Renegades Game Notes

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SAL Hudson Valley Renegades

Renegades Game Notes

April 27, 2025 - South Atlantic League (SAL)
Hudson Valley Renegades News Release


Hudson Valley Renegades (14-6) at Asheville Tourists (8-11)

LHP Kyle Carr (0-1, 1.50 ERA) vs. RHP Yeriel Santos (0-1, 10.97 ERA)

| Game 21 | Road Game 12 | Sunday, April 27, 2025 | McCormick Field | Asheville, N.C. | First Pitch 1:05 p.m. |

Radio: The Beacon - WBPM 96.5 FM - Beacon, WGHQ 92.5 FM/920 AM Kingston, W232DQ 94.3 FM Peekskill, WBNR 1260 AM - Beacon, WLNA 1420 AM - Peekskill

Internet Radio: www.hvrenegades.com/broadcast & www.renegadesonair.com

TV: MiLB.tv & Bally Live App

Next Theme Night: Mental Health Awareness Night

Day of Week Promotion: Ballpark Bingo presented by People USA

CONSISTENCY: The Renegades swept the Wilmington Blue Rocks last week, securing another series victory. After winning three of the first five games against Asheville this week, Hudson Valley has secured at least a series split. The Renegades have still not lost a series since July 2024, when they dropped four of six to the Blue Rocks at Frawley Stadium. Since then, the Renegades have won seven series and split three, including a seven-game sweep of Wilmington last August.

HIT PARADE: Hudson Valley's offense exploded on Saturday night for 15 runs on 18 hits in a 15-0 shutout victory over Asheville. It was the first time that the Renegades scored 15 or more runs and had 18 or more hits since May 23, 2024 against Brooklyn. Four players had three-hit games and five notched multi-hit outings in the win, with Jackson Castillo and Jace Avina combining to drive in nine runs. It was also the second consecutive shutout for Hudson Valley, marking the first time the Renegades have recorded back-to-back shutouts since June 2023.

VANDY POWER: Bryce Cunningham, the Yankees 2nd round pick in 2024, continued his stellar start to his professional career on Saturday. The right-hander threw six scoreless innings, allowing just three hits and two walks while striking out eight. Cunningham has gone at least six innings in three of his four starts this season, and has struck out six or more batters in each of those outings. Across his last 18 innings pitched, the Vanderbilt product has been charged with only one run, good for a 0.50 ERA. He also joins Elmer Rodriguez-Cruz as the only two Renegades starters to have multiple quality starts this year.

FAN FAVORITE: Jace Avina has been on a tear at the dish, reaching base safely in 14 consecutive games. That on-base streak is the second-longest in the South Atlantic League. During that span, Avina has a .458 on-base percentage with nine RBIs, 12 walks and an .830 OPS. The 21-year-old has built a five-game hitting streak this week against Asheville, going 9-for-18 (.500) with a double, home run, six RBIs, and a 1.331 OPS. Avina went 3-for-4 on Saturday with three RBIs and two walks, getting on base five times.

STARTING STRONG: Starting pitching was excellent down the stretch in 2024 for the Renegades, and a new crew of pitchers is off to a outstanding start in 2025. In 20 games, Hudson Valley starters have 136 punchouts in 97.1 innings, good for a 12.6 K/9 clip. Those 136 strikeouts are nine more than any other team in MiLB including AAA teams, despite AAA clubs playing six more games. The staff has also issued just 40 walks during that stretch, a BB/9 rate of 3.7. Last week against Wilmington, Renegades starters combined for a 1.35 ERA in 33.1 IP, allowing just five earned runs and striking out 48 batters.

RBI MACHINE: Jackson Castillo continues to drive in runs at a high rate in High-A after joining the Renegades last season. On Saturday, Castillo was 3-for-5 with a grand slam, six RBIs, and two runs scored. It is the second time already in 2025 that Castillo has driven in six runs after a six-RBI outing at Brooklyn on April 10. In just 36 career games with Hudson Valley, Castillo has recorded six or more RBIs three times. Castillo now ranks seventh in the SAL with 15 RBIs this season, and has reached base safely in 13 of 15 games this season.

MUSIC CITY POP: Brendan Jones has caught fire at the plate over the last week, piling up the stat sheet. On Saturday, Jones was 3-for-5 with three runs scored, a double, and a stolen base. In his last nine games, Jones is 12-for-36 (.333) with 13 runs scored, three doubles, three HRs, seven RBIs, and a 1.109 OPS. The speedster has also stolen eight bases during that stretch, and his 11 stolen bases overall this season are second in the South Atlantic League.

TEENAGE SPARK: George Lombard Jr. is off to a tremendous start in his first full season in High-A. On Saturday night, Lombard was 3-for-4 with two runs, a double, an RBI, and a walk. The Yankees No. 1 prospect has reached base safely in 17 of 18 games he has played this season. Lombard has a .481 on-base percentage and .922 OPS, drawing 18 walks in 81 plate appearances and stealing nine bases. The .481 on-base percentage currently ranks first in the South Atlantic League. Lombard is also second in the SAL with those 18 walks, and ranks fifth in OPS.

ENEMY TURNED FRIEND: Elmer Rodriguez-Cruz turned in another superb performance on Friday, outdoing his excellence last week. The Yankees No. 7 prospect tossed 6.1 scoreless innings, allowing just one hit and one walk while striking out a career-high 12 batters. Rodriguez-Cruz set down 19 in a row to begin his outing before allowing a hit to the final batter he faced in the seventh inning. With his 12 strikeouts, Rodriguez-Cruz became the first Renegade starter to eclipse double-digit strikeouts since Baron Stuart on September 7th, 2024 against this same Asheville team. The former Boston prospect earned his second quality start of the season, joining Bryce Cunningham as the only pitchers to record multiple quality starts.

THE 'PEN IS MIGHTIER: Hudson Valley's bullpen looks sharp early this season, recording a 2.60 ERA through 20 games, the best mark in High-A and sixth-best in MILB. The closest competitor in High-A is West Michigan (A+, DET), who has a 3.03 ERA as a unit. Renegades relievers are holding opponents to a .196 opposing average, while striking out 90 batters in 72.2 innings. On Sunday, Hueston Morrill, Hayden Merda, and Cole Ayers combined for 5.2 scoreless innings, allowing just three hits and issuing only one walk.

DOMINICAN FLAMETHROWER: Hard-throwing right-hander Carlos Lagrange was excellent again on Wednesday night in Asheville. The Yankees No. 18 prospect allowed one run across five frames while striking out eight. After a leadoff homer in the first, Asheville went scoreless the rest of Lagrange's start. He has struck out seven or more batters in each of his first three starts, punching out 24 batters in 14 innings (15.4 K/9). In his prior start last week in his home debut, Lagrange allowed just two hits in six innings while striking out a career-high nine batters. After issuing a leadoff walk in the first, Lagrange retired 11 in a row.

A NEW FRONTIER: For the first time in franchise history, the Renegades travel to historic McCormick Field this week to face the Asheville Tourists in a six-game series. Despite the Renegades and Tourists being in the same league since 2021, this will be only the second time these two teams have ever faced off. The High-A affiliate of the Houston Astros traveled to Heritage Financial Park for the first time in the final week of the 2024 season, with Hudson Valley taking four of six games. McCormick Field is one of the oldest ballparks in MiLB, having been built in 1924. It has been home to the Tourists during that entire timespan. Asheville features six of the top 30 prospects in the Astros organization, including No. 4 prospect and 2024 first round pick Walker Janek.

SWEEPERS: The Renegades swept their series with the Blue Rocks on Sunday, which is Hudson Valley's third series sweep of six-or-more games since 7/30/24. The Renegades swept Jersey Shore in a six-game set from 7/30/24-8/4/24, and Wilmington in a seven-game series from 8/20-25/24, both at home. Prior to this run, the Renegades only had one six-game sweep in franchise history, from 7/4-10/22 at Jersey Shore.

HOME BODIES: Hudson Valley has started 8-1at home in 2025, having won eight straight at Heritage Financial Park following a season-opening loss. With three series victories at home in 2025, the 'Gades have not lost a series at home since September 2023. During that time span of 16 home series, the Renegades have won 13 and split just three of them. The Renegades are 55-20 (.733) at home since the start of the 2024 season, the best record in MiLB.

STAR-STUDDED: To begin the 2025 season, the Renegades have SEVEN of the top 30 prospects in the New York Yankees system, which includes five pitchers. Yankees No. 1 prospect and 98th-ranked MLB prospect George Lombard Jr. is back with the Renegades, and No. 19 Yankees prospect Kyle Carr is on Hudson Valley's Opening Day roster for the second straight year. He made his first career Opening Day start on April 4th. The Renegades also welcome the Yankees' top two picks from the 2025 Draft in pitchers Ben Hess and Bryce Cunningham, making their professional debuts. Elmer Rodriguez-Cruz, the Yankees No. 7 prospect who was acquired in an offseason trade with the Boston Red Sox, starts his New York career with the Gades. Carlos Lagrange (Yankees No. 18 prospect) makes his High-A debut. OF Brendan Jones recently joined the Yankees Top 30 (#30).

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