Hudson Valley Renegades 8
Cyclones 1
Sept. 9 at Dutchess Stadium
A poor showing by the Cyclones pitching staff helped the Hudson Valley Renegades rout Brooklyn’s boys of summer in the second day of post-season play — jeopardizing the Coney Island squad’s shot at a New York-Penn League crown.
The Renegades — still smarting from the shutout loss they suffered at MCU Park on Friday — got on the board first in the first thanks to a triple by Renegade second baseman Thomas Coyle and an RBI single by Luke Maile off Cylcone starter Luis Mateo.
The Renegades scored another run in the fourth when Maile, who had singled an advanced to third on a walk and a single, scored on a sacrifice fly.
In the fifth, Clones right fielder Eudy Pena (2-for-3) cut the lead to 2–1 with a home run, but that was all the Brooklyn offense could muster of tough Hudson Valley pitching.
Hudson Valley held a slim to 2–1 lead in the fifth when Mateo gave up a single to Renegades center fielder Joey Rickard and then walked Coyle. An error by Clones shortstop Phillip Evans let third baseman Richie Shaffer reach base — and let Rickard score.
Clones reliever Paul Sewald sent the Renegades down in order at the bottom of the sixth frame, but Cyclones skipper Rich Donnelly opted to gowith with Logan Taylor in the seventh, with terrible results.
Back-to-back-to-back singles to Coyle, Shaffer, and Maile followed by a ground out by Maile brought Coyle home before Taylor gave up a bases-clearing double to shortstop Leonardo Reginatto, putting Hudson Valley up 6–1 and the game out of reach.
Donnelly replaced Taylor with Beck Wheeler who ended the inning — but Brooklyn’s problems were far from over.
Coney hurler Matthew Koch came on in the eighth, when the Renegades added two more runs..
The Clones’ bats were all but silent as the Pride of Coney Island scraped together six hits over nine innings and drew only one walk.
The rubber match of the three game playoff series will be held at Dutchess Stadium tonight. The series winner will face either the Tri-City Valley Cats or the Auburn Doubledays on Sept. 11.
