JEFFERSON CITY, Mo. - Two nights ago, catcher Kade Franks was all set to take in his first ever game in a Renegades uniform watching veteran Jady Reese work behind the plate – until about five minutes before first pitch. After a bullpen accident in which Reese ended up needing a few stitches, all of the sudden the Renegades needed Franks on opening night, who stepped up seamlessly in front of a packed house at Vivion Field.
Tonight, Franks was there to answer the bell, reaching base three times and breaking the game open with his bases clearing double in the fourth. The Renegades (1-2) rode their bats all the way to victory, topping the Clarinda A’s (0-1) 9-5 for their first win of the season.
The Renegades had run support all night long, scoring in all but three frames the entire game, and as if the hot bats weren’t enough – the Renegades were relentless on the base paths. Second baseman Christian Rodriguez tallied three steals alone, two of which came on back-to-back pitches.
Jefferson City set the tone early, as starter Dalton Erger fired three strikeouts over the first two innings of play, allowing his offense to provide a cushion. Although the A’s fought back, largely on the back of Victor Perez’s three hit game, it wasn’t enough. Clarinda starter Blain Parker was unable to capture the same good fortune as Erger, hitting a batter to allow the first Renegade run to cross, and then walking in the next two.
Much like the Renegades on the first night of the season, the A’s refused to quit, scoring two in the ninth before finally being turned away by Alex Kubic to lock down Jefferson City’s first victory in 2018.
Pending inclement weather, the Renegades will host the A’s tomorrow before finishing up the three-game set on Sunday.
The rest of the weekend series can be streamed below:
