Lexington’s Alsis Herrera Signs with Cleveland Indians

Lexington left-hander Alsis Herrera signed with the Cleveland Indians last week. Herrera has pitched for the Blue Sox for the last two seasons and was a two-time ICL all-star.

A native of the Dominican Republic, Herrera appeared in a dozen games ICL games, making his debut on June 13, 2015 against the then Somerville Thunder. He posted a 4-2 record and struck out 69 batters in just 50.1 career innings. He last pitched for the Blue Sox on August 2 against the Chiefs.

Herrera earned second team NAIA All-America honors while pitching for The University of Science & Arts of Oklahoma this past spring where he had an 11-4 record with an ERA of 2.43. He struck out 143 batters in 112 innings.

Herrera was assigned to the Indians’ affiliate in the Arizona Rookie League. He made his professional debut on August 11th when he threw a scoreless inning against the Dodgers.

Lexington Blue Sox

Leenhouts Throws No-Hitter as Blue Sox Even Series with Royals

Drew Leenhouts fired a no-hitter when the Lexington Blue Sox shutout the Somerville Royals 4-0 in Game Two of their best of three first round series on Tuesday night at Trum Field. With the win, the Blue Sox evened the series at 1-1. The deciding Game Three will be played at Lexington High on Wednesday night at 8:00 PM.

Leenhouts was in command from start to finish, allowing only two baserunners in the game. He hit Luke Ronchi with a 1-2 pitch in the third and Jake Cintolo reached on an outfield error in the seventh. Leenhouts faced just 23 batters, struck out 11, and threw just 98 pitches in completing the gem.

The Blue Sox took a 1-0 lead in the top of the first inning on singles from Thomas Russo, Ross Curley, and Julian Alvarez.

Lexington jumped their lead to 3-0 in the top of the fifth on RBI singles from Alvarez and Dan Graham. Dave Ahern provided the final run of the night when he led off the top of the sixth with a solo homer.

Jonathan Richard went the distance for Somerville. He gave up nine hits, four earned runs, struck out two, and walked three.

In addition to the rubber game of the Royals-Blue Sox series in Lexington, Game Two of the Melrose-Reading series will be played on Wednesday night at Morelli Field at 8:00 PM. Reading leads that series 1-0.

Somerville & Reading Win Round One Openers, Royals-Blue Sox Game 2 To NOW BE PLAYED at Trum on Tuesday at 8:15 PM

The Reading Bulldogs and Somerville Royals both took 1-0 leads in their Best of Three First Round Series with wins on Monday night.

READING BULLDOGS 3, MELROSE AMERICANS 1
The Bulldogs got a complete game three-hitter from Jack Burke and beat the Melrose Americans 3-1 at Endicott College in Beverly. Burke outdueled Americans’ righty Zack Kirby, who allowed just six hits. Harry Oringer had a triple and two RBI’s, Mike Taylor a hit and an RBI, and Steve Busby a couple of hits for the Bulldogs.

Kevin Kelley had a double and drove in the Melrose run.

Burke struck out four and walked three while Kirby had eight K’s.

Game Two of this series, will be played at Morelli Field on Wednesday at 8:00 PM.

SOMERVILLE ROYALS 7, LEXINGTON BLUE SOX 2
IMPORTANT UPDATE: GAME TWO OF THIS SERIES, ORIGINALLY SCHEDULED TO BE PLAYED AT MORELLI FIELD, WE NOW BE PLAYED ON TUESDAY AT TRUM FIELD IN SOMERVILLE AT 8:15 PM.

In Lexington, the Royals got a complete game four-hitter from Chuck Gibson, and 13 hits from their offense, to lead them to a 7-2 win over the Blue Sox. Wagner Gomez had two doubles and an RBI, John Collette two singles and an RBI, and George Crowley and Luke Ronchi two RBI’s each to pace the Royals at the plate.

Dan Graham hit a solo homer in the second inning and Dave Ahern had two of Lexington’s hits.

Rob Caggiano and Adam Johnson added two each for the Royals.

Matt Karis (0-1, 3.0 innings), Ryan Filipwoicz (2.2 innings), and Jimmy Hill (1.1 innings), all worked on the mound for the Blue Sox.

Gibson (1-0), struck out seven and walked five in gaining the win.

Game Two of this series will be played on Tuesday at 8:00 PM at Morelli Field in Melrose.

Somerville Clinches 6th Playoff Spot, Blue Sox & Merchants Win

The Somerville Royals beat the Melrose Americans 10-0 at Trum Field to clinch the sixth and final playoff spot. Rob Caggiano, John Collette, Wagner Gomez, and George Crowley had two hits each for the Royals. Jonathan Richard (2-4) went the distance to get the win while scattering six hits. Tom Petry had a couple of the Americans hits.

The Lexington Blue Sox got a double and single from Justin Silvestro on the way to beating the Arlington Trojans 7-2. Drew Leenhouts (4-1) threw four innings to record the win.

Chris Barber’s single in the bottom of the eighth inning drove home Scott Searles with the winning run when the Wakefield Merchants edged the Andre Chiefs 3-2. Searles had three hits for the Merchants and John Russolillo (3-2) allowed just five hits for the win.

The ICL Playoffs will begin on Monday.

Reds Secure Second Place, Blue Sox Beat Merchants

The Watertown Reds clinched second place and a playoff bye with a 9-6 win over the Somerville Royals on Wednesday night at Trum Field. The Reds finished the regular season with a 19-7-2 record. John Collette had three hits, including a homer, and Jake Cintolo three more hits for the Royals. More on the details of this game soon.

In Wakefield, the Lexington Blue Sox got three hits and five RBI’s from veteran Ross Curley on the way to a darkness shortened 13-2 win over the Merchants. Taylor Ferguson, Thomas Russo, Alex Voitik, and Josh Hassell, each added two hits to lead Lexington’s 15 hit offense. Ryan Filipwoicz (2-0) went five innings to get the win. Scott Searles and Dave Ellegood had a couple of hits each for the Merchants.

On Thursday, the Merchants and Andre Chiefs meet at Maplewood at 8:00 PM, the Arlington Trojans and Blue Sox get together in Lexington at 8:00 PM, and the Melrose Americans visit the Royals at Trum Field at 8:15 PM.

Andre Chiefs, Intercity League

Chiefs Clinch Regular Season Pennant, Merchants-Americans in 2-2 Tie

The Andre Chiefs got a two out seventh inning double from Tony Deshler to come from behind to beat the Blue Sox 4-3 in Lexington on Tuesday night. With the win, the Chiefs clinched the 2016 pennant as well as the number one seed in the upcoming playoffs.

Anthony Sullivan (1-0) picked up the win in relief of Sam Kasten, who worked the first 5.1 innings. A Steve Gambale fielder’s choice and a Juan Portes solo homer gave the Chiefs a 2-0 third inning lead. The Blue Sox took a 3-2 lead in the bottom of the sixth on a Jeff Vigurs single, a hit batsman, and two walks.

In the Chiefs seventh, Steve Gambale singled and the Chiefs were down to their last strike when Tony Serino went down 0-2 in the count,with two outs, before drawing a walk to bring Deshler to the plate for his heroics.

The Blue Sox threatened in the bottom of the seventh with singles from Josh Hassell and Tom Russo but couldn’t score.

In other action, the Wakefield Merchants and Melrose Americans played to a nine inning 2-2 tie. Mark Poli had two hits and a homer and Scott Searles three hits for the Merchants. Dave Center had a three hit game for the Americans.

Clegg Fires 1-Hitter for Chiefs, Burke Gets 6th Win for Bulldogs

Mitchell Clegg (5-3) fired a one-hitter, facing the minimum of 21 batters, when the Andre Chiefs shutout the Watertown Reds 4-0 at Maplewood on Monday night. Clegg had a perfect game through five innings and allowed just two baserunners, a lead-off single by Jon Barber in the sixth, and a walk to Kyle LaVigne in the seventh. Both runners were erased on inning ending doubleplays. The game was scoreless for 4 ½ innings until the Chiefs scored two runs in the fifth and added two more in the sixth. Juan Portes, Peter Copa, and Tony Deshler had the Chiefs RBI’s. Aric Dama (5-2) was outstanding over the first four innings for the Reds.
In Lexington, the Reading Bulldogs came from 3-1 down to beat the Somerville Royals 6-4 in the continuation of a game that began last week at Trum Field in Somerville but was halted due a power failure. Mike DeDonato had two hits and two RBI’s, Harry Oringer two hits, including a double and an RBI, Corey DiLoreto a couple of hits and two RBI’s, and Kyle Devin recorded two singles, to pace the Bulldogs’ 11 hit offense. Jack Burke (6-2) got the win with six innings of work. Wagner Gomez (3 RBI) had three hits, including a double and a homer, and James McConville had two hits to lead the Royals.
On Tuesday, the Wakefield Merchants travel to Morelli Field to meet the Melrose Americans at 7:30 PM and the Lexington Blue Sox host the Andre Chiefs at Lexington High in an 8:00 PM start.

Beck, Chaisson lead Reds to 3-1 Win in Sunday’s Only Game

Nate Beck fired a two-hitter, and Dan Chaisson hit his league leading fourth home run of the year, to lead the Watertown Reds to a 3-1 win over the Reading Bulldogs on Sunday at Victory Field. Will Brennan and Mike Samko added two each for the Reds. Beck (2-0), struck out eight and walked three. Wayne Lundgren (3-3) allowed just six hits and struck out seven, but took the loss.

All other ICL games were postponed by rain on Sunday.

On Monday, the Bulldogs and Somerville Royals will resume their game that was suspended last week. The game will be re-started at Lexington High at 8:00 PM. The Bulldogs are batting in the top of the second inning with the Royals leading 3-1.

Also on Monday, the Andre Chiefs host the Reds at Maplewood Park in Malden starting at 8:15 PM.