There it was, streaming through the night sky above Medlar Field at Lubrano Park and deep into left field.
Fifteen games into the season, the Spikes finally had their first home run.
Despite losing, 6-4, on Tuesday night to the Batavia Muckdogs, the Spikes were able to get the weight of a homer-less start to the season off of their chests in the sixth inning.
With the bomb, the Spikes tied the score at 2-2. Still, the Muckdogs dominated the eighth inning with a string of hits, leading to four runs putting the score at 6-2.
Manager Dave Turgeon, said there were team meetings today, and the team took the field today all on the same page.
After outfielder Barrett Barnes was called off the field in Monday night’s game due to “internal issues,” the lineup reflected that change with Dave Valesente taking the outfield.
“The messages of the lineup had to be sent, and our standards are not going to deviate,” Turgeon said.
A combination of Gonzalez’s home run, an attendance of 4,009 in Medlar Field, and the game-starting shenanigan aided the team’s spirit in the dugout as they found their pace again after Monday night’s game.
Though the Spikes fell to 8-8 on the year with the loss, the energy was there for the Spikes.
“The energy is all over the place, I could feel it,” Turgeon said. “They do feed off of that.”
Despite the loss, Turgeon is confident and even excited as the Spikes hit the road to take on the Tri-City Valley Cats – an affiliate of the Houston Astros.
“I think your going to see some guys playing the game with some reckless abandon and aggression,” Turgeon said. “I think tomorrow could be a new season for us, I’m excited about it.”
