By Timothy Charvat
The road has been filled with ups and downs early on for the Utica Blue Sox. After splitting Wednesday’s doubleheader against the Oneonta Outlaws, the Sox were back on the road as they faced off against their longtime rivals Mohawk Valley Diamond Dawgs.
And in dramatic fashion, the Sox used a four-run ninth inning to stun the Dawgs 7-5.
The Blue Sox would get the ball rolling in the top of the first. With a runner on third and two men out, center fielder Damien Witty would connect for an RBI single off Diamond Dawgs starter Austin Barnao to give the Sox an early lead.
The Sox would then work back-to-back walks to load the bases for first baseman Trace Hartman. Barnao would get him to popout to Dawgs first baseman Deigo Tavarez to limit the damage.
Anzaldi’s Tough Outing
Andrew Anzaldi would make his fourth start for the Blue Sox, and throughout the first three innings, he would have to work out of multiple jams, with each one being more stressful than the last.
This would peak in the third inning. The Blue Sox would increase their lead to 2-0 on a throwing error by Dawgs shortstop Christino Tufano in the top half, Mohawk Valley would attempt to respond in the bottom half. After getting the first two out, Anzaldi would walk the next two batters, then allow an infield hit to center fielder Brody Rasmussen to load the bases for third baseman Justin Hurd.
Anzaldi would strike out Hurd to end the inning and fire up the Sox dugout.
After threatening the first three innings, the Dawgs would get through to Anzaldi. With runners on first and second and one man out, Ethan Pues would connect for an RBI single to put Mohawk Valley on the board. In the next at bat Tufano connected for a two-run triple to put the Dawgs up 3-2.
This would be the last batter that Anzaldi would face, as he would be pulled from the game for Giovanni Canales. After walking the first batter he faced, Canales would get second baseman Luke Nomura to popout and strikeout Rassmussen to end the inning, limiting the damage.
The Dawgs went back to work the next inning. With runners on second and third and two men out, Pugh would connect for a two-run double that was just out of the left fielders grasp to put Mohawk Valley up 5-2.
For the next few innings, the Sox would struggle to get the bat on the ball. The combination of Gavin Gomez and Chad Yates would hold the Blue Sox scoreless and hitless.
But the Sox would put runners on second and third in the top of the seventh and with one out, Dawgs manager Steve Luby would bring in Bo Buckley to work out the inning.
Blue Sox Wake Up
The Sox would show fight in the top of the eighth. Jayden Fateman would be brought in and would immediately run into trouble.
With runners on second and third and two men out right fielder Kevin Denty would connect for an RBI single to cut the deficit to 5-3. Fateman would get first baseman Trace Hartman to groundout to end the inning.
There is an old saying in baseball, that nothing is over until the twenty seventh out is made, and the Sox would prove that in the top of the ninth, as they would quickly load the bases with one man out. This would end Fateman’s night, as Dylan Bedder would be brought in to try and finish off the Blue Sox.
This would set up second baseman Benny Partridge to deliver the biggest hit of the season thus far for the Blue Sox, as he would connect for a bases clearing double to put the Sox on the board and silencing the Mohawk Valley crowd. In the next at bat, third baseman Norris.
McClure would reach on a throwing error by Tufano, allowing Partridge to score, increasing the lead to 7-5.
This lead would be enough for sox pitcher Matthew Williams, who would quickly retire the Dawgs in order, securing the Sox first come from behind win of the season.
The Sox will be rematched against the Diamond Dawgs as they return home on Friday June 28. The first pitch is at 6:45 p.m.
