HOLYOKE, MA–The Valley Blue Sox hope to start a winning streak as they host the Plymouth Pilgrims for the only time this season at Mackenzie Stadium. University of Massachusetts-Amherst basketball coach Derek Kellogg will throw out the ceremonial first pitch for tonight’s 6:35 p.m. contest.
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LAST TIME THEY MET: The Blue Sox walked off against the Pilgrims, 6-5, on June 29, 2013 to complete the season sweep of their first-year foe.
The teams were deadlocked at 0-0 until the Blue Sox put home three runs in the fifth, as center fielder Jacob Bruce drove a bases-loaded double into the gap in right to bring in everyone. The Pilgrims picked up a run of their own in the sixth and then the teams traded runs in the eighth to make it 4-2 Blue Sox.
In the ninth, the Pilgrims took advantage of miscues, as an error, a fielder’s choice that resulted in no outs, and a hit batsman loaded the bases, which were then unloaded with a pair of two-out singles to give Plymouth their first lead of the game, 5-4.
However, in the home half, the Blue Sox drew back-to-back leadoff walks, and then Bruce hit another double to tie the game. The following batter, first baseman Sal Annunziata, drilled a ball to center field to plate the winning run and send the crowd of nearly 900 fans home happy.
ALL-TIME SERIES: The Blue Sox are 2-0 against Plymouth, which joined the league last season; apart from their win at home, they also beat Plymouth 2-1 at Forges Field on June 19, 2013, as Henry Van Zant threw five innings of one run ball and closer Ben Rakus went four frames, allowing just a pair of hits and fanning six.
PITCHING PROBABLES: The Blue Sox turn to ace Derik Beauprez today. The right-hander from Miami had a tough time in his last outing, going four frames against Mystic and allowing two earned runs on three hits but with five walks in a 9-3 loss. He sits at 0-2 on the year with a 3.60 ERA. Against him, the Pilgrims will turn to a pitcher who has had equally rough luck, Kurt Sowa. He was on the wrong end of a 1-0 loss as he tossed six innings against Ocean State, and the sole run he allowed was unearned. Overall he is also 0-2 with a 3.27 ERA this year.
LAST TIME OUT: The Blue Sox broke a six-game winless drought by walking off in extra innings against the Newport Gulls, 4-3, on Sunday June 22.
In the second inning, the Blue Sox opened the scoring, as third baseman Frank Crinella singled, and then shortstop Garrett Black walked. Right fielder Kevin Barker then came to the dish and the first at-bat of his birthday was worth a run as he singled to left. However, the Gulls scored in the fifth on a hit batter, wild pitch, single, and sacrifice, and the following frame gained a lead as a single and two errors plated a run. The duo of Crinella and Black both singled again in the home half of the sixth, and after Elder sacrifice bunted, Barker drove in two more with a hot-shot single that hopped over the shortstop to make it 3-2. The Gulls again tied it the next half-inning, as two singles bookended an error to make it 3-3.
Valley had a chance to take the lead in the eighth with a man on third and one out, but could not bring him home. Neither team did much in the ninth, and then the Gulls got second and third with two outs but a fly to the track in right ended the threat. That set the stage for the heroics. Stahel and Crinella both singled, with Crinella laying down a perfect bunt; Black attempted to bunt them over and a bad throw by the pitcher loaded the bases. The Gulls brought their center fielder to the infield to try to protect from a ground ball, but Elder swung at the first pitch and drove it into right field, far enough for Stahel to score and send the Blue Sox to celebration mode.
Plymouth needed 13 innings to take a 5-2 win at Vermont on Tuesday. They led 2-0 after scoring in the seventh, but allowed two unearned in the ninth thanks to an error and a two-base wild pitch. However, in the 13th, they posted three runs to earn their fourth straight win.
WHO’S HOT: Storm Wilson has a seven game hitting streak active right now for the Blue Sox, while Thomas Roulis has a four-game streak going for the Pilgrims.
GAME-TIME WEATHER FORECAST: Cloudy, 78 degrees, winds north at 8 MPH, 30% chance of rain.
NEXT UP: The Blue Sox make a trip to Laconia tomorrow before returning home the following day to host the Keene Swamp Bats in a 6:35 p.m. start. Wally the Green Monster will be at Mackenzie Stadium for the Saturday contest.