Big Bopper: Serna's three homer night leads 'Gades to 13-10 win

Wilmington, Del. (May 1, 2024) — Behind a historic three home run performance by Jared Serna, the Hudson Valley Renegades outlasted the Wilmington Blue Rocks 13-10 in 11 innings on Wednesday night at Frawley Stadium.

Serna starred at the plate, finishing 3-for-7 with three home runs, six RBIs and three runs scored. He became just the third Renegades player in the Portal Era (2005-present) to hit three home runs in a game, and the first since Everson Pereira on Sept. 5, 2021 at Greensboro.

His three-homer performance was just the third three-home run game at Frawley Stadium and the second-ever by a visiting player in the Portal Era, joining Armando Camacaro’s three-homer game on July 26, 2007 for the Kinston Indians.

🚨 THREE-HOMER GAME 🚨@Yankees No. 19 prospect Jared Serna drills a hat trick of taters for the @HVRenegades 🥔🥔🥔 pic.twitter.com/S2A5guMsDf

— Minor League Baseball (@MiLB) May 2, 2024

Serna put the Renegades on the board in the top of the third with his first home run of the night. He sliced an opposite-field two-run home run down the right field line to give Hudson Valley a 2-0 lead. The blast came off Blue Rocks starter Luke Young, who had not allowed a run across his previous 14.0 innings pitched.

Wilmington answered with two runs in the bottom of the third against Jackson Fristoe, and took a 4-2 lead in the bottom of the fifth when T.J. White connected for a two-run home run off Trent Sellers.

The Renegades tied the game in the top of the sixth when Jesus Rodriguez and Omar Martinez clobbered back-to-back home runs to start the inning against Brendan Collins. It was the first time this season that the Gades hit back-to back homers. They regained the lead on Serna’s second two-run homer of the night in the top of the seventh.

Josh Moylan drove in Martinez with an insurance run with an RBI double in the eighth to extend the lead to 7-4. Martinez broke out of a slump to go 2-for-4 with two runs scored, a home run, two RBIs and two walks.

In the bottom of the ninth, Brandon Boissiere hit a three-run home run to tie the game at 7-7 and send the game into extra innings. In the top of the 10^th, Kiko Romero drove in pinch runner Cole Gabrielson to put Hudson Valley in front, and later in the frame Serna cracked his third homer of the night – a two-run shot to left off Todd Peterson to grow the advantage to 10-7.

In the bottom of the 10^th, Wilmington tied the game against Steven Fulgencio (1-0). Daylen Lile drove in John McHenry with a single to cut the lead down to 10-8, and the Blue Rocks tallied two more against Fulgencio on a fielder’s choice groundout and a wild pitch to knot the game up at 10-10.

The Renegades struck back for three runs in the top of the 11^th, regaining the lead for good on a Martinez RBI single. Marquis Grissom, Jr. walked in two more runs to grow the gap to 13-10. Serna batted with the bases loaded and a chance for his fourth home run, but grounded out to second to end the frame.

Hueston Morrill walked Boissiere to bring the tying run to the plate in the bottom of the 11^th, but struck out the next three batters to close out the game and earn his first save with the Renegades.

Hudson Valley continues its series with Wilmington on Thursday night at Frawley Stadium. First pitch is scheduled for 6:35 p.m., with coverage beginning on the Renegades Baseball Network with the Heritage Financial Credit Union Pregame Show at 6:15. The Renegades send RHP Sebastian Keane (1-2, 5.63) to the bump, countered by Blue Rocks RHP Riley Cornelio (1-3, 6.00).