BROOKLYN, N.Y. - The Cyclones could not grab either contest of Thursday’s double-header against Hudson Valley. The Renegades grabbed Game 1 of the twinbill, 7-3, before taking the second contest, 7-0. The losses mark the second time this season that Brooklyn has been swept in a double-header. With the two losses, Brooklyn has dropped three of the first four games of the seven game series.
The first contest was dominated by Hudson Valley’s starting pitcher LHP Allen Facundo. The southpaw struck out 13 Cyclones hitters, tying the most strikeouts against Brooklyn in the MiLB Stat Portal Era (since 2005). Facundo struck out the first eight hitters he faced, and the first nine outs he recorded were all strikeouts.
RHP Noah Hall was saddled with the defeat for the ‘Clones. Hall gave a shorthanded Brooklyn pitching staff some much needed length. The right hander coughed up nine hits and allowed seven runs over five innings, while walking three and striking out none.
The Renegades got the scoring underway right from the jump. After a groundout, walk and hit batter started the game, 1B Kyle West lined a two-run double to center to give Hudson Valley a 2-0 lead. One batter later, 2B Enmanuel Tejeda roped a ground ball up the middle, scoring West to push the ‘Gades lead to 3-0.
In the 4th, the Renegades broke the game open with four runs. After a leadoff walk, C Josue Gonzalez launched a two-run shot off of Hall. From there, a groundout and walk put a runner on 1st with one out. SS Kaeden Kent powered an RBI triple to left field, pushing Brooklyn’s deficit to 6-0. The final Hudson Valley run of the game came courtesy of an RBI groundout from LF Wilson Rodriguez, the very next batter.
Brooklyn’s bats would come to life in the home half of the 4th. With a man on 3rd and one out, LF J.T. Benson grounded out to third, scoring RF John Bay for Brooklyn’s first run. From there, C Daiverson Gutierrez clobbered a solo shot to left field to shave the deficit to 7-2.
Brooklyn tacked on another in 5th. With the bases loaded, 1B Corey Collins was hit by a pitch to bring in the 3rd Brooklyn run.
RHP Bryce Jenkins continued his outstanding pitching in relief of RHP Noah Hall. The righty arm faced the minimum six batters, working 2.0 perfect innings.
The Cyclones would not scratch across anything further the rest of the way, dropping the first game, 7-3.
In Game 2, RHP Rory Fox was nearly untouchable for Hudson Valley. The Renegades starter chucked a complete game shutout, as the Cyclones mustered just two hits against the Notre Dame product. The righty struck out eight and walked only one.
The Cyclones utilized six different pitchers during the bullpen game. RHP Hoss Brewer was tagged with the loss, allowing two runs over 2.0 frames, serving as the team’s opener in just his second pro career start. Brooklyn only had one baserunner after the first inning.
Much like Game 1, the Renegades wasted little time cracking the scoreboard. After the two teams traded zeroes in the first - despite Brooklyn having two in scoring position with two outs - the ‘Gades plated a pair in the 2nd. Tejeda led off the frame with a base hit. Three batters later, CF Camden Troyer took Brewer deep to break the scoreless tie.
Hudson Valley put up a crooked number with five runs in the 5th, sending 11 men to the plate in the process. 1B Josh Moylan started the frame with a triple and would score on the play on an E4 on the cutoff throw in to 3rd base.
A second fielding error allowed Troyer to reach. After a strikeout and a single, Rodriguez skied a sac fly to the outfield. The very next batter, C Eric Genther roped a two-run home run, his second of the series, to make it a 6-0 ballgame. From there, a single, walk, hit-by-pitch, and bases loaded walk enabled the Renegades to make it a 7-0 ballgame, which would hold for the final.
The Cyclones and Renegades return to action on Friday night at 6:40 p.m. RHP Frank Camarillo is slated to make his High-A debut. He’ll be opposed by Hudson Valley’s RHP Sean Paul Liñan (1-4, 3.90 ERA).