Wappingers Falls, NY – The Hudson Valley Renegades walked off the Winston-Salem Dash on Friday night at Heritage Financial Park, 3-2. The six-game series in tied two wins apiece heading into the weekend.
Hudson Valley grabbed its third walk-off winner of the season, this time courtesy of a two-run single by 2B Connor McGinnis. It was the first walk-off of the season by the Renegades that did not come on a home run.
The Renegades grabbed only one hit through the first five innings. Dash starter Grant Umberger faced the minimum through the first five innings and went three-up, three-down in four of them.
Five Renegades got at least one hit from innings six through nine, and one other drew a walk in the bottom of the ninth (Roderick Arias).
Hudson Valley pitching went nine-up, nine-down to finish the game, and it only allowed one hit from the fifth inning to the ninth.
Renegades relievers (LHP Tanner Baumann, RHP Brandon Decker, and RHP Jackson Fristoe) combined to allow one hit, zero walks, and strike out three.
2B Connor McGinnis (2-for-3, R, 2B, 2 RBI, BB) hit his first walk-off of his professional career with the bases loaded and two outs in the bottom of the ninth inning.
McGinnis fought off a 100.7 mph pitch from Dash closer Pierce George back up the middle on a 1-2 count.
McGinnis was the only Renegade with an extra-base hit and with a multi-hit performance. McGinnis doubled in the sixth and scored the Renegades’ first run against Grant Umberger.
McGinnis is batting .333 to begin the month of May which is 162 points higher than he batted in the month of April (.171).
McGinnis has gotten hits in five of his last six games, going 7-for-21 (.333) over the stretch with 2B, HR, and 4 RBI.
SS Kaeden Kent (1-for-3, RBI, BB) grabbed his fourth hit in this series. He is batting 4-for-14 (.286) against the Dash.
Kent has hits in 15 of his last 17 games, going 26-for-71 (.366) with 19 RBI, 8 BB, a .430 OBP, and a 1.022 OPS.
Kent has at least one RBI in four of his last six games played.
Kent is tied for the South Atlantic League lead in hits (38) with Greenville’s Yoeilin Cespedes.
RF Wilson Rodriguez (1-for-3, BB) has gotten on base in 12 of his last 13 games played.
Rodriguez has reached base in 11 of his last 12 games played, going 13-for-48 (.271) over the stretch with 3 2B, 1 3B, 4 RBI, and 7 BB.
Rodriguez is batting a .308 AVG in the month of May which is 139 points better than his April AVG.
Rodriguez drew a one-out walk in the bottom of the ninth to load the bases and set up McGinnis’ heroics.
DH Core Jackson (1-for-4) extended his on-base streak to three-straight games. Jackson is 4-for-9 (.444) with three walks over the stretch.
3B Roderick Arias (0-3, BB, R) drew a one-out walk in the bottom of the ninth to move the tying run into scoring position. Arias was the winning run.
Arias extended his team-high on-base streak to 13 straight games.
LHP Tanner Bauman (1.2 IP, 1 H, 0 R, 0 ER, 0 BB, 3 K, 0 HR) has made seven straight scoreless appearances since his season debut on 4/4 at Brooklyn.
RHP Brandon Decker (1.1 IP, 0 H, 0 R, 0 ER, 0 BB, 0 K) threw his third scoreless outing this season.
Decker has allowed only two hits and one run (earned) since he moved to the bullpen on 4/29.
RHP Jackson Fristoe (1.0 IP, 0 H, 0 R, 0 ER, 0 BB, 0 K) threw 14 pitches, 10 of which were strikes, in the top of the ninth to keep it a 2-1 ballgame in favor of the Dash. He picked up the win, his second of the season.
Fristoe has not allowed a hit or a run in his last three games (3.1 IP).