Lexington wins game 2, 6-1
Melrose – Lexington’s offense used timely hitting, productive at bats, and walks to put together a 6-1 win over Watertown in game two of the Intercity League finals Friday night.
For the second straight game the Blue Sox scored in the first inning. This time they did it with out getting a hit. Reds starter Nate Beck walked Dom Zaher and Jeff Vigurs on nine pitches. Beck’s second wild pitch of the inning put Zaher and Vigurs on second and third with no outs. Taylor Ferguson grounded out to second, but Zaher, the hero of game one, came home with the Sox first run. Richie Burgos received the third walk of the inning to put runners on the corners with one out. Dorian Rojas followed with a fly ball to center that was deep enough to score Vigurs for the 2-0 lead.
Lexington added two more runs in the third and this time had three hits in the inning, its first hits of the game. Zaher, walked for the second of his three walks on the night and Vigurs reached on a bunt single. Zaher saw third base uncovered as the third baseman, Dan Chaisson, had tried to field the bunt and was now on the first base side of the pitchers mound. Chaisson threw to third and shortstop Will Brennan, who had raced over to cover the bag, made the catch and tag to get Zaher for the first out. Ferguson singled through the left side to put runners on the corners. Burgos followed with an RBI single to left, scoring Vigurs with his second run of the game and Ferguson went to third. For the second time in the game Rojas made an out, but drives in a run. This one gives the Sox a 4-0 lead.
Meanwhile Blue Sox starter Mike Geanellis had faced one batter over the limit through the first three innings and had not allowed a base hit. The Reds first hit came in the fourth when Ben Johnston reached on an infield single, his fourth hit of the finals. Geanellis retired the three, four, and five hitters for the Reds to strand Johnston.
Watertown finally got on the board in the fifth. Jake Miller singled up the middle for the Reds second hit. Sean Callahan followed with a double to right and the Reds had runners at second and third with no outs. After the first out, Steve Tramontozzi grounded out to third scoring Miller with the Reds lone run. Callahan was the last Reds base runner as Geanellis set down the final nine batters to end the game.
In his second postseason start Geanellis, 1-1, tossed a complete game three-hitter throwing only 82 pitches. He had three 1-2-3 innings and had command of all four of his pitches and was throwing everything for strikes.
Lexington added single runs in the fourth and sixth innings. In the fourth Ross Curley reached on an error. He moved to third on a walk and a wild pitch and scored on Zaher’s sacrifice fly. In the sixth Curley walked was sacrificed to second and scored on an RBI single by Vigurs, his second hit of the game and fifth in the first two games of the finals.
Reds starter Beck, 0-1, pitched six innings, giving up four hits, six runs, five earned, walked seven and struck out three. Only three of the walks allowed scored.
Game three will be Sunday evening at Morelli with an 8:00 p.m. start.
- By Bruce Hack, ICL correspondent
