By Connor Stalker, Utica Blue Sox Staff Writer
Utica, N.Y.—It was an eventful day at Murnane Field as the Blue Sox took on league powerhouse, the Amsterdam Mohawks. Coming into the game, the Mohawks were on a 16-game win streak, a league record, while also boasting an impressive 25-1 record. The Blue Sox, on the other hand, were 10-10 and have continually found themselves around the .500 mark.
In a shocking turn of events, the Blue Sox came back from a 6-1 deficit to tie the game heading into the bottom of the 9th inning. Hero from the 4th of July, Will Shannon, proved himself clutch again lacing a groundball single up the middle that scored the winning run, handing the Mohawks their 2nd loss of the season. For the Blue Sox, this meant they finally surpassed the .500 mark for the first time since early in the summer.
The Mohawks attacked Blue Sox pitching early, taking a 6-1 lead in the 6th inning, led by a 2-run single by Maximus Martin in the 4th and a two-run home run by Luke Longo in the 6th.
The Blue Sox chipped away at the Mohawks’ lead in the bottom of the 6th on a single by Easton Brenner. They then spotted 4 runs on the board in the bottom of the 7th, highlighted by a line-drive double by Ben Partridge. Will Shannon officially ended the game in the bottom of the 9th on the aforementioned walk-off single.
Reliever Brandon Millan earned the win going 3 and 2/3rd’s innings of 2 hit ball, striking out 1 and allowing 0 runs. Colin Maloney was tacked with the loss after giving up the walk-off base knock to Shannon. Starter Adam Guazzo and reliever Colin Skermont struggled with walks ultimately walking 5 batters each. Guazzo largely remained out of trouble allowing only 1 earned run, while Skermont gave up 4 runs.
Max Ramirez threw well for the Mohawks, going 5 innings, giving up only 1 earned run, and striking out 3. Amsterdam’s relief corps struggled much more readily, especially Carson Cotugno who gave up 4 runs.
Will Shannon led all batters with 3 hits, while also knocking in a pair, scoring a run, and walking once. Benny Partridge, Norris McClure, and Todd Abraham also contributed substantially to the win, with each nabbing 2 hits. All three were menaces on the base paths as well. Abraham and McClure stole bases, while McClure and Partridge scored 2 runs apiece.
For the Mohawks, Luke Longo had a big game, hitting a home run, batting in 3, and scoring 2 runs. At the bottom of the order, Maximus Martin also contributed 2 hits and 2 RBIs. While Gage Miller did not get a hit, he did walk an impressive 4 times.
The Blue Sox play a doubleheader at home this Friday against Watertown with the first game starting at 5:15 pm.