It all started with a strikeout.
With one out in the bottom of the first on Friday, Aug. 24, Renegades second basemen Cody Cipriano struck out against the visiting Tri-City Cats. But the catcher dropped the ball and Cipriano reached first base safely.
This ignited the crowd at Dutchess Stadium as well as the Renegades’ offense. The next batter, left fielder Steve Vogt, walked, and third basemen Greg Sexton singled to load the bases. Then Mike McCormick stepped to the plate, and as he’s done many times this season, the Renegades catcher delivered in the clutch.
McCormick stroked a ground-rule double to dead-center field, the ball skipping over the fence on a single bounce. Cipriano and Vogt scored to give the Renegades a 2-0 lead. McCormick’s hit proved to be the game winner, though the Renegades would tack on another two runs – including one just two batters later, when right fielder Angel Fermin drove McCormick home with a single to put the Renegades up 3-0.
The ‘Gades went on to win the game 4-1 behind a strong pitching performance from Josh Johnson.
Johnson baffled the Tri-City Cats all night with his solid fastball and go-to pitch, a sharp, effective breaking ball. Through the first five innings, the Cats, a Houston Astros affiliate, could not get farther than second base. Johnson’s effort was backed by a strong Renegades defense, led by Sexton, which completed double plays in consecutive innings to keep the Cats at bay.
“Sexton made two really nice back-handed plays,” said Renegades manager Matt Quatraro. “He’s been playing solid for us defensively all season and he deserves recognition.”
The Cats managed to score their lone run of the game in the top of the sixth. Johnson gave up a double to the leadoff batter, and then with one out, left fielder Russell Dixon hit a run-scoring bloop single into the outfield. It was the only offense the Cats would muster for the rest of the night.
Johnson struck out the next batter to end the sixth, and calmly retired the side in order in the seventh. He finished with a season-high seven complete innings, allowing one run on five hits while striking out three. Johnson improved to 3-2 with a 3.33 ERA.
Quatraro said Johnson did an excellent job of stymieing the Cats, a talented offensive ballclub. “He threw the ball well. He was aggressive, he didn’t just pick at the corners,” Quatraro said. “It’s a good offensive team so it’s even more impressive.”
Ryan Zimmerman pitched a scoreless eighth inning for the Renegades and Kevin Boggan shut the Cats out in the ninth to pick up his team-leading fifth save of the season.
The Renegades picked up their fourth run on a Cipriano solo homer to left-center in the bottom of the fifth inning. Cipriano said the Renegades’ offense followed Johnson’s lead.
“I love playing behind JJ. He really sets the tone out there,” Cipriano said. “He works quickly, we played good defense behind him and scored when we could to get the win.”
Taking to the road
After taking two of three at home against Tri-City and improving to 27-33 with Friday night’s win, the ‘Gades hit the road for a three-game series against the Oneonta Tigers.
In the first game of the series on Saturday, Aug. 25 the Renegades won in exciting fashion. With the score knotted at 3-3 in the top of the eighth, center fielder Emeel Salem dashed home on a wild pitch to put Hudson Valley up by one run and the Renegades held the lead to win 4-3 after a rain delay in the ninth.
Salem finished 3-5 with two runs, two doubles and a pair of runs batted in. Renegades starting pitcher Jesse Darcy (5-4 3.93 ERA) picked up a no-decision in five innings of work. Reliever Travis Barnett (1-0, 4.43 ERA), recorded the final four outs of the game to earn his first victory of the season.
The Renegades couldn’t pull it out in another close game the following night on Sunday, Aug. 26. The ‘Gades took a 4-1 lead into the bottom of the seventh, drawing their offensive firepower from Cipriano and Vogt, who knocked in all four runs.
The Tigers answered, scoring one run in the fifth, sixth and seventh innings to tie the game at 4-4. Then, in the bottom of the 10th, the home team scored the winning run off relief pitcher Noah Booth to take the contest 5-4.
Booth (0-3, 4.74 ERA) was credited with the loss. Renegades starter Doug Echeverria (3-7, 7.31 ERA) gave up three runs in 5-and-a-third innings in the no-decision.
After suffering the tough extra-inning loss, the Renegades stormed back to beat the Tigers 9-6 in the final game of the series on Monday night. Brian Flores picked up his second win of the season in a five-inning, two-run outing. Boggan pitched the ninth inning to earn his sixth save.
The Renegade offense was led by Cipriano, who finished 3-5 with two doubles and an RBI. Sexton and McCormick had two RBIs apiece and Fermin added a run-scoring triple.
With the win, Hudson Valley improved to 30-34. The Renegades now sit in third place in the New York-Penn League’s McNamara Division. The ‘Gades battled their local rivals, the Brooklyn Cyclones and Staten Island Yankees, this week in a pair of two-game home-and-away series before traveling to Aberdeen for a two-game set beginning on Sept. 1.