Blue Sox Walk-off Game One of Finals
Melrose – In the battle of Lexington, the first skirmish went to the Blue Sox as they earned an 8-7 walk-off win over their Center 1 Field co-occupants, the Bulldogs, Friday night at Morelli Field.
Will Norris started the bottom of the eighth with a walk. He moved to second on a passed ball and then to third on Luke Maltaceas’ sacrifice bunt. Bryan Acosta was sent in to pinch-hit and delivered the game-winner when he singled up the middle, scoring Norris for the win.
The teams reached this point thanks to the Bulldogs’ Nick Favazzo. Down 7-3, Favazzo turned on a 1-0 fastball and drove it over the left field fence for a game-tying grand slam. With one out, the Bulldogs loaded the bases on a hit batter, a single, and a walk. A walk to Seamus Condon brought in a run to cut the lead to 7-3. Matt Draper came in from the Sox bullpen, replacing Luke Marshall, and gave up the home run to Favazzo, his second of the playoffs. Draper retired the next two Bulldog batters to end the inning.
The Blue Sox stranded runners on second and third in the bottom of the seventh, and into extra innings the game went.
Julian Alvarez put the Blue Sox on the board in the third with a 2-run home run to left, which also scored Jake McElroy. It was his fourth career playoff home run with the Sox.
The Bulldogs’ first two runs were set up the same way. Nick Favazzo walked in the fourth and sixth innings. He stole second in both innings and took third on a throwing error by Sox catcher Luke Maltacea. In the fourth, Favazzo scored on Shane Costello’s RBI single. In the sixth, he came home on Emilio Berndt’s single.
The Blue Sox blew the game open in the fifth, taking a 7-1 lead, and looked to be on their way to a win. With two outs and no runners on, Luis Antiles walked to start the rally. He stole second base. With a 3-1 count on Alvarez, he was intentionally walked. Antiles stole third and came home on a throwing error by Bulldogs hurler Graham Seed as he attempted to nab Antiles at third. A walk to Anderson Jimenez loaded the bases. Owen McKiernan cleared them with a triple to right, and the Blue Sox had a 7-1 lead with two innings left.
The teams each started a left-hander on the mound. For the Sox, it was Michael O’Brien, coming off his save in game two against Melrose on Tuesday. The Bulldogs had Jack Sadowski on the hill, facing the Sox for the first time this season. Sadowski pitched four innings, gave up five hits, three runs, walked two, and struck out seven. O’Brien pitched five innings, surrendering three hits, one run, walking four, and striking out a regular-season and playoff career-high eight. The two starters combined for 12 Ks through the first three innings.
Draper earned the win in relief, his second career playoff win. He set down the side in the eighth on 10 pitches, all three on strikeouts.
Nigel Cross took the loss, pitching 1.1 innings. He gave up two hits, a run, walked two, and struck out one.
This was the second straight extra-inning game for the Blue Sox. They went nine innings in their 6-4 win over Melrose on Tuesday night.
Both teams came into the finals with 2-0 postseason records, having swept their semifinal rounds. This is the first time since 2023 that both teams entered the finals without a loss. That season, the Chiefs were 2-0, and so were the Expos. Teams also accomplished the feat in 2012 and 2010. In 2012, Andre and the Blue Sox were 3-0. In 2010, it was Watertown at 5-0 and the Blue Sox at 3-0.
By Bruce Hack
Lexington Blue Sox Team Historian
