NORTH ADAMS, Mass. -- After a two and a half hour rain delay, the North Adams SteepleCats (15-15) struggled to get the bats going offensively in a 5-1 loss to the Valley Blue Sox (14-13) in a wet night at Joe Wolfe Field Friday night.

 

The loss sent the SteepleCats into a three-way tie for third place in the Northern Division.

 

Trent Astle was dominant on the mound for the Blue Sox. In his six innings of work, he did not allow any runs and only allowed one hit and struck out eight.

 

The only base runners he allowed were John Mazza who reached on an infield single and C.J. Price who reached on an error.  Mazza’s single ended a streak of eleven consecutive hitters that Astle retired to begin the game.

 

The SteepleCats sent Braxton Wilks to the mound to start on three days rest.  He went five and a third innings and gave up four runs off of six hits.  He walked two and struck out three bringing his season strikeout total to 22. He ended up suffering his first loss of the season after winning his first five starts.

 

The ‘Cats got several strong outings out of their bullpen. Peter Lannoo finished the sixth and got the SteepleCats out of a jam in his first relief appearance of the season. Jared Habershaw and Patrick Ryan each threw a shutout inning to keep the SteepleCats within striking distance. The ‘Cats added their only run of the game in the eighth on a single by Daniel Holst.

 

The ‘Cats will travel to Laconia, N.H., on Saturday to play a double-header against the Winnipesaukee Muskrats (14-14).