Entries by iclbaseball

Lexington advances to Finals with 14-4 Win

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Lexington – Lexington put on its hitting shoes and knocked out 19 hits on its way to a 14-4 win over Middlesex Sunday night. The win propelled the Blue Sox into the championship round. The Blue Sox will face a familiar opponent in the finals.  The Andre Chiefs await them for game one on Tuesday night at Morelli Field in Melrose. Game time is set for 8:00 pm. Middlesex scored first in the bottom of the first. Leon Paulino tripled into the rightfield corner driving in Idelson Taveras and Eduardo Soto. Paulino scored on a sacrifice fly by John Batista and it was 3-0 Expos. As they had done on Friday night the Blue Sox quickly responded with a big, crooked number in the top of the second. Two quick hits (both on the first pitch) and a sacrifice put Sox runners on second and third. Dylan Walsh scored the first two runs of the inning with a single. After the second out Max Dushney singled to score Walsh and tie the game at 3-3. Jake McElroy singled, Anderson Jimenez doubled to drive in 2 more and scored on an RBI single by Julian Alvarez to make it 6-3. McElroy paced the attack from the leadoff spot. He had four hits, including two doubles, and scored four runs and an RBI. Jimenez finished the night with three RBI on two hits and scored twice. Jeff Costello banged out two hits, 2 runs, and an RBI. Josue Feliciano had two hits, a run, and two RBI. Charlie Walsh had 2 hits and drove in a run. Dushey scored and walked twice. Cole Donato picked up the win in relief of Lexington starter Luke Descheneaux. Donato pitched two shutout innings, giving up two hits with two strikeouts. Middlesex started Dan Shaw who was facing Lexington for the third time in 10 days. He pitched against them on August 1 in the makeup game and lost 3-2 pitching seven innings at Minuteman Tech. On August 6 he started the first game of the semifinals at East Boston. Shaw pitched 7.2 innings and lost 1-0 in the eighth. Last night he lasted three innings, giving up 10 hits and seven runs. He also faced the Sox on June 3 at Lexington and pitched six scoreless innings in the 0-0 nine-inning tie game. McElroy placed his name in the Lexington Record Book (since 2006) as he tied the team record with his two doubles. His four hits, and four runs, both tied for second most in a playoff game. As a team, the Blue Sox made new entries into their record book. The six doubles are tied for the most in a playoff game, while the 19 hits are tied for third most and the 14 runs are tied for fourth most. Though the series had three games in Lexington, at Minuteman Technical Vocational High School, the Blue Sox never played a game on their home field at Lexington High School. Game one was played in East Boston and the last three games were played at Minuteman Tech. Now the play shifts to Morelli Field and the Blue Sox will go through the entire playoffs without playing at home. This will be the eighth time the Chiefs and Blue Sox have met in the finals and the first since 2016. That season ended a six-year run of Lexington and the Chiefs playing in the finals. By Bruce Hack, Lexington Team Historian

Lexington takes a 2-1 series lead with a 10-5 win

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Lexington – After the first two games ended in 1-0 scores Lexington and Middlesex finally got their offenses on track and produced 15 runs in the third game. Both teams put up big innings, but Lexington had the biggest on its way to a 10-5 come-from-behind win Friday night at Minuteman Technical High School in Lexington. The Blue Sox took advantage of 13 walks handed out by Middlesex pitchers and used timely hitting to move within one win of returning to the championship series. With Lexington up 1-0 after 1 inning, the Expos put up the biggest inning of the series (at least temporarily) scoring four runs in the top of the second. The Expos hit three straight two-out singles, the last by Michael Oliveira knotting the game at 1-1. Two pitches later Josh Bohn took a Lexington starter Chris Wanat pitch over the leftfield fence for a three-run home run and a 4-1 Middlesex lead. Lexington tied the game in the bottom of the third. Middlesex starter Ryan Cloutier walked the bases loaded on 13 pitches to begin the third. Julian Alvarez laced a pitch down the leftfield line for a bases-clearing double and it was 4-4. In the fourth, the Blue Sox took the lead without the benefit of a hit. Charlie Walsh walked and moved to second on a wild pitch. Max Dushney bunted and Cloutier’s attempt to get Walsh at third went into foul territory allowing Walsh to come home for the 5-4 lead. Middlesex responded in the top of the fifth. The Expos received two walks from Blue Sox reliever Jake Zawatsky to start the frame. After a failed bunt attempt resulted in the first out, Ryan Petrone singled through the left side scoring Oliveira to make it 5-5. Hamlet Peralta, who had relieved Cloutier in the fourth, walked the bases loaded to start the fifth. Josue Feliciano bounced a single past the drawn-in infield to drive in 2 runs for a 7-5 lead. Charlie Walsh doubled to center to drive in two more runs and for a four-run lead. Walsh came around to score the 10th and final Blue Sox run on two wild pitches by Peralta. Yemer Pineda entered the game with two on and one out in the fifth. He retired the first batter he faced on a comebacker and then struck out John Batista looking to end the threat. He earned his first postseason win for Lexington. Peralta took the loss for Middlesex pitching 1.1 innings in relief. He gave up two hits, and five runs, walked five, and struck out two. Lexington’s 13 walks are a team record for a playoff game since 2006. Despite getting only three hits, the Blue Sox were timely with them, driving in seven runs. Of the 13 walks, eight of them scored. The teams are back in action Sunday evening with a 6:45 pm start time. The game will again be played on the turf field at Minuteman Tech.   By Bruce Hack, Lexington Team Historian

Chiefs Sweep Americans

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(Malden, MA)- The Andre Chiefs got three RBI’s each from Byron Woodman, Teddy Dziuba, and Anthony Perry, on the way to beating the Melrose Americans 13-7 at Maplewood on Thursday night. The win gives the Chiefs a 3-0 semi-final series sweep and a ticket to the ICL’s Championship Series where they will have the opportunity to defend their 2023 title. They will await the winner of the Middlesex Expos-Lexington Blue Sox series which remained tied at 1-1 after last night’s rainout. The Chiefs never looked back after Woodman gave them a quick 3-0 lead when he drilled a three run homer in the bottom of the first inning scoring Teddy Dziuba and Mitchell Schroeder, who had both singled, ahead of him. Aidan Barry’s RBI single, off Chiefs’ starter Evan Walsh, cut the lead to 3-1 in the top of the second. The Chiefs put up three more runs and took a 6-1 lead in the bottom of the second on an RBI single from Tyler Ferdinand and a two RBI double from Dziuba. Chris Klein’s RBI groundout made it a 6-2 game in the top of third. It became an 12-2 affair when the Chiefs tallied six more times in the bottom of the third inning on singles from Woodman, Nate Witkowski, Perry (2 RBI), a Dziuba sacrifice fly, and a Schroeder double. The Americans closed the gap to 12-7 when they put up a couple of runs in the top of the fifth and then added three more in the sixth. The Chiefs scored the game’s final run in the bottom of the sixth to account for the 13-7 final. Klein (2 hits) led the Melrose 14 hit offense with three RBI’s and Nestor, Ian Libby, and Ted Giardina had two hits each. Evan Walsh went five innings to record the win. The lefty gave up nine hits and struck out three. A.J. Rourke (1 inning, 5 hits, 3 runs, 1K) and Cameron Breault, who threw a hitless seventh, also worked for the Chiefs. Brandon McMahon went two innings and took the loss. Bailey Taylor Black, David Hunter, and Ronnie Luke also pitched for the Americans. The Chiefs will enter the ICL finals with an overall record of 22-6 . The Americans finish the 2024 campaign with an overall record of 16-10-1 which included an eight game winning streak to conclude the regular season. Games three and four of the Expos-Blue Sox series are now scheduled for Minuteman Vocational in Lexington on Friday at 7:00 PM and Sunday at 6:45 PM. If a game five is required it will be played on Monday at a time and location to be determined.        

Lexington and Middlesex Make History

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Lexington – The Blue Sox and Expos became the first Intercity League teams since 2006 to play consecutive 1-0 games in the playoffs. The teams accomplished this Wednesday night when Middlesex defeated Lexington 1-0 one night after the Blue Sox opened the semifinal series with a 1-0 win. There have now been 11 1-0 playoff games with Lexington playing in six with a 3-3 record. Middlesex has participated in the last four games going 2-2. The other time two 1-0 games were played in a playoff season was in 2010. On August 8 Testa Corp. defeated Wakefield 1-0 and four days later Watertown edged Andre 1-0. List of 1-0 playoff games August 7, 2006           at Cassell 1, Wakefield 0 August 16, 2007         at Cassell 1, Watertown 0 August 8, 2010           Testa Corp. 1, at Wakefield 0 August 12, 2010         Watertown 1, at Andre 0 August 23, 2013         Andre 1, at Lexington 0 August 21, 2018         at Lexington 1, Alibrandis 0 August 14, 2019         at Lexington 1, Andre 0 August 10, 2022         Middlesex 1, at Lexington 0 (Morelli) August 16, 2023         Andre 1, at Expos 0 (MC) August 6, 2024           at Lexington 1, Middlesex 0 (8) (EBS) August 7, 2024           at Middlesex 1, Lexington 0 (MRVTHS)   By Bruce Hack Lexington Team Historian Sportstats

Frisoli Pitches Chiefs to 2-0 Series Lead

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(Malden, MA)- Veteran righty Paul Frisoli tossed a complete game six-hitter to lead the Andre Chiefs to a 7-2 win over the Melrose Americans on Wednesday night at Maplewood. The win gives the Chiefs a 2-0 series lead. Game three of the best of five semi-final set will be played tonight (Thursday) back at Maplewood starting at 8:00 PM. The Chiefs jumped out to a 1-0 lead off Melrose starter Nick Colucci in the top of the second inning when Mitchell Schroeder drilled a solo homer. The Chiefs sent a dozen men to the plate and opened the lead to 7-0 in the top of the fourth. The six run inning was keyed by Ruben Rodriguez, Jr (single), Joe Bova (RBI, double), Nick Valdario (RBI, sacrifice fly), Tyler Feedinand (single), and Miles Reid (RBI, single). Shawn Nestor picked up an RBI for the Americans, when he drove home Owen Duggan (single), with a sixth inning sacrifice fly that cut the Chiefs’ lead to 7-2. Miles Reid led the Chiefs’ eight hit offense with two hits and Teddy Dziuba added a first inning double. Frisoli struck out eight and walked just one. Colucci went 4.2 innings and took the loss. Ben Cassavoy (1.1 inn) and Bailey Taylor-Black (1 inn) also worked for the Americans.

Middlesex evens series with 1-0 win

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Lexington – The Middlesex Expos turned the tables on Lexington and won their own 1-0 game Wednesday night at Minuteman Vocational Technical High School in Lexington. The win evened the series at 1-1. Game three will be held at Lexington High School if the field is playable. If it is not playable the teams will return to Minuteman Tech. The Expos got on the board in the bottom of the fifth. Aidan Sengenberger reached on an error to start the inning.  After a strikeout, Manny Castro grounded a ball into the shortstop hole, Blue Sox shortstop Charlie Walsh made a sliding stop and tried to get Sengenberger at second, but his throw was late. Jose Paulino then blooped a ball down the right field line that dropped in fair, and Sengenberger raced home with the game’s only run. Matt Donovan started for Middlesex and pitched a 3-hit complete-game shutout. He walked four and struck out six. Donovan set down eight straight Blue Sox from the third through sixth innings. He only allowed two Sox runners to reach in the sixth when Max Dushney singled and Jake McElroy walked to put runners on first and second. A fly ball out to center allowed Dushney to move to third, the second Blue Sox to reach third. Pinch-hitter Julian Alvarez hit into a fielder’s choice to end the threat. Lexington starter Ryan O’Rourke pitched a 2-hitter over six innings. The southpaw walked two and struck out seven. He set down 10 of 11 Expos from the first through fourth innings. The only extra-base hit in game two was a first-inning double by Lexington’s Ben Leonard. The offense has been tough to generate for both teams in the first two games of the series. The Expos and Blue Sox have combined for two runs, 12 hits, and two extra-base hits. The five pitchers used, have combined for 32 strikeouts in 28.2 innings. By Bruce Hack, Lexington Team Historian

Chiefs Take Series Lead Behind Reed’s One-Hitter-Game 2 Moved to Maplewood Tonight at 8

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(Malden, MA)– Tufts University’s Miles Reed came within an out of a no-hitter, finshing with a one-hit gem, to lead the Andre Chiefs to a 4-0 win over the Melrose Americans on Tuesday night at Maplewood. With the win, the defending champion Chiefs take a 1-0 semi-final series lead. Game Two of the best of five series will be played back at Maplewood on Wednesday at 8:00 PM. The game has been moved to Maplewood due to wet conditions at Morelli Field. Reed and Melrose starter Mike Nestor hooked up in a scroreless pitcher’s duel until the Chiefs scratched out two runs in the bottom of the fourth on consecutive RBI singles from veteran shortstop Nate Witkowski and Tyler Ferdinand. The teams matched zeros until the Chiefs put up a couple of insurance runs on Miles Reid’s sixth inning, two out, two RBI double to right-center to take a 4-0 lead into the seventh. Reed gor the first two Americans in the seventh before John Jennings hit a 1-0 pitch to left for a single breaking up the no-hit bid. Reed struck out 10 and walked two. Nestor allowed six hits, and struck out eight.

Blue Sox win game one in walk-off, Game 2 at Minuteman Vocational Tonight at 7:00 PM

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East Boston – Max Dushney’s two-out single in the bottom of the eighth scored Ben Leonard from second and delivered a game-one victory for Lexington in the semifinals against Middlesex. Leonard started the winning rally by reaching on an error, the only one of the game. A sacrifice by Dom Gabardi moved him to second. After the second out Dushney delivered the walk-off win on the second pitch he saw from Expos starter Dan Shaw. Jake Zawtsky won by pitching an inning in relief of Blue Sox starter Matt Draper. Zawatsky retired the first two batters he faced and then walked the next two. A wild pitch moved the go-ahead run to third putting the Expos ninety feet from taking the lead. Zawatsky reared back and struck out Idelson Taveras on a 3-2 pitch. Draper pitched seven shutout innings, the longest outing for a Blue Sox pitcher this season. He scattered three hits and struck out six. Draper didn’t walk any Expos but did hit four batters. The righty finished second in the ICL with a 0.77 ERA and tied with Middlesex pitcher Louis Cespedes with a league-best six wins. Draper stranded six runners, including one in scoring position in the third and sixth (third base). For Middlesex, Shaw was making his third start against the Blue Sox. He started both regular season games and had a tie and a loss. He went the distance, scattering four hits, giving up a run, unearned, walked two, and struck 11, six of them looking.  He left runners in scoring position in the first, second, fifth and seventh innings. The only extra-base hit in the game was a two-out double by Lexington’s Anderson Jimenez. This is the third meeting between these two teams in the postseason. In 2021 Lexington won its 16 ICL title by sweeping the Expos in the finals. In 2022 Middlesex won the title by defeating Lexington in four games. This is the first meeting in the semifinals between the two teams. By Bruce Hack, Lexington Blue Sox Team Historian

Expos Beat Sabers 8-6 in Play-in Game

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The Middlesex Expos beat the Stoneham Sabers 8-6 on Monday in the ICL’s 2024 Play-in game. The #4 Expos will now meet the #1 seed Lexington Blue Sox in a best of five semi-final series. Tonight’s Game 1 has been moved to East Boston Stadium starting at 8:00 PM In the other semi-final series, the #3 Melrose Americans will meet the #2 Andre Chiefs at Maplewood starting at 8:00 PM.  

Sabers-Expos to Meet in Monday’s Play-in Game

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The Stoneham Sabers and Middlesex Expos will meet on Monday at 8:15 PM at Maplewood in the Intercity League’s 2024 Play-in game. The Expos finished the regular season in fourth place with a 15-8-2 mark while the Sabers finished in the fifth spot at 10-15-0. The winner of Monday’s Play-in game will move on to meet the #1 seed Lexington Blue Sox (19-4-1). The opening game of the Expos/Sabers vs. Blue Sox best of five semi-final series will be on Tuesday at 8:00 PM in Lexington. In the other seni-final series, the #3 seeded Melrose Americans (16-7-1) travel to meet the defending champion #2 seed Andre Chiefs (19-6-0). Game one of that series will be played at Maplewood on Tuesday at 8:00 PM. Sunday’s final regular season game between the Blue Sox and Americans was cancelled due to thunderstorms. The game will not be made up.