SAL Hudson Valley Renegades

Renegades Game Notes

June 29, 2024 - South Atlantic League (SAL)
Hudson Valley Renegades News Release


Hudson Valley Renegades (37-35, 4-3) vs. Wilmington Blue Rocks (33-40, 2-5)

RHP Cam Schlittler (3-2, 2.32 ERA) vs. RHP Seth Shuman (First Start)

| Game 73 | Home Game 35 | Saturday, June 29, 2024 | Heritage Financial Park | Wappingers Falls, N.Y. | First Pitch 7:05 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

THE SAINTS OF SECOND CHANCES: The second half of the 2024 season began last Friday, as teams across High-A and Single-A saw their records reset to 0-0. In the SAL North, teams are competing over the next 66 games to determine who faces the Greensboro Grasshoppers in the SAL North Division Championship Series. Game 1 will be hosted by the second half champion, while Games 2 and 3 (if necessary) will take place in Greensboro.

FRIENDLY CONFINES: The Renegades recently completed a stretch where they played 24 of 36 games away from home. Hudson Valley is currently playing 15 of 24 games at Heritage Financial Park. They host Wilmington this week for six games, before six games with Brooklyn split between Coney Island and Wappingers Falls.

HOME, SWEET HOME: Sebastian Keane continued his tremendous success at Heritage Financial Park on Wednesday night, tossing six scoreless innings while striking out five. The right-hander retired 17 of the last 19 batters he faced, earning his fourth quality start of the season. For the fifth consecutive time, Keane threw at least 5.2 frames at home. Keane has allowed just six combined earned runs in his last 30.2 innings at home, good for a 1.80 ERA.

IT'S WILMINGTON, AGAIN! The Renegades and Blue Rocks are playing their third series of the season. Hudson Valley traveled to Delaware for the first week of May, where they split four games with Wilmington. Two games were postponed due to rain at Frawley Stadium. Those games were made up an eight-game tilt in Wilmington in early June. The Renegades took five of eight games in that series, moving their season series record against the Blue Rocks to 7-5. Jared Serna had a three-homer game on May 2nd in Wilmington, just the third three-homer game in Renegades history. Hudson Valley also put together a nine-run, 10-hit inning in the series opener on May 30th. The Renegades and Blue Rocks are currently in a stretch where they are playing 14 of their next 26 games against one another. Hudson Valley faces off against the Blue Rocks 30 times this season, the most of any teams in 2024. In their final 64 games of the season, the Renegades will have played the Blue Rocks 18 times.

LEFTY PUNCHOUTS: Ben Shields was dominant on Friday night, matching his career-high with nine strikeouts in 5.1 scoreless innings. The southpaw didn't allow a hit until the sixth inning, and only allowed two baserunners to reach safely in his entire outing. In his last two starts. Shields has struck out eighteen batters and allowed one run on five hits. Since joining the rotation in the middle of May, the 25-year-old has struck eight or more batters on four separate occassions. Shields has recorded 12.2 K/9 this season.

HE WENT TO JARED: Jared Serna continues to be one of the best hitters in the South Atlantic League. The Renegades infielder was 2-for-4 on Wednesday with two RBIs and two runs, which included his 12th home run of the season. Serna ranks in the top 10 in ten hitting categories in the South Atlantic League. His 52 RBIs are tied for the most in the SAL, and his 20 doubles are tied for third-most. He is tied for fourth with 48 runs scored, and his 12 long balls are also tied for fourth in the league.

NY SLUGGERS: The Renegades currently have the third-highest team OPS in the South Atlantic League (.748), and are tied for the third-best mark in High-A. With 142 doubles in 2024, Hudson Valley has the most doubles in High-A this season, eight more than any other team. Five Renegades have 13 or more doubles, and nine players have seven or more two-baggers.

CONSISTENCY: Baron Stuart overcame a tough first inning on Tuesday night, eclipsing the four-inning mark for the 11th time in 11 starts this season. The right-hander set his career-high in strikeouts last Wednesday vs. Greensboro, recording 10 punchouts in 4.1 innings. The right-hander has gone 5+ innings in five of his last seven starts.

SUNDAY FUNDAY: Cam Schlittler continued his strong pitching on Sunday afternoon vs. the Blue Rocks, allowing just two runs in 4.0 innings and striking out six batters. His performance continues a great run of success in Sunday games. In eight Sunday starts, Schlittler has allowed just ten earned runs in 40.1 innings, good for a 2.24 ERA. His ERA now sits at 2.32 this season through eleven starts, which is the best mark in the South Atlantic League. His .162 opposing average is second in the SAL.

THE 'PEN IS MIGHTIER: The Renegades bullpen collectively sports a 3.36 ERA (112 ER/300.1 IP) this season, the second-best mark in High-A. Trent Sellers and Mason Vinyard combined for 4.2 scoreless innings out of the pen on Tuesday, allowing just two combined baserunners. Eric Reyzelman has not allowed a run in his first five career High-A appearances. The Yankees 2022 fifth-round pick has allowed just one hit in eight innings while striking out 14 batters.

OFFENSIVE ASSISTANCE: It was announced Wednesday that Rafael Flores was being called up to Double-A Somerset. Flores leaves the Renegades as the all-time franchise leader in hits (154) and doubles (32). Flores has been one of the best hitters in the South Atlantic League since being reinstated off the IL on May 10. In his last 37 games, Flores batted .328 with a .449 OBP and a .965 OPS. His OBP during that period was the third-best in the South Atlantic League. He boosted his average from .200 on May 10 to .285 currently, and his OPS jumped from .676 to .869 during that span.

STELLAR STARTERS: Starting pitching continues to be excellent for the Renegades. Twenty-five of the last 27 starters have allowed three earned runs or less in their outings. In the last 27 games, 21 starters have gone at least 4.1 innings. On Wednesday, Sebastiane Keane tossed six scoreless innings while striking out five, retiring 17 of the last 19 batters he faced.

LIMITING HITS: Hudson Valley pitchers have allowed only 473 hits through 72 games. The Renegades have allowed the second-fewest hits in MiLB, trailing only the Carolina Mudcats (A, MIL). Incredibly, the Lansing Lugnuts (OAK, A+) have allowed a staggering 649 hits through 72 games, most among all non-AAA teams.

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 been crucial all season for the Renegades. Avina is hitting .284 (66-for-232) with 20 doubles, 39 RBIs, 31 runs scored and a .824 OPS in 59 games. His 20 doubles are tied for the third-most in the South Atlantic League. On Thursday vs. Wilmington, Avina was 3-for-4 with an RBI and run scored. The Renegades outfielder is currently riding a seven-game hitting streak. Avina also currently holds a 25-game errorless streak.

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.

DEFENSIVE ISSUES: The Renegades have the fifth-most errors in MiLB, with 95 errors in 70 games. Their .962 fielding percentage is the fifth-worst in the minors. On Wednesday and Friday, the Renegades played error-free on their way to victories. Hudson Valley did not commit an error in four of the six games of the series against Greensboro. However, they lost all four games. They entered the series 14-1 in contests where they do not commit an error. Hudson Valley is 16-5 in those scenarios.

HEATING UP: Renegades infielder Roc Riggio has started to swing the bat much better lately. During an 17-game on-base streak, Riggio is 18-for-64, slashing .281/.395/.531 with ten extra-base hits and a .926 OPS. The Oklahoma State product has a hit in 14 of his last 17 games. Riggio hit his fifth home run of the season on Sunday. His on-base streak is the longest active streak among Renegades players.

POWER SURGE: Garrett Martin has been hot at the plate recently. In his last ten games, Martin is 11-for-36 (.306) with four home runs, three doubles, a triple, and a 1.053 OPS. The outfielder hit his seventh home run of the season on Friday versus Wilmington, one of three long balls for the Renegades in the game. Martin has also not committed an error in 37 games in the outfield this season for Hudson Valley.

NEW FACE: Brenny Escanio has quickly made an impact since being called up from Single-A Tampa. The 21-year-old is 9-for-29 (.310) with five RBIs and five doubles in nine games.

Check out the Hudson Valley Renegades Statistics



South Atlantic League Stories from June 29, 2024


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