DANBURY, CT–The Valley Blue Sox finish up their season-long five game road swing with a battle against the Danbury Westerners in their only trip of the 2014 campaign at Rogers Park between the two teams.
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LAST TIME THEY MET: The Blue Sox bats woke up and bashed their way out of a slump, breaking an eight game skid with a convincing 9-1 win over the Danbury Westerners on July 9 in front of 2180 fans at Mackenzie Stadium.
The Blue Sox scored early in the game, taking a 1-0 lead in the second as first baseman Jeremie Fagnan doubled to right. He attempted to steal third and the throw went into left field, allowing him to score.
Then, in the fourth, the home squad broke it open. Shortstop Angelo La Bruna walked, and then designated hitter Justin Hazard and catcher Josh Graham hit back-to-back singles to left, the latter bringing home La Bruna.
After Fagnan dropped a bunt to load the bases, left fielder Joseph Carcone blooped a single to right to score a run. Second baseman Michael Korte hit a grounder to the right side to bring in another run, and then third baseman Frank Crinella smacked a double to left to bring in two more.
In the seventh, the Blue Sox added three more, taking advantage of three walks and two hit batters to plate two runs before Carcone singled to bring home the final run of the night for Valley.
Danbury did break the shutout in the ninth, scoring their only run of the game for the 9-1 final.
ALL-TIME SERIES: The Blue Sox are 17-17 all time against the Westerners, just 6-12 away from home at Rogers Park.
PITCHING PROBABLES: Sophomore John Pryor will take the ball once again for the Blue Sox. The Lipscomb lefty has been the ace of the Blue Sox staff and despite a 2-4 record has been phenomenal, authoring a 2.43 ERA in 33.1 innings with 24 strikeouts, 13 walks, and 29 hits allowed in five starts out of seven total games. He will oppose Lafayette senior righty Alex Farina. Farina has no record on the year in eight appearances, with two starts, and has posted a 4.15 ERA over 26 innings with 23 strikeouts, 11 walks, and 24 hits allowed.
LAST TIME OUT: Despite two different one run leads, the Blue Sox could not stay ahead of the Vermont Mountaineers for long, falling 4-3 to the North Division leaders in the Green Mountain State on July 29.
The Mountaineers struck first in the fourth, turning a two out single into a run with a stolen base and another single.
However, in the fifth, Garrett Black singled and Kevin Barker was hit by a pitch; after they advanced 0n a sacrifice bunt by Storm Wilson, Frank Crinella drove them in with a single to left to make it 2-1.
The lead lasted half an inning as Vermont tallied their second run in the bottom half, thanks to a leadoff walk, wild pitch, sacrifice bunt, and sacrifice fly.
In the seventh, the Blue Sox got the same starting sequence as they did in the fifth with Black singling and Barker getting hit; they advanced on a wild pitch, and after a fielder’s choice saw Black put out trying to come home, Barker scored on a wild pitch.
However, Vermont took the lead for good in the eighth, as back-to-back walks proved costly when a Mountaineers single brought in both runners for the 4-3 final.
WHO’S HOT: For the Blue Sox, Jeremie Fagnan has gone five for his last eight with two doubles to jump his average to .326. For Danbury, Aaron Huesman has worked at least one free pass in seven straight games, reaching 10 times either via walk or being hit by a pitch in that span.
GAME-TIME WEATHER FORECAST: Mostly sunny, 76 degrees, winds southwest at 5 MPH, 46% humidity, 0% chance of rain.
NEXT UP: The Blue Sox host the North Adams SteepleCats tomorrow on Bobblehead Night. Gates open at 5:35 p.m. for the 6:35 p.m. start and, courtesy of Skip’s Outdoor Accents, the first 400 fans through the gate will be given a Big Red bobblehead.