HOLYOKE — Entering the fifth inning, the Blue Sox were leading the Swamp Bats 3-2.
That inning, however, was one to be forgotten for the Blue Sox. Valley surrendered seven walks in a row and six runs en route to a 8-5 loss against Keene on Friday night.
HOW IT HAPPENED
First inning: Brett House reached on an error by Chase Swain and scored to make it 1-0 Keene. In the bottom half, Logan Hugo worked a two-out single. Jonathan Hogart hit a 404 foot home run into left field to make it 2-1 Valley.
Second inning: Brett House bobbled the ball in left field and allowed Michael Toth to score to make it 3-1 Valley in the bottom half of the inning.
Third inning: Joe Jaconski hit a home run to right field to make it 3-2 Valley.
Fifth inning: Blue Sox pitcher Carter Cowburn walked five batters in a row, and Conor Wolf followed with two more right after for seven walks in a row to make it 6-3 Keene. The Swamp Bats would score on a double-play and an infield single to make it 8-3. In the bottom of the inning, Connor Larson drove in Kyle Henington, and Henington scored on an error by shortstop Nicholas Romano to make it 8-5.
Sixth inning: The game entered a rain delay and was later called.
More walk trouble: the Blue Sox surrendered 11 walks in the game alone. Their season total through three games is now 33 (in 24.0 innings pitched).
Starting pitcher lines
Darin Kuskie: 3.0 innings pitched, two hits, two runs, one earned run, two walks, four strikeouts.
Ryan Van Buren: 5.0 innings pitched, six hits, five runs, three earned-runs, two walks, four strikeouts.
Next Game: The Blue Sox travel to Vermont to take on the Vermont Mountaineers Saturday night at 6:30 p.m. EST on ESPN+.
