Renegades Game Notes

Sports stats



SAL Hudson Valley Renegades

Renegades Game Notes

April 29, 2025 - South Atlantic League (SAL)
Hudson Valley Renegades News Release


Hudson Valley Renegades (15-6) vs. Jersey Shore BlueClaws (7-13)

RHP Carlos Lagrange (1-1, 5.14 ERA) vs. RHP Casey Steward (2-2, 1.80 ERA)

| Game 22 | Home Game 10 | Tuesday, April 29, 2025 | Heritage Financial Park | Wappingers Falls, N.Y. | First Pitch 6:05 p.m. |

Radio: The Beacon - 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 & www.renegadesonair.com

TV: MiLB.tv & Bally Live App

Tonight's Theme Night: Mental Health Awareness Night

Day of Week Promotion: Ballpark Bingo presented by People USA

CONSISTENCY: The Renegades took four of six on the road in Asheville last week, securing another series victory. With four series under their belt in 2025, Hudson Valley has still not lost a series since July 2024, when they dropped four of six to the Wilmington Blue Rocks at Frawley Stadium. Since then, the Renegades have won eight series and split three, including a six-game sweep of Wilmington earlier this month.

WEEKLY HONORS: On Monday, the Renegades swept the South Atlantic League weekly honors, with Elmer Rodriguez-Cruz earning Pitcher of the Week and Jace Avina earning Player of the Week. It is the first since Hudson Valley joined the SAL that they have swept the honor. Rodriguez-Cruz tossed 6.1 scoreless with a career-high 12 strikeouts, tied for the second-most strikeouts in Renegades history. Avina hit .545 (12-for-22) at the plate with four multi-hit games.

FAN FAVORITE: Jace Avina has been on a tear at the dish, reaching base safely in 15 consecutive games. That on-base streak is the second-longest in the South Atlantic League. During that span, Avina is hitting .319 with a .484 on-base percentage, 10 RBIs, 13 walks and an .910 OPS. The 21-year-old has built a six-game hitting streak, going 12-for-22 (.545) with two doubles, a home run, seven RBIs, and a 1.416 OPS. Avina reached base a combined nine times in two games on Saturday, including two three-hit outings.

HIT PARADE: Hudson Valley's offense exploded on Saturday night for 15 runs on 18 hits in a 15-0 shutout victory over Asheville. It was the first time that the Renegades scored 15 or more runs and had 18 or more hits since May 23, 2024 against Brooklyn. Four players had three-hit games and five notched multi-hit outings in the win, with Jackson Castillo and Jace Avina combining to drive in nine runs. It was also the second consecutive shutout for Hudson Valley, marking the first time the Renegades have recorded back-to-back shutouts since June 2023.

STARTING STRONG: Starting pitching was excellent down the stretch in 2024 for the Renegades, and a new crew of pitchers is off to a outstanding start in 2025. In 21 games, Hudson Valley starters have 141 punchouts in 102.0 innings, good for a 12.4 K/9 clip. Those 141 strikeouts are five more than any other team in MiLB including AAA teams, despite AAA clubs playing six more games. The staff has also issued just 41 walks during that stretch, a BB/9 rate of 3.6. Since April 15th, Hudson Valley starters have a 2.00 ERA, which ranks second in High-A.

RBI MACHINE: Jackson Castillo continues to drive in runs at a high rate in High-A after joining the Renegades last season. On Saturday, Castillo was 3-for-5 with a grand slam, six RBIs, and two runs scored. It is the second time already in 2025 that Castillo has driven in six runs after a six-RBI outing at Brooklyn on April 10. In just 36 career games with Hudson Valley, Castillo has recorded six or more RBIs three times. Castillo ranks fourth in the SAL with 16 RBIs this season, and has reached base safely in 14 of 16 games this season.

MUSIC CITY POP: Brendan Jones has caught fire at the plate over the last two weeks, piling up the stat sheet. On Saturday, Jones was 3-for-5 with three runs scored, a double, and a stolen base. In his last ten games, Jones is 13-for-40 (.325) with 14 runs scored, three doubles, three HRs, nine RBIs, and a 1.054 OPS. The speedster has also stolen eight bases during that stretch, and his 11 stolen bases overall this season are third in the South Atlantic League.

ENEMY TURNED FRIEND: Elmer Rodriguez-Cruz turned in another superb performance on Friday, outdoing his excellence last week. The Yankees No. 7 prospect tossed 6.1 scoreless innings, allowing just one hit and one walk while striking out a career-high 12 batters. Rodriguez-Cruz set down 19 in a row to begin his outing before allowing a hit to the final batter he faced in the seventh inning. With his 12 strikeouts, Rodriguez-Cruz became the first Renegade starter to eclipse double-digit strikeouts since Baron Stuart on September 7th, 2024 against this same Asheville team. The former Boston prospect earned his second quality start of the season, joining Bryce Cunningham as the only pitchers to record multiple quality starts.

JERSEY BOYS: The Jersey Shore BlueClaws are a familiar opponent for the

Renegades, as the two squads played 24 games last year. In the season-opening series in Wappingers Falls, the Renegades took two of three from their division foes. Hudson Valley finished with a 14-10 head-to-head record last season against Jersey Shore, including a 10-2 record at home and a 4-8 record on the road. In 2025, these two games again play 24 more games. Nine of the Renegades' first 27 games will take place against Jersey Shore at Heritage Financial Park.They will then travel to ShoreTown Ballpark on three separate occasions to complete the season series with 15 games.

VANDY POWER: Bryce Cunningham, the Yankees 2nd round pick in 2024, continued his stellar start to his professional career on Saturday. The right-hander threw six scoreless innings, allowing just three hits and two walks while striking out eight. Cunningham has gone at least six innings in three of his four starts this season, and has struck out six or more batters in each of those outings. Across his last 18 innings pitched, the Vanderbilt product has been charged with only one run, good for a 0.50 ERA. He also joins Elmer Rodriguez-Cruz as the only two Renegades starters to have multiple quality starts this year.

TEENAGE SPARK: George Lombard Jr. is off to a tremendous start in his first full season in High-A. On Saturday night, Lombard was 3-for-4 with two runs, a double, an RBI, and a walk. The Yankees No. 1 prospect has reached base safely in 18 of 19 games he has played this season. Lombard has a .494 on-base percentage and a .946 OPS, drawing 20 walks in 87 plate appearances and stealing nine bases. The .494 on-base percentage currently ranks second in the South Atlantic League. Lombard is also second in the SAL with those 20 walks, and ranks fifth in OPS.

HOME BODIES: Hudson Valley has started 8-1at home in 2025, having won eight straight at Heritage Financial Park following a season-opening loss. With three series victories at home in 2025, the 'Gades have not lost a series at home since September 2023. During that time span of 16 home series, the Renegades have won 13 and split just three of them. The Renegades are 55-20 (.733) at home since the start of the 2024 season, the best record in MiLB.

THE 'PEN IS MIGHTIER: Hudson Valley's bullpen looks sharp early this season, recording a 2.69 ERA through 21 games, the best mark in High-A and fifth-best in MILB. The closest competitor in High-A is West Michigan (A+, DET), who has a 3.06 ERA as a unit. Renegades relievers are holding opponents to a .196 opposing average, while striking out 92 batters in 77.0 innings. Last Sunday, Hueston Morrill, Hayden Merda, and Cole Ayers combined for 5.2 scoreless innings, allowing just three hits and issuing only one walk.

DOMINICAN FLAMETHROWER: Hard-throwing right-hander Carlos Lagrange was excellent again on Wednesday night in Asheville. The Yankees No. 18 prospect allowed one run across five frames while striking out eight. After a leadoff homer in the first, Asheville went scoreless the rest of Lagrange's start. He has struck out seven or more batters in each of his first three starts, punching out 24 batters in 14 innings (15.4 K/9). In his prior start last week in his home debut, Lagrange allowed just two hits in six innings while striking out a career-high nine batters. After issuing a leadoff walk in the first, Lagrange retired 11 in a row.

STAR-STUDDED: To begin the 2025 season, the Renegades have SEVEN of the top 30 prospects in the New York Yankees system, which includes five pitchers. Yankees No. 1 prospect and 98th-ranked MLB prospect George Lombard Jr. is back with the Renegades, and No. 19 Yankees prospect Kyle Carr is on Hudson Valley's Opening Day roster for the second straight year. He made his first career Opening Day start on April 4th. The Renegades also welcome the Yankees' top two picks from the 2025 Draft in pitchers Ben Hess and Bryce Cunningham, making their professional debuts. Elmer Rodriguez-Cruz, the Yankees No. 7 prospect who was acquired in an offseason trade with the Boston Red Sox, starts his New York career with the Gades'. Carlos Lagrange (Yankees No. 18 prospect) makes his High-A debut. OF Brendan Jones recently joined the Yankees Top 30 (#30).

Check out the Hudson Valley Renegades Statistics

• Discuss this story on the South Atlantic League message board...

South Atlantic League Stories from April 29, 2025


The opinions expressed in this release are those of the organization issuing it, and do not necessarily reflect the thoughts or opinions of OurSports Central or its staff.

Other Recent Hudson Valley Renegades Stories



Sports Statistics from the Stats Crew
OurSports Central