Baseball: Sloppy Monsters Fall 12-2 at Hudson Valley

Posted on , updated on by George Commo

Courtesy Vermont Lake Monsters

WAPPINGERS FALLS, NY — The Hudson Valley Renegades scored three unearned runs in the bottom of the fifth inning to take a 4-2 lead, then added four runs in both the seventh and eighth innings in an 11-2 victory over the Vermont Lake Monsters in New York-Penn League action Tuesday night at historic Centennial Field.

The Lake Monsters led 2-1 in the fifth and reliever Clark Cota retired the first two Renegades of the inning, but after a Greg Jones double Hill Alexander reached on a Logan Davidson fielding error at short to extend the inning. It would prove costly as Jacson McGowan followed with an RBI single and Ben Troike added a two-run single to center.

Hudson Valley added the four runs on three hits and a pair of intentional walks in the seventh inning off reliever Vince Coletti, then got a three-run homer from Alexander and a Troike RBI groundout in the eighth. Just five of the 11 Hudson Valley unanswered runs were earned as the Renegades took advantage of five Lake Monster errors in game.

Vermont had jumped out to a 1-0 lead in the third as Michael Woodworth leadoff with a single and Lawrence Butler followed with an RBI double to rightcenter scoring Woodworth. Hudson Valley quickly tied the score in bottom of third on three straight two-out singles, including an Alexander RBI single.

Lake Monsters retook lead in fourth on Jorge Gordon RBI groundout after a Marty Bechina one-out walk and Shane Selman single to leftcenter. But Vermont would get just two more hits over the last five innings of game, while the team batting average has fallen to .199 overall.

Alexander went 2-for-3 with three runs, his third homer and four RBI, whie Troike was 2-for-4 with a double and three RBI in his first game with Hudson Valley (21-15). Greg Jones and Nick Sogard both added three hits and three runs scored, while Joe LaSorsa (4-1) gave up one hit and struckout four over three scoreless innings of relief for the win.

Lake Monsters starter Michael Murray allowed one run on five hits with two walks and three strikeouts over the first three innings, while Clark Cota (1-2) was charged with the three unearned runs on three hits in two innings.

Vermont (15-23), which is now eight games under .500 mark for first time as the season hits the halfway mark, and Hudson Valley will play an 11:05am Camp Day game on Wednesday.