HVR Game Notes – May 3, 2023

May 3, 2023 – South Atlantic League (SAL) – Hudson Valley Renegades News Release

Hudson Valley Renegades (14-8) vs. Wilmington Blue Rocks (11-9)

LHP Clay Aguilar (1-0, 4.50) vs. LHP Andrew Alvarez (1-1, 4.30 ERA)

| Game 23 | Home Game 11 | Heritage Financial Park | Wappingers Falls, N.Y. | May 3, 2023 | First Pitch 6:05 p.m. |

FREINDS OF MR. CELERY: The Hudson Valley Renegades battle the Wilmington Blue Rocks for the second of 30 contests between the two teams this season. The Blue Rocks are the most-frequent opponent of the season for the Renegades. The clubs will play two series at Heritage Financial Park and three at Frawley Stadium in Wilmington.

LAST TIME OUT: The Wilmington Blue Rocks held off the Renegades 5-2 on Tuesday night. The Blue Rocks scored all five runs in the first two innings while the Renegades pitching staff held them without a hit in the final 7.1 innings. Both ‘Gades runs came in the third inning on a Spencer Jones RBI triple and an Alexander Vargas double. Bailey Dees and Jack Neely combined to strike out seven straight Wilmington batters at one point, while Nick Paciorek tossed a scoreless inning out of the ‘pen.

IT’S GONNA BE MAY: With a 14-7 (.667) record in April, the Renegades wrapped up their best calendar month since June 2021 (19-7, .730). The Hudson Valley offense led the way by clobbering 34 home runs in the month, the most in a month since hitting 35 in 27 games in June 2022. The 34 home runs are more than Hudson Valley hit during the 17 entire seasons during their run as a New York-Penn League team (’94, ’95, ’97, ’00, ’03, ’04, ’08-’17, and ’19).

HIT THE ROAD JACK: With a win Sunday against the Greenville Drive, the Renegades secured back-to-back series win as a part of their 12-game road trip through the South. Last season, the ‘Gades won back-to-back road series twice. They defeated the Aberdeen IronBirds and Greensboro Grasshoppers in June before completing a sweep of the Jersey Shore BlueClaws and a series victory over the Brooklyn Cyclones in August.

MAN ON FIRE: Over the past seven games, Aaron Palensky is 14-for-28 and slashing .500/.576/1.214 with two doubles, six home runs, 13 RBIs, and four stolen bases. He is currently tied for first in HR (7), SLG (.900), and OPS (1.375), second in average (.380), third in RBI (20), tied for third in XBH (11), and fourth in TB (45) and OBP (.475).

FORE RIGHT: With a sixth-inning home run on Sunday in Greenville, Aaron Palensky homered for the fourth straight game. He…