Bristol, CT- After winning three games in a row, the boiling hot North Adams SteepleCats headed down to Bristol to take on the Blues. The two teams played on Opening Night and the Cats lost handily 11-4.

This was going to be a much different game. The previous contest featured numerous walks from SteepleCat pitching and an offense that didn't come to life.

UPenn's Cole Zaffiro got the ball for the SteepleCats and looked brilliant. He threw five innings, yielding one unearned run, and struck out eight batters. He set the tone for North Adams, but the offense didn't pick up their end of the deal. 

The SteepleCats picked up a run in the third on an RBI single by Tyler Epstein and another in the sixth on a single by Cesar Franco. Franco's single combined with Joseph Rios's error out in right field allowed Vincent Bianchina to come around and give the SteepleCats a 2-1 lead.

The only reason they got the lead in the first place is because Cesar Franco put on a show. After an 0-for-22 stretch to begin the summer, Franco finally broke through with a base hit in the fourth. But he made a miraculous, perhaps game-saving catch in the fifth.

Here's the situation: Bases loaded, two outs, game tied at one, A.J. Gaich, the Blues' best hitter at the plate. Gaich hit a towering shot to deep right field, and Franco, who didn't get the best jump, sprinted back to the warning track, leaped, and made the spectacular grab at the wall.

Later in the game, he faked out a runner on a hit-and-run play. Bristol's Calvin McCall was stealing second on the play, and Chaz Myers hit what should have been a single out two left. Knowing McCall did not see the ball off the bat, Franco pretended it was an easy fly ball to right, causing McCall to retreat to first. Once the ball dropped in play, Franco picked it up, fired it first, and McCall was forced out at second.

That was the smartest play this reporter had ever seen an outfielder make. Those plays can help you steal outs and win games, and for those scoring at home, that went down in the book as the extremely rare Fielder's Choice 9-6. 

The SteepleCats led 2-1 heading into the bottom of the eighth. That's where they imploded.

The Blues erupted for four runs in the frame, capped off by a Calvin McCall three-run double. The Cats came up empty in the ninth despite bringing the tying run to the plate. Bristol snapped the SteepleCats' winning streak, dropping their record to 3-8 overall and 0-5 against divisional opponents. 

The SteepleCats play again today at 5:00 p.m. at home for the first time since June 14th. Shippensburg left-hander Kaleb Sophy will get the start on the mound. 

You can stream tonight's game through this link: https://necblnetwork.com/?B=395009.