Speed Kills: Renegades Create Late-inning Magic

WAPPINGERS FALLS – Eduardo Torrealba’s game-winning two-run single in the bottom of the eighth powered the Hudson Valley Renegades to a 7-6 win over the Wilmington Blue Rocks on Saturday night at Dutchess Stadium.

Wilmington plated the first run of the game in the top of the first. Omar Meregildo’s RBI single knocked in Darren Baker to make it 1-0 Blue Rocks.

The Renegades stormed ahead in the bottom of the first inning against Wilmington starter Seth Shuman. Cooper Bowman slammed an RBI double, James Nelson drove in two with a single, and Pat DeMarco laced an RBI double to make it 4-1 Hudson Valley.

In the bottom of the third, The Renegades added a run to extend the lead to 5-1. Aldenis Sanchez knocked an RBI double against Gilberto Chu, who allowed that lone run and struck out six in three strong innings of relief.

Hudson Valley starter Blas Castaño settled in with the lead, logging a season-high 5.0 innings, surrendering only one run on five hits, walking two and striking out three.

In the top of the sixth, Wilmington climbed back against Alex Mauricio. After two walks to start the inning, Jose Sanchez banged an RBI single, Baker lined an RBI double, and Ricardo Mendez tied it up with a two-run double.

The Blue Rocks grabbed a 6-5 lead in the top of the seventh against Rodney Hutchison. With runners at the corners and two outs, Gage Canning flied into a double play, which caught Drew Mendoza in a rundown and allowed Omar Meregildo to score the go-ahead run.

In the bottom of the eighth against Tyler Yankosky, Nelson and Sanchez executed a double steal for the Renegades — the team’s second double steal and eighth and ninth total steals of the night — to put runners on second and third.

With two outs, Eduardo Torrealba singled to right field, scoring both runners and giving Hudson Valley a 7-6 lead.

The runners reached against Ike Schlabach (0-1), who fired one inning and allowed two unearned runs, no hits, walked one and struck out one.

Wellington Diaz (2-0) earned the win, recording the final four outs and striking out the side in the ninth.