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Blue Sox Fall to the Mohawks


Mohawks After the Final Out. Timothy Charvat, 2024


The road has become even more rocky for the Utica Blue Sox. After falling just short to the Mohawk Valley Diamond Dawgs 9-7, the Sox went on the road to face off against the Amsterdam Mohawks.


And in similar fashion, the Blue Sox would lose a close battle 7-5.


Pitcher’s Duel


Throughout the first four innings, an intense pitching duel arose. Ryan King started for the Blue Sox and would not allow a hit until the bottom of the fourth, after which he worked out of a two run and two men out jam by getting designated hitter Jimmy Dione swinging.

Likewise, Matthew Heiberger of Amsterdam would match pitch for pitch only allowing one hit and one walk in the same time span. The Blue Sox would threaten with two on and two outs in the second and third inning but would fall just short both times.


Stalemate Broken

The scoreboard would remain barren until the bottom of the fifth when the Mohawks would be the first to break through. With a runner on first and one man out, right fielder Liam Wilson would connect for an RBI triple to put Amsterdam on the board.


Three pitches later, third baseman Drake Digiorno would bring Wilson home on a squeeze bunt to put the Mohawks up 2-0. King would get the next batter to fly out to end his night with five innings pitched, two runs allowed and six strikeouts.


A Back and Forth Sixth

The Sox would respond in the top of the sixth inning. Mohawks’ Zack Hernandez would replace Heiberger after five dominating innings and would get into trouble. With a runner on second and two men out, first baseman Norris McClure would connect for and RBI single to put the Blue Sox on the board and cut the deficit to 2-1.


McClure Driving in the First Run for the Blue Sox. Timothy Charvat, 2024


Amsterdam would immediately respond in their half of the frame. Luke Baker would replace King, and after allowing a leadoff hit, got catcher Jackson Natili to ground into a double play.


In the very next at bat, Mohawks’ first baseman Cade Ladehoff would connect for a solo shot over the left field wall to increase the lead 3-1.


Mohawks Come Alive


The Mohawks bats would come to life in the bottom of the seventh. With the bases loaded and one man out, left fielder Javar Williams would hit a sacrifice fly to increase the lead 4-1.


Three pitches later, Evan Hager would connect for an infield single to second base, allowing the lead runner to score. The Sox would get Pete Daniel, who replaced Digiorno at third in the top of the inning, in a rundown after he advanced too far from third base, seemingly ending the inning, while Hager was advancing to third.


Unfortunately, third baseman Wyatt Hunt would throw the ball over McClure’s head while trying to cover at the plate, completing the little league inside-the-park home run to put Amsterdam up 7-1.


Ball Sailing Over McClure’s Head. Timothy Charvat, 2024


The Passion Shows


The Sox would begin to fight back in the top of the eighth. Zack Eldred was in his second inning of work after relieving Hernandez the inning prior and would quickly have the bases loaded and nobody out. This forced Mohawks manager Kevin Griffin to bring in Parker Aikens to limit the damage.


After getting Partridge to strike out, McClure would connect for an RBI single to cut the Sox  deficit. Two batters later, Hunt would be hit by a pitch, forcing in another run to bring the Blue Sox within four. Aikens would then get catcher Brendan Buecker to strikeout swinging to end the inning.


One More Shot


After Giovanni Canales kept the Mohawks off the board in the bottom of the eighth, thanks to an incredible defensive play by center fielder Damien Witty, the Sox would not go quietly

in the top of the ninth inning. Gage Haley would replace Aikens and would run into trouble.


With two men on and two men out, Witty would connect for a two run double to cut the Blue Sox deficit to 7-5, with Partridge coming to bat being the tying run. Haley would recover and get Partridge to groundout to third baseman to end the game.


What’s Next


The Sox return to action on Sunday June 23 as they face off against the Oneonta Outlaws. The first pitch is at 5:15 p.m.


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