43
Renegades rally in 8th to avoid sweep
Photo
Renegades baserunner Johnny Field safely steals second base as the ball gets away from Scrappers infielder Claudio Bautista during the fourth inning of a New York-Penn League baseball game Sunday at Eastwood Field in Niles. The game got away from Mahoning Valley in the eighth inning when the Renegades rallied and scored five runs to win 6-5.
By Steve Ruman
sports @vindy.com
NILES
The Hudson Valley Renegades and Mahoning Valley Scrappers were heading in opposite directions.
Following a horrendous 7-21 start which included a franchise-high 12 game losing streak, the Scrappers had turned things around to win 14 of their last 20 games.
The Renegades had spent most of the season in first place until a seven-game losing streak dropped them to third place in the McNamara Division.
On Sunday, the Renegades (26-27) stopped the bleeding with a 6-5 win in front of 3,413 fans at Eastwood Field.
The Renegades took advantage of a five-run eighth inning, then survived a tense bottom of the eighth and ninth to secure the win.
“Any way you can get it, you take it,” Renegades manager Michael Johns said. “We didn’t exactly win in pretty fashion, but when you’re on a skid, you take anything you can get.”
The win was especially sweet for the Renegades because today begins the two-day All-Star break for the New York-Penn League.
Trailing 2-1 after seven, the Renegades batted around in eighth off Scrappers reliever Alexis Paredes.
The inning started with a ground out, but then Paredes issued back-to-back walks, which were followed by consecutive hits by Johnny Field, Oscar Hernandez and Ty Young.
Hernandez’s hit scored one run, while Young doubled to left, plating a pair of runs.
Grandon Goetzman gave the Renegades their fourth run of the inning on a sacrifice fly. The final run came on a Julian Ridings RBI double.
Trailing 6-2, the Scrappers sent 14 men to the plate in the final two innings. However, they stranded two runners in the eighth, and left the bases loaded in the ninth.
The Scrappers (22-29) banged out 14 hits, but left 15 on base.
“Give Mahoning Valley credit,” Johns said. “They played three very solid games in this series. Fortunately for us, they just didn’t get the big hit at the right time tonight.”
Scrappers first baseman Ryan Battaglia belted his third home run of the season with one out in the ninth to cut the Scrappers deficit to 6-5. A walk and a single, then a two-out walk loaded the bases. However, Claudio Bautista popped out to left on a 3-2 count to end the game.
Despite their recent woes, the Renegades are just one game behind Aberdeen in the McNamara Division
“Being in the thick of the race kept the spirits up for everyone,” Johns said. “We still have a whole lot to play for.”
The Scrappers return to action Wednesday when they begin a three-game series at State College.
HUDSON VALLEY 6, SCRAPPERS 5
Hudson ValleyScrappers
abrhbiabrhbi
Soriano 2b4110Mejia rf4011
George ss3100Bautista 2b6010
Field dh2111Roberts ss4010
Hernandez c3111Rodrgz dh4000
Young 3b3112Garcia 3b5010
Gotzman lf3001Battaglia 1b5331
Ridings cf4011Ruiz lf2010
Harris rf4000McAdams lf0100
Alexndr 1b4110Cervenka c5131
Loopstok pr0000
Ferrell cf4030
Totals306 66Totals395144
Hudson Valley000001050—6
Scrappers010001021—5
E—Roberts (6, fielding), Young (7, fielding). DP—Hudson Valley 1, Scrappers 1. LOB—Hudson Valley 5, Scrappers 15. SB—Field (11), Young (6). CS—Ruis (1). 2B—Young (8), Ridings (8), Battaglia (3), Garcia (4). HR—Battaglia (3). SF—Asuaje.
IPHRERBBSO
Hudson Valley
Griset 551121
Choate131101
Loera W, 1-12.163331
Jordan S, 10.200010
Scrappers
Sulser300001
Goodnight321120
Guerrero H, 30.200010
Paredes
BS 1, L 1-2145520
Carmona100003
WP—Choate. BLK‚öGriset. HBP—McAdams (by Loera). Umpires: Home, Nate Caldwell; Bases, Dave Attridge. T—3:08. A—3,413.