Renegades Game Notes
July 8, 2025 - South Atlantic League (SAL)
Hudson Valley Renegades News Release
Hudson Valley Renegades (47-32, 9-6) vs. Asheville Tourists (37-43, 8-7)
RHP Ben Hess (4-2, 4.53 ERA) vs. RHP Andrew Taylor (1-1, 5.27 ERA)
| Game 80 | Away Game 36 | Tuesday, July 8, 2025 | Heritage Financial Park | Wappingers Falls, N.Y. | First Pitch 6:35 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 Game: Cider Donuts presented by Taste NY: Dusty's Revenge
Day of Week Promo: Baseball Bingo presented by People USA
'GADES ARE HOT: The Renegades took five of six games this week from the Brooklyn Cyclones, the first-half champion in the SAL North. It was the first time they won five games in a series since May 6-10 vs Wilmington. They won three straight games at home over the Brooklyn Cyclones, before taking two of three on the road. The Renegades hadn't won three consecutive home games since a six-game sweep vs Wilmington in April. They held Brooklyn to just twelve total runs in 50 innings.
HEAD-TO-HEAD DOMINANCE: In limited action this season, the Renegades have performed well against the Brooklyn Cyclones. After five wins last week, including three at Heritage Financial Park, Hudson Valley owns a 8-4 record over Brooklyn. Those eight wins account for 29% of Brooklyn's losses this year. The Renegades own a 5-4 road record against the Cyclones, who own a 28-5 home record against all other teams.
NEW BEGINNINGS: Following a win over Brooklyn on Sunday, Hudson Valley is 9-6 early on the second half, currently in second place in the division. They trail Greensboro by two games with 51 games remaining. With 14 series under their belt in 2025, the Renegades have won seven, split five, and lost two.
RECORD BREAKER?: Alexander Vargas extended his hitting streak to 15 games on Saturday, the longest active streak in the South Atlantic League. It matches the longest hitting streak for a Renegades player since Hill Alexander in 2019. During this stretch, Vargas has gone 22-for-55 (.400) at the plate with four home runs, 13 RBIs and a 1.123 OPS. In Wilmington on June 24-29, Vargas was the South Atlantic League Player of the Week. He went 12-for-22 (.545) at the plate with a double, home run and three RBIs.
BEST IN SHOW: The Renegades have the lowest team ERA (2.79) among full-season MiLB teams in 2025. Since the start of the 2021 season, the Renegades own a cumulative 3.53 ERA, the lowest in MiLB among MiLB teams who have played every season.
ENEMY TURNED FRIEND: Elmer Rodriguez-Cruz continued his excellent season on Saturday, throwing seven scoreless innings while allowing just two hits and striking out eight. The right-hander didn't have a punch out until the fourth inning, but struck out seven of the last nine batters he faced. He leads the South Atlantic League with a 2.26 ERA and has eight quality starts this season. He also has 99 strikeouts to lead the SAL.
DEATH VALLEY LEFTY: Griffin Herring was outstanding on Thursday night, allowing just one run on four hits across seven strong innings. Herring induced 13 groundball outs, including two double plays. It was his eighth quality start of the season between Tampa and Hudson Valley. The former LSU Tiger leads all of MiLB among qualified pitchers with a 1.61 ERA this season. Herring has allowed two runs or less in 13 of 14 starts in 2025.
SOCAL SOUTHPAW: Kyle Carr made history in game two of Wednesday's doubleheader, throwing a seven-inning complete game shutout. He became the first Renegades pitcher to throw a seven-inning shutout since Jason McEachern on August 23, 2009. The southpaw induced nine groundball outs and struck out seven, while allowing just three hits. Carr has allowed one run or less across his last six starts. Since June 3, his ERA is 0.82 in 33 innings.
MIDDLE INNINGS: Between the fourth and seventh innings, Hudson Valley is outscoring opponents 183-94 this season. They are outscoring their opponents 52-19 in the seventh inning alone.
RELIABLE: After a rough two-week road trip, Coby Morales came alive last week against the Cyclones. He went 7-for-23 (.304) in six games. The 23-year-old is second for the team lead with 17 multi-hit outings this season.
STARTING STRONG: Starting pitching has been instrumental in 2025. Since June 1, the Renegades starting staff leads MILB with an exceptional 1.83 ERA in 157.0 innings. Through 79 games, Hudson Valley starters have 451 punchouts in 407 innings, good for a 10.2 K/9 clip. Those 442 strikeouts are tied for the most of any team in MiLB with Binghampton (NYM, AA). The staff has also issued just 163 walks, a 3.6 BB/9.
TOURISTS IN TOWN: Hudson Valley begins a six-game series with the Asheville Tourists on Tuesday, their final series before the All-Star Break. Asheville is the only South Division opponent that the Renegades see twice this year. In late April, the Renegades took four of six from the Tourists at McCormick Field. It is the first trip for Asheville to Heritage Financial Park since the final week of the 2024 season, when the Renegades took five of six. They also clinched the second-half title during that series. Asheville features eight top-30 prospects in the Astros organization.
THE 'PEN IS MIGHTIER: Hudson Valley's bullpen has been outstanding, recording a 2.64 ERA through 79 games, the best mark in High-A and the second-best in MiLB. The Renegades only trail Erie (AA, DET), who leads the way with a 2.46 mark. Renegades relievers are holding opponents to a .187 opposing average, while striking out 318 batters in 276.1 innings. On Sunday in a bullpen game, the staff allowed just one run on three hits. Geoff Gilbert didn't allow a hit in three scoreless innings to begin the game. Bryce Warrecker and Hueston Morrill combined to retire all 11 batters they faced.
SCORING DROUGHT: After averaging 5.5 runs per game through the first two months of 2025, the Renegades offense has cooled down since. They have averaged 3.9 runs per contest since June 1, hitting just .233 as a team with a .665 OPS. Through 49 games, they hit .249 with a team OPS of .757.
AIN'T IT GRAND?: With Josh Moylan's grand slam in the sixth inning on June 28 at Wilmington, the Renegades have hit five grand slams this year in 72 games, the most by the team in the Portal Era when game logs are available online (2005-Present). The Renegades hit four grand slams in 2021, 2023 and 2024.
RECENT STRUGGLES: Following a 23-9 start to the season, the Renegades have gone 24-23 since. After losing just 19 total games at Heritage Financial Park in 2024, the Renegades are 22-13 at home so far this season. They have gone 11-10 at home since mid-May. At ShoreTown Ballpark against Jersey Shore from June 17-22, Hudson Valley won their first series since May 6-10 vs Wilmington.
DOUBLE DIGIT RARITY: The Hudson Valley pitching staff had a tough time on June 27 against the Blue Rocks, giving up double-digit runs for just the second time in their last 120 games in a 11-0 defeat.
CRAZY EIGHT: The Renegades struck for eight runs in the fifth inning on June 25, setting a season-high for runs in an inning. It is the first time Hudson Valley has scored eight runs in an inning since August 27, 2022 vs Hickory. That contest featured a four-hit game from Jasson Dominguez.
OFFENSIVE OUTBURST: Hudson Valley struck for 10 runs on 12 hits in their victory on June 26. It marked the 16th time this season that the Renegades scored nine-or-more runs, having surpassed their 2024 season total of 14 in half of the games played. In their first 77 games, the Renegades also have 21 games of 10 or more hits and 14 games of 12 or more hits. In 2024, they had a total of 12 games with 12+ hits.
UNDRAFTED STAR: Parks Harber is off to an incredible start with the Renegades after being called up from Tampa in late April. Harber has built a current nine-game hitting streak where's he's hitting .375 with seven RBIs. It is his second straight 8+ game hitting streak in High-A already this year. In 34 games with the Renegades, the infielder is hitting .326 with 11 doubles, 27 RBIs and an .884 OPS.
South Atlantic League Stories from July 8, 2025
- Watson Twirls 3.0 No-Hit Frames as 'Clones Fall to Blue Rocks, 4-1 - Brooklyn Cyclones
- Emperors Slow Down Red-Hot Spartanburgers - Hub City Spartanburgers
- Bleis' Blast, Encarnacion's Walk-Off Single Lift Drive Past Dash, 2-1 - Greenville Drive
- Snelsire's Strong Start Leads Hot Rods to 4-2 Win - Bowling Green Hot Rods
- Long Ball Lifts Renegades over Tourists - Asheville Tourists
- Grasshoppers Drop Series Opener to Hot Rods, 4-2, on Tuesday Evening - Greensboro Grasshoppers
- Phillies Prospect Aroon Escobar Joins BlueClaws from Clearwater - Jersey Shore BlueClaws
- World's Largest Autographed Baseball Comes to ShoreTown July 26th - Jersey Shore BlueClaws
- Hot Rods Game Notes - Bowling Green Hot Rods
- Renegades Game Notes - Hudson Valley Renegades
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