Bulldogs advance to Finals with 11-4 win
By Bruce Hack, Lexington Correspondent
Lexington – For the second straight season, the Lexington Bulldogs are headed to the Intercity League finals. The Bulldogs defeated the Lexington Blue Sox 11-4 to win their semifinal series 2-1.
Now the Bulldogs await the winner of the Andre versus Melrose series, which is tied at 1-1 with the Chiefs’ 7-2 win Monday night.
It was a combination of timely hitting, good pitching, and good defense for the Bulldogs.
The Bulldogs took advantage of some uncharacteristic wildness by Blue Sox starter Dan Metzdorf, who walked two, loading the bases with two outs. Reuben Siegel singled to bring in the first run. Peyton Heisner followed with a 2-run single, and it was 3-0 Bulldogs in the top of the first.
The Blue Sox responded in the bottom of the second, also scoring three runs. Erick Ramirez and Luis Atiles hit back-to-back doubles to cut the lead to 3-1. Atiles moved to third on a wild pitch and came home on a sacrifice fly by Pat Casserly, whose bid for a home run was robbed at the fence. Craig Corliss walked and moved to third on Jake McElroy’s ground rule double to right. Corliss scored the tying run when Bulldogs starter Brady MacCuthchen was called for a balk.
The tie didn’t last long as the Bulldogs took the lead for good in the top of the third. Caleb Cormier walked, Ian Born singled, and Siegel walked, loading the bases with one out. Aidan Murphy took a four-pitch walk to bring in Cormier with the Bulldogs’ fourth run.
Matt Marini entered the game in the third and pitched four one-hit, shutout innings for the Bulldogs to earn the win. He faced one batter over the minimum thanks to his defense, which turned two double plays behind him, and also threw out a Blue Sox runner attempting to steal second.
Brett Stone doubled in two runs in the fourth, giving the Bulldogs a 6-3 lead. They added two more in the sixth and three in the seventh to score their most runs in a playoff game.
Blue Sox bench scored a run in the seventh to account for the final score. Pinch-hitters Max Dushney and Luke Ward walked. Harry Tucker was then hit by a pitch, loading the bases with no outs. Brendan Doyle walked on four pitches, and Dushney trotted home with the fourth Sox run.
The 11 runs, 13 hits, 5 doubles, and 8 walks are all playoff highs for the Bulldogs.
The teams combined to throw 326 pitches, walk 16 batters, and strike out 15.
