Baseball: Early Runs Carry Hudson Valley Past Vermont

Posted on , updated on by George Commo

Courtesy Vermont Lake Monsters

WAPPINGERS FALLS, NY — The Hudson Valley Renegades built an early 6-0 lead over the first four innings and held on for a 7-3 victory over the Vermont Lake Monsters Thursday night at Dutchess Stadium to take two-of-three games in the New York-Penn League series.

Vermont had a chance to break out on top after a Michael Woodworth leadoff single and Jordan Diaz one-out double, but a Kyle McCann strikeout and Logan Davidson groundout kept the Lake Monsters off the board. Hudson Valley starter Nathan Wiles finished with just the two hits allowed and four strikeouts over three innings of work.

The Renegades took a 2-0 lead in the bottom of second on an RBI double from Jacson McGowan, who later scored on a Pedro Diaz two-out RBI single. Hudson Valley then took advantage of four walks and a error to plate four more runs for 6-0 advantage in the third, including a Hill Alexander two-run double.

Game was still 6-0 in the top of the seventh when Vermont loaded the bases on Shane Selman leadoff single, then back-to-back one-out singles from Yerdel Vargas and Woodworth. But reliever Edisson Gonzalez struckout Noah Vaughan and Diaz to again keep the Lake Monsters scoreless.

Hudson Valley added a run in the eighth on a K.V. Edwards double and Nick Sogard RBI single off reliever Jeferson Mejia, who allowed just the one run on five hits with one walk and seven strikeouts over three innings. Earlier Jorge Martinez had given up two hits with a walk and five strikeouts over three scoreless innings of relief for the Lake Monsters.

Vermont finally broke through in the ninth as Jose Rivas led off with a walk, followed by a Vargas bloop double to right and a Woodworth two-run double to leftcenter. After another walk, reliever Jose Roca came on to get Diaz to ground into a double play before a Davidson RBI single to center cut the Renegades lead to 7-3.

Woodworth went 3-for-3 with a walk, hit by pitch, a run scored and the two-run double for Vermont (16-24), while Alexander was 2-for-4 with a walk, two runs, one double and two RBI for Hudson Valley (22-16). Gonzalez (3-2) allowed four hit with two walks and seven strikeouts over four innings to earn the win.

The Lake Monsters return to historic Centennial Field for a three-game homestand against the Brooklyn Cyclones, starting with the series opener 7:05 pm Friday. Gates open at 6:00 pm with trick-or-treating on the concourse as part of Halloween at the Ballpark night.