Blue Sox look ahead after first loss of the summer

By Mary Merensky

HOLYOKE - The Valley Blue Sox are looking ahead to their three-game road trip after suffering their first loss of the summer. The undefeated streak came to an end for the Blue Sox when they faced the Martha’s Vineyard Sharks on Tuesday night, losing 8-2. 

“We didn’t do enough things to win tonight,” said Coach Raiola. “We’ll reset…and shoot for another winning streak.” 

Valley’s starting pitcher, Alex Hill, kept the Sharks from scoring during the first three innings, which allowed the Blue Sox to take a 1-0 lead in the bottom of the third. The Blue Sox's lead did not last for long as the Martha’s Vineyard Sharks tied it up in the fourth and quickly took over, scoring the next five runs of the game. 

While the eight runs scored by the Sharks would imply that the pitching cost them the game, it was the offense, or lack thereof, that was the glaring issue for the Blue Sox. In the prior three games, the Blue Sox had managed to score at least five runs, so it was surprising to see the Sharks hold them to just two hits throughout the first seven innings.

“Once we kind of put [our offense] together, with the way that we’ve played defense, and pitched in the early going…that’s where you’ll start to see some much more favorable results,” said Raiola

Now, the Blue Sox will have an off day after playing four consecutive games, but it is right back to action on Thursday, June 11, as they begin a three-game road trip as part of a five-game stretch. 

First, the Blue Sox will be heading to Lynn, Massachusetts, to take on the North Shore Navigators, a team that sits in second-to-last place in the North Division, with a 1-3 record. The Navigators are a team that has struggled to score early, and that is something the Blue Sox's pitching can take advantage of. 

The following two games will be played in Connecticut, as Valley will play the Mystic Schooners on June 12 and the Danbury Westerners on June 13. 

This will mark the Blue Sox’s first meeting with the Schooners, who are atop the South Division in first place, winning five games and losing only one. Valley’s starting pitcher will have to be on point during this matchup, as the Schooners have scored at least one run during the first three innings in five out of six games played so far. 

In their last meeting, the Blue Sox took a 5-2 victory over the Danbury Westerners and will hope for a repeat performance. The Westerners have had difficulty with the defensive side of the game, currently holding a 1-4 record, which puts them in second-to-last place in the South Division. 

Heading out on the road will be a great opportunity for the team to reset and figure out how they can continue to improve as the season progresses. 

The next Blue Sox game is scheduled for June 11 against the North Shore Navigators. The game is set to begin at 6:05 p.m.