Blue Sox start five-game homestand against North Adams

HOLYOKE, MA–Fresh off of a win in the week’s opener with the Schooners, the Blue Sox return home to Mackenzie Stadium to battle the North Adams SteepleCats in a crucial North Division contest. Both teams are looking to battle back into playoff contention.

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LAST TIME THEY MET: The Valley Blue Sox suffered another heartbreaking loss, falling 5-4 on a walk-off single against the North Adams SteepleCats at Joe Wolfe Field on June 20.

The Blue Sox wasted no time in getting on the board, as left fielder Storm Wilson hit a double down the left field line on the first pitch. Designated hitter Angelo La Bruna came to the plate next, and after taking a wild pitch that allowed Wilson to move to third, hit a grounder to short that allowed Wilson to score.

The game remained scoreless until the sixth, when the SteepleCats took advantage of mental errors by the Blue Sox. A hit batsmen led off the frame, and after he stole second, he was driven in by a single. Another stolen base, followed by a throwing error by the catcher allowed a second run to score. Yet another error in right allowed a third run to score, and a sacrifice fly plated the fourth.

Valley got a run back in the seventh, as third baseman Frank Crinella drew a bases-loaded walk; the team could not bring in any further runs.

However, in the eighth, the Blue Sox came roaring back. Right fielder Bobby Stahel was hit by the first pitch of the inning, and then second baseman Joseph Carcone used ten pitches before driving a double down the left field line. Shortstop Garrett Black hit a grounder to score Stahel, and then Carcone came in on a wild pitch to tie the score 4-4.

The Blue Sox had a chance to score, with second and third in the ninth, but could not bring in the run. That proved fatal, as the SteepleCats worked a walk, a single, and a liner to right to end the game with a 5-4 win.

ALL-TIME SERIES: The Blue Sox are 17-19 against the SteepleCats since 2008, with an 9-9 record at Mackenzie Stadium. The home team has won all three games in the season series so far.

PITCHING PROBABLES: The Blue Sox will send out Henry Van Zant to start tonight’s game. The senior righty from Bowdoin tossed 1.2 innings of scoreless relief at Keene his last time out, and on the year is 1-0 with a 6.39 ERA in 12.2 innings with 15 strikeouts, six walks, and 19 hits allowed, mostly in relief. Against him, the SteepleCats are slated to start Monmouth senior righty T.J.Hunt. Hunt lost his last start against New Bedford, allowing three runs on six hits in six frames with two walks and six strikeouts; on the year he is 1-2 with a 2.70 ERA in 26.2 innings, with 13 strikeouts, seven walks, and 25 hits allowed in six appearances, four of which were starts.

LAST TIME OUT: The Blue Sox broke their month-long road losing streak with a 8-6 marathon victory over the Mystic Schooners in a game they never trailed at Fitch High School Field on July 16.

The Blue Sox jumped all over Patrick Egan, as Bobby Stahel walked, followed by an error at third that allowed Frank Crinella to reach. That allowed Angelo La Bruna to single to bring Stahel home, and Crinella subsequently scored on a wild pitch. Trey Sikes hit a wall-ball double to right to bring in La Bruna, who had moved to second on the wild pitch, all before Mystic recorded an out.

However, Mystic responded in kind, rattling off three straight singles to start the bottom of the first, scoring one run, and added another on a 6-4-3 double play to make it 3-2.

In the fourth, Nick Lynch and Storm Wilson led off with singles, and after Joseph Carcone moved them over, Stahel doubled down the left field line to bring them in; Crinella followed that up with a single to right to bring in Stahel to make it 6-2, knocking Egan from the game.

Mystic loaded the bases with one out and worked a walk to score Springfield native Matt O’Herron, but that was all they managed thanks to a strikeout and pop pout.

In the sixth, Stahel doubled, bringing in Lynch; pinch runner Kevin Barker was just unable to score as well, being called out at home.

In the seventh, the Schooners hit five straight singles to make it 7-6. However, Kyle Rasmussen ended the threat with a pop out and a pair of swinging strikeouts.

However, the Blue Sox got it back in the eighth, as Dylan Delso reached on an error and Stahel doubled again to right center to make it 8-6.

That was enough, as Joe DiBenedetto came in for the ninth to save the win.

WHO’S HOT: Blue Sox center fielder Bobby Stahel is seven-for-seventeen over the last five games with four doubles, while North Adams’ Kyle Richardson is also seven-for-seventeen in the last four games for the SteepleCats.