SAL Hudson Valley Renegades

Renegades Game Notes

Published on May 16, 2024 under South Atlantic League (SAL)
Hudson Valley Renegades News Release


Hudson Valley Renegades (17-15) vs Jersey Shore BlueClaws (20-15)

RHP Jackson Fristoe (0-1, 5.79 ERA) vs. RHP Estibenzon Jimenez (2-4, 5.59 ERA)

| Game 33 | Home Game 15 | Thursday, May 16, 2024 | Heritage Financial Park | Wappingers Falls, N.Y. | First Pitch 6:35 p.m. |

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

TV: MiLB.tv & Bally Live App

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.

RECORD CROWD: On Wednesday, the Renegades welcomed a raucous sellout crowd of 5,619 on Education Day. It was the largest crowd in Renegades history, and the largest crowd in the history of Heritage Financial Park. It eclipsed the previous largest crowd of 5.601 on 7/3/2015 vs Brooklyn, and was the seventh time that the Renegades announced over 5,500 fans in attendance for a game.

PLAYING SPOILER: Hudson Valley has now taken the first two games of the series with Jersey Shore. As a team, the Renegades have a .841 OPS since April 30, which is the best mark in the South Atlantic League. Striking for their third consecutive contest of 8+ hits, the Renegades scored early and often in an 9-3 win Wednesday. Rafael Flores and Josh Moylan both had multiple RBI hits, and drove in three runs. Hudson Valley had three multi-run innings, scoring three in third and fifth, and two in the eighth. 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 in the minors in 2024. After trailing 4-1 in the fourth inning, the Renegades struck for three runs to tie the game, featuring a Kiko Romero two-run single. In the sixth, the Renegades had a four-run frame to take the lead for good. Hueston Morrill and Cole Ayers combined for four innings of one-run ball out of the bullpen.

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 32 games, 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.

FLORIDIAN EXCELLENCE: Baron Stuart had a sensational start on Wednesday afternoon for the Renegades. The right-hander didn't allow a baserunner through 3.2, and faced just one batter over the minimum through five. Setting his season-high for innings with six, Stuart allowed just three hits and two earned runs in his first quality start of the season.

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. Serna has hit all five of his long balls on the road this season. He is fourth in the South Atlantic League in RBIs with 23, and is tied for fifth in the SAL with 23 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, 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 2.74 ERA (44 ER/144.1 IP) this season, the best mark in High-A and fifth-best mark in the minors. Renegades relievers have combined for 11.6 K/9 this season. Over the last three games, through 12.1 innings, the bullpen has combined to allow just one earned run across five hits.

LIMITING HITS & RUNS: Hudson Valley pitchers have been on a roll, and have allowed only 197 hits through 32 games. The Renegades have allowed the fewest hits in MiLB, eight 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 3.43 ERA is the eighth-best mark in High-A. Hudson Valley has recorded 9+ strikeouts in 13 of their last 18 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-five of his first thirty games. Over his last sixteen games, Rodríguez is hitting .340 with nine extra-base hits, 14 RBIs, a .635 slugging percentage, and a 1.052 OPS. On the season, the Renegades infielder is currently batting .322 with five home runs and 19 RBIs with a .903 OPS, and already has thirteen multi-hit games, the most on the team. On May 7th vs. Aberdeen, Rodríguez was 3-for-4 with two home runs and three RBIs. His 38 hits are the third-most in the South Atlantic League, despite the Renegades playing less games than their divisional foes, and his batting average also ranks third. Rodríguez's 61 total bases is the second-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 21-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 24-for-82 (.293) start with nine doubles, 12 walks and 13 runs scored and a .880 OPS in twenty-two 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.

OFFENSIVE ASSISTANCE: Rafael Flores has made an instant impact for the Renegades since being reinstated off the IL on May 10. In the last three games, Flores has six hits with four doubles and six RBIs. On Wednesday, Flores was instrumental in a 9-3 victory, going 2-for-4 with three RBIs and a walk. Flores had an RBI single in the first, and an RBI double in the third.

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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South Atlantic League Stories from May 16, 2024


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