BURLINGTON, Vt. -
Hudson Valley used little ball and a long ball for four runs in the top of the fifth inning and three Renegade pitchers combined on a six-hit shutout with no walks and 12 strikeouts for a 6-0 New York-Penn League victory over the Vermont Lake Monsters Thursday night at historic Centennial Field.
The Renegades got a quick run in the first on a Luke Maile RBI single for a 1-0 lead. Then in the fifth three straight Rengades laid down a bunt with the first two reaching on singles before Marty Gantt reached and Deshaun Dixon scored on a throwing error third baseman Chad Lewis on the third bunt. Justin O'Conner followed with a first pitch three-run homer to rightfield off Vermont starter Andres Avila (0-1) for a 5-0 Hudson Valley lead. The Renegades added an unearned run in the eighth on a Dixon RBI single.
Renegade starter Reinaldo Lopez (1-0) gave up just four hits with four strikeouts over five innings to earn his first win of the season, while reliever Brandon Henderson two hits with four strikeouts in 2 1/3 innings before Ryan Garton struckout four, including all three ninth-inning batters, in 1 2/3 hitless innings. Dixon was 3-for-3 and O'Conner finished with two runs scored for Hudson Valley (10-9).
Avila (0-1) allowed five runs (four earned) on six hits with two walks and two strikeouts for the loss, while Austin Book and Bruce Maxwell both went 2-for-4. It was the first time this season that the Lake Monsters have not had a walk in a game and the 12 strikeouts are a new season-high (had nine strikeouts three times).
Vermont (10-9) and Hudson Valley will wrap up the three-game series on Friday night at Centennial beginning at 7:05 pm. Friday is Kids VT Night at the ballpark with a "Friday Night Fireworks" show following the game. The homestand will then continue through Monday with a three-game series against the State College Spikes.
---Courtesy Vermont Lake Monsters
