest in the South Atlantic League with Kristian Campbell of Greenville. Avina is off to a 23-for-79 (.291) start with eight doubles, 10 walks and 12 runs scored and a .862 OPS in twenty-one games. On April 30 at Wilmington, the Sparks, Nevada native had a 3-for-6 outing, featuring his second home run of the season, two doubles, and two RBIs. The Spanish Springs High School graduate was the Arizona Complex League MVP in 2022.

OFFENSIVE ASSISTANCE: Rafael Flores has made an instant impact for the Renegades since being reinstated off the IL on May 10. In the final two games of the Aberdeen series, Flores had four hits with two doubles, two RBIs, and three walks. His RBI single in the sixth inning on Sunday ignited the three-run comeback in the late innings for Hudson Valley in their 4-3 victory. Flores added a sacrifice fly and a run scored on Tuesday.

INTERNATIONAL OUTREACH: The Hudson Valley Renegades and the Bhutan Baseball & Softball Association have partnered to present Bhutan Night on August 20 at Heritage Financial Park. The team is currently fundraising to bring over several Bhutanese baseball players for baseball and cultural enrichment tour of the Hudson Valley and New York. More details on the night can be found at www.hvrenegades.com/bhutan.

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