HOLYOKE — Coming out of the NECBL All-Star break, and with five games to go in the regular season, the Valley Blue Sox have positioned themselves well to make a postseason run. 

Entering Monday’s action, the Blue Sox (20-16-2) held a one-game lead over the Danbury Westerners (20-18) and a two-game cushion over the Bristol Blues (16-16-4) in the West Division, winning four of their last five heading into Sunday’s All-Star Game. Valley had a comeback win on Saturday against the North Adams SteepleCats, with Michael Zarrillo knocking a two-run single to tie the game in the bottom of the ninth inning before Mason Wolfe singled to bring in CJ Willis to lift the Blue Sox to an 8-7 victory. 

Outfielders William Gale and AJ Guerrero have caught fire in the last week for Valley, each with eight hits in their last six games.

Currently tied for the fourth-best record in the league, barring a collapse this final week the Blue Sox will be in the postseason, as the division winners and the teams with the next five best records make the dance. Valley will have a chance to tighten its grip atop of the West Division when it plays Danbury on Thursday before closing the regular season with back-to-back games against Bristol on Friday and Saturday. The postseason is set to begin July 31. 

It’s been strong work on the mound that has helped propel Valley this season. The Blue Sox rank second in the NECBL in strikeouts (350) while its pitchers have a combined 4.19 ERA. 

During All-Star weekend, many Blue Sox players got to showcase themselves against the best in the league. 

Zarrillo represented the Blue Sox in the Home Run Derby on Sunday in Lynn, where he cracked seven homers in the opening round, the best in the 12-player field. His longest bomb traveled 401 feet. 

Zarrillo advanced to the four-person championship round, but was only able to put one over the fence to finish in fourth place. Danbury’s Anthony Steele put nine out in the final round to come out victorious.

Three Valley players — pitchers Michael Weidinger and Zach Cameron and outfielder EJ Kreutzmann — were selected to play in the All Star Game, which followed the Home Run Derby on Sunday. 

Cameron tossed the second inning for the West squad, getting all three batters he faced out. Weidinger pitched the sixth inning for the West, retiring the side while striking out one. Kreutzmann had a hit in his lone at bat of the game as the West cruised to a 5-1 victory over the East.

The Blue Sox return to MacKenzie Stadium on Wednesday for a 6:30 p.m. game against North Adams.

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