Blue Sox Celebrating the Win. Timothy Charvat, 2024
It’s a new month and a fresh start for the Utica Blue Sox. After defeating the Watertown Rapids 10-3, the Sox returned home on Monday to kick off the second half of the season against the Boonville Lumberjacks.
And in the most dominating game of the season, the Blue Sox would beat the Lumberjacks 10-0 in an eight-inning mercy rule.
Pitching Dominance
Pitching would dominate throughout the entire game, as the Blue Sox staff allowed four total Lumberjacks to reach base. Ryan King got the start, and arguably pitched the strongest game for the Sox this season.
In a season high six total innings, King would not allow a hit, while giving a single walk in the top of the third and striking out six batters. An outing that impressed Sox manager Doug Delett.
“Ryan was Ryan,” Delett said. “He works both sides of the plate… The way he pitches, he can play big division one college baseball.”
Luke Baker would come into the seventh inning to attempt to keep the no hitter alive, and with two out Lumberjacks Carter Storti would reach on an infield hit. He would advance to second on a throwing error by Sox shortstop Yomar Carreras.
“If he had gotten the ball down, that would’ve been ESPN highlight reel,” Delett said. “Even though we didn’t pull it off, I wasn’t concerned.”
Baker would get the next batter to ground into a fielder's choice to end the inning and squash the only time the Lumberjacks would put a runner in scoring position.
Charlie Moore would come in the top of the eight and would allow the most Lumberjacks runners to reach base, as he would allow a hit by pitch and a walk. But due in large part to catcher Sean Marlou throwing out designated hitter Joshua Braxton, Moore was able to pitch a clean inning to cap off the night on the pitching side.
A Slow Start
Throughout the first half of the game, the Sox would struggle to score runs. Quinn Oliver would get the start for the Lumberjacks, and through a season high four innings of work, would not allow a run, while surrendering two hits, three walks and striking out three in his best performance of the season.
But once Lumberjacks manager Brian Fajardo removed Oliver in the bottom of the fifth for Bruno Cergol, the Sox bats would come to life. With runners on the corners and one man out, third baseman Wyatt Hunt would connect for an RBI single to give the Blue Sox the lead.
Breaking the Tool Shack
The Sox would go quietly in the sixth, but the bats would come to life the very next inning. With the bases loaded and one man out, Marlou would connect for an RBI single to double the Sox lead and ending Cergol’s night for Gavin Wilson.
After getting Hunt to flyout, second baseman Benny Partridge would connect for a two-run single but would then get up in a rundown long enough for Marlou to make a mad dash to home to increase the lead further.
Partridge Big Three-Run Hit. Timothy Charvat, 2024
“He can run,” Delett commented. “For a catcher, he can run. And when he rounded third, I knew he was going to go, and I knew he was going to be it.”
On the very next pitch, right fielder Daimen Witty would connect for a two-run homer to cap off a six run seventh, to lead the game 7-0.
The Final Blow
The Sox would put on the finishing touches in the bottom of the eighth. Jin Chen would come into the game for the Lumberjacks and immediately would get into trouble.
With the bases loaded and one man out, center fielder Todd Abraham and Marlou would walk home two runs to increase their lead 9-0. Hunt would end the game with an RBI single, enabling the mercy rule to be put into effect, with the final score being 10-0 in what Delett would call the most complete game of the season.
“That’s the focus that we have out of the gate that we’ve been lacking. And tonight, we’ve played right out of the gate. All the way through.”
Notable Stats
This marks the first shutout for the Blue Sox this season, and the first time the Sox pitching has only allowed a single hit since July 27. 2021 against the Auburn Doubledays.
Since June 17, Norris McClure has collected a hit in eleven of the past twelve games, raising his batting average to from ,194 to .333 which ranks twelfth in all the PGCBL.
McClure would also steal his 26th base in his Blue Sox career in the bottom of the first inning, which moves him into sole possession of fourth place on the all-time list.
What’s Next
The Blue Sox will be back at home on Wednesday July 3 as they begin a brief two-game series against the Watertown Rapids. The first pitch is at 6:45 p.m.
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