Behind six strong innings from Keane, Renegades win 11-1

Wappingers Falls, N.Y. (May 30, 2024) — Behind a six-run fifth and another stellar start from Sebastian Keane, the Hudson Valley Renegades secured their second consecutive win, 11-1 over the Aberdeen IronBirds on Thursday night at Heritage Financial Park.

Keane tossed six innings of one-run ball with six strikeouts for the Renegades, not allowing a hit until the fifth inning. The right-hander has struck out six batters in consecutive starts. In his last three home outings, Keane has three quality starts, allowing just three runs in 19.0 innings and recording 20 punch outs.

In the first the Renegades got on the board when Roc Riggio walked and a Jace Avina single moved Riggio to third. A wild pitch brought him home to give Hudson Valley a 1-0 lead. In the second, Garrett Martin hit his first home run of the season to make it 2-0 Renegades.

In the third, Avina singled, and later came around to score after two wild pitches from IronBirds pitcher Preston Johnson.

Rafael Flores doubled in the fourth, and came home after Jared Serna was hit by pitch with the bases loaded, making it 4-0 Renegades. Flores was 2-for-4 in the game with two doubles and two runs scored. He now has 14 doubles on the year, and nine in his last 15 games.

Carter Young singled in the fifth for the IronBirds, and later came around to score on an Enrique Bradfield base hit, cutting the deficit to 4-1.

In the bottom of the fifth, the Renegades brought 11 batters to the plate, scoring six runs. Omar Martinez walked, and scored after a Flores double and error by Elio Prado. Martin singled home Flores in the next at-bat. Cole Gabrielson then walked, and Riggio was hit by a pitch to load the bases. A Serna infield single drove in Martin, and Gabrielson scored on an Avina sacrifice fly. Tyler Hardman then singled, bringing home Riggio and Serna to make it 10-1 Renegades.

ROC RIGGIO WHAT A PLAY!!! 😲😲😲 pic.twitter.com/PhidsVOdRz

— Hudson Valley Renegades (@HVRenegades) May 31, 2024

Riggio tripled in the seventh, and Avina notched an RBI single to make it 11-1. Avina was 3-for-4 with two RBIs.

Trent Sellers and Matt Keating combined for three scoreless innings out of the bullpen to finish the game, allowing just one hit and striking out six batters.

The Renegades look for their third straight win against the IronBirds on Friday at Heritage Financial Park at 7:05 p.m., with the Heritage Financial Credit Union Pregame Show beginning at 6:45 on the Renegades Baseball Network. Kyle Carr (0-3, 7.34) will start for the Renegades, while Edgar Portes (3-0, 1.96) will go for the IronBirds.