Andrew Selima drove in two runs and Julian Alvarez and Craig Corliss had doubles when the Lexington Blue Sox beat the Malden Maddogs 5-2 on Tuesday night at Maplewood. Steven Bangs (1-0), the second of five pitchers the Blue Sox used, picked up the win while striking out five batters in his two innings.
On Wednesday, the Expos visit the Melrose Americans at Morelli Field at 7:30 PM and the Andre Chiefs host the Blue Sox at Maplewood at 8:00 PM.
The Sabertooth Expos won their second straight game when they beat the Andre Chiefs 10-4 on Monday night at Maplewood. Matt Consigli and Ryan Cloutier both homered to lead the Expos offense. The pitching trio of Zack Kirby (3 inn), Bladamir Ramirez (1-0, 2 inn) and Cloutier (2 inn) combined to strike out a dozen batters.
The Melrose Americans at Lexington Blue Sox game was postponed due to wet grounds.
The Blue Sox will visit the Malden Maddogs in Tuesday’s only game. Starting time is 8:00 PM at Maplewood.
Jesse McCollough and Julian Alvarez had two hits and two RBI’s each and D.J. Johnson hit a solo homer when the Lexington Blue Sox beat the Lexington Bulldogs 11-3 on Thursday at Lexington High. Chris Wanat (1-0) pitched three shutout innings in relief for the win.
Teddy Dziuba and Andrew Caulfield each hit a home run and had three RBI’s each to lead the Andre Chiefs to an 11-4 win over the Malden Maddogs at Maplewood. Veteran lefty Tim Dunphy (1-0) went four innings to pick up his 60th career win in a Chiefs uniform.
Friday’s Americans-Expos game at Trum Field in Somerville and Sunday’s Maddogs-Bulldogs tilt in Lexington were both postponed due to rain.
Nick Johnson (1-0) struck out 15 batters and allowed just two hits when the Sabertooth Expos shutout the Lexington Bulldogs 8-0 in Lexington on Wednesday night in the ICL opener.
Andrew Mazzone led the offense with a 4 for 4 evening that included a homer, double, and five RBI’s.
ICL action continues tonight when the Andre Chiefs and Malden Maddogs meet at Maplewood and the Bulldogs and Lexington Blue Sox hook up at Lexington High. Both games will start at 8:00 PM.
On Friday, the Melrose Americans visit the Expos at Trum Field in Somerville at 8:00 PM.
The 2023 Intercity League schedule has been posted.
The regular season will begin on Wednesday, May 31.
Click on the “SCHEDULE” tab to view.
UPDATE: THE ICL WAS PLANNING TO HOLD OUR INDUCTION CEREMONY FOR THIS CLASS ON JUNE 8. DUE TO UNFORESEEN CIRCUMSTANCES WE MUST POSTPONE THE EVENT TO A LATER DATE. WE WILL KEEP EVERYONE POSTED AND APOLOGIZE FOR ANY INCONVENIENCE THIS POSTPONEMENT HAS CAUSED.
The ICL will welcome in the following inductees in 2023:
Chuck Andre – Chiefs
Dave Ellegood– Merchants
Peter Ferrari – Blue Sox
Don January – Umpire
Tommy Haugh – Blue Sox
Mike Kalfopoulos – Rams, Chiefs & Americans
Sammy Steed – A’s & Blue Sox
Cary McConnell – Chiefs & A’s
John Gnieski – Mustangs
Dave Martin – Guinness, Americans, Chiefs & Reds
John Veneziano – Chiefs
Jerry Tabler – Peter Fuller & Chiefs
Garry Keil – Chiefs & Rams
Dave Vigliotti – A’s
Peter Albano – Somerville & Rams
John “Pancho” Webb – Mustangs & Chiefs
Event information will be released soon.
The ICL managers have cast their ballots and the votes have been tabulated!!
Here are the 2022 ICL Award Winners. Congratulations!!!
EDDIE LARSON MVP– Dionys Quezada, Middlesex Expos
TOM CASSELL OUTSTANDING HITTER– Dionys Quezada, Middlesex Expos
OUTSTANDING PITCHER- Chris Mitchell, Melrose Americans
FIREMAN OF THE YEAR- Manny Delcarmen, Lexington Blue Sox
ROOKIE OF THE YEAR- Ryan Cloutier, Middlesex Expos
ROOKIE PITCHER OF THE YEAR- Ryan Cloutier, Middlesex Expos
SPORTSMANSHIP AWARD- Scott Searles, Melrose Americans
BATTING CHAMPION- Ryan Cloutier, Middlesex Expos
PLAYOFF PITCHING MVP’s-Zack Kirby & Junior Montero-Middlesex Expos
PLAYOFF BATTING MVP’s-Dionys Quezada & Mike Golankiewicz-Middlesex Expos
Melrose – The Middlesex Expos scored four runs in the first inning and then blanked Lexington for the first six innings to win the team’s first Intercity League Championship.
2022 Expos Champions
Leon Paulino closed out the first inning scoring with a 2-run home run to right. The ball actually didn’t clear the fence on the fly but landed in Blue Sox right fielder Julian Alvarez’ glove only to pop out when Alvarez’ momentum carried him into the fence and jarred the ball lose and over the fence. The home was Paulinos first of the playoffs and the Expos ninth.
Ryan Cloutier singled and drove in Mike Golankiewicz with the second run and then scored on Paulinos’ home run.
Pitching was the Expos strength, and it was on display throughout the playoffs and especially in the finals. Middlesex came into game four with a 1.67 ERA during the playoffs and a 1.00 ERA vs. Lexington in the finals.
Junior Montero was the starting pitcher for Middlesex and came through with five shutout innings pitched. He gave up three hits, walked two and struck out 6, including 4 straight in the first and second innings.
Montero set down the first six Blue Sox batters before Matt Chatelle singled into right to lead off the third and break up the no hitter.
Chatelle, an incoming first year at Merrimack this fall, drove in the only Sox run in the seventh. Alex Voitik singled to begin the seventh. Eli Perez went into run for Voitik. Andrew Selima dropped in a single in left and both runners moved up an extra base on a throwing error by Middlesex shortstop Jose Paulino. Chatelle grounded out to third with Perez coming home with the lone Lexington run.
This is the second year in the Intercity League for Middlesex, who came over from the Yawkey League. The Expos have finished second in the regular season in both years. In 2021 the Expos lost to Lexington in the finals in three games.
When asked what was different about the Expos from 2021 to 2022, general manager (and 2021 manager) Branden Anderson said, “The players bought into what we were doing.” “We saw what it took to win last season (after losing to Lexington in the finals) and learned from that.”
“We stayed healthy all season,” said manager Paul Grande. “Our core group of players were back, and everyone stayed healthy.”
For the Blue Sox it was the first time losing in the finals since 2014 when the Andre Chiefs defeated them in five games. The loss snapped a six-year reign as Intercity League champions.
Blue Sox manager Rick DeAngelis said, “We offer our congratulations to Middlesex management and players.”
Both teams would like to thank their fans for all their support this season. As the 2022 has come to a close, the Intercity League thanks the fans, friends and families for all their support this season and look forward to 2023.
Written by Bruce Hack, Lexington Media Relations Director
2022 INTERCITY LEAGUE PLAYOFF SCHEDULE & RESULTS
PLAY-IN GAME
Tuesday, August 2
#4 Melrose Americans 10, #5 Reading Bulldogs 1
SEMI-FINALS
(Best of three)
Wednesday, August 3
Melrose Americans 7 at Lexington Blue Sox 5
(Americans lead series 1-0)
Andre Chiefs 6 at Middlesex Expos 5
(Chiefs lead series 1-0)
Thursday, August 4
Lexington Blue Sox 10 at Melrose Americans 6
(Series Tied 1-1)
Middlesex Expos 8 at Andre Chiefs 4
(Series Tied 1-1)
Friday, August 5
Lexington Blue Sox 6, Melrose Americans 2
(Blue Sox win series, 2-1)
Middlesex Expos 3, Andre Chiefs 0
(Expos win series, 2-1)
CHAMPIONSHIP SERIES
(Best of Five)
#2 Middlesex Expos vs #1 Lexington Blue Sox
All Games at Morelli Field, Melrose at 7:45 PM
Game 1-Middlesex Expos 7, Lexington Blue Sox 0
(Expos lead series, 1-0)
Game 2-Lexington Blue Sox 3, Middlesex Expos 1(Moved to Pine Banks)
(Series tied 1-1)
Game 3-Middlesex Expos 1, Lexington Blue Sox 0
(Expos lead series, 2-1)
Game 4-Middlesex Expos 4, Lexington Blue Sox 1
(Expos win series, 3-1)
Melrose – Zach Kirby pitched a complete game three hit shutout and Middlesex won 1-0, putting the Expos are now a win away from the 2022 Intercity League Championship.
Kirby did not allow a hit after the third inning and retired 11 straight Blue Sox from the third through seventh inning before a one out walk to Cam Meyer snapped the streak.
Kirby, 2-0, struck out nine with at least one in every frame. He walked two in his 104-pitch effort. This was the second time he faced Lexington this year. He started against the Blue Sox on July 11 and lost 4-0.
Mike Golankiewicz supplied all the offense the Expos would need in the first when with two outs he hit a solo home run to left. It was his second home run of the playoffs and of the finals.
It might not have been more than a solo home run if it wasn’t for a great play by Blue Sox shortstop Morgan Brown. Brown made a great stop of Kebler Peralta’s ground ball up the middle. He flipped the ball to second basemen Ernie Little to force Idelson Taveras and Little’s strong throw to Josue Feliciano arrived just before Peralta to complete the double play.
With the Expos getting at least one hit in each inning, eight in total and receiving six walks, they had many opportunities to score more runs. Thanks to the Sox defense and pitching Middlesex left 11 runners stranded, nine in scoring position.
In the second inning the Expos had runners at second and third when Michael Oliveira hit a hard ground ball to Blue Sox third baseman Cam Meyer. Meyer fielded it cleanly and throw home as Mike Stellato broke for home on contact. Sox catcher Alex Voitik took the throw from Meyer and was waiting at home plate for Stellato for the second out of the inning.
In the third the Expos loaded the bases on a walk to Taveras, double by Peralta and walk to Golankiewicz. Blue Sox starter Eric Lopes bore down and struck out the next three batters, all looking on 11 pitches.
Middlesex left runners at second and third in the fourth, sixth and seventh innings.
In the sixth, Sox relief pitcher Zander Gilmartin, in his first inning of work, stranded Expos on second and third. With one out, a single and walk put runners on first and second. After a balk call on Gilmartin moved the runners into scoring position, he struck out the next two batters to end the threat.
Lopes pitched five innings for Lexington. He gave up six hits, one run, walked four and struck out five. None of his four walks scored. Zander Gilmartin finished the game and struck out five of the 10 batters he faced.
Game four is Thursday night at Morelli with first pitch scheduled for 7:45.
From the Stat Sheet – This is the third time Kirby has faced the Blue Sox in the playoffs. In 2019, with Andre, he started and lost the second game of the semifinals, 9-6. Last season with Middlesex he started game two of the finals and lost 6-0.
Since 2006 this is only the fourth 1-0 game for Lexington in the playoffs. In the 2013 finals Andre defeated Lexington 1-0 in game four on a 1-hitter by Jared Freni. Lexington defeated Alibrandis 1-0 in the 2018 semifinals. In the 2019 semifinals Mike Geannelis pitched 6 shutout innings for the 1-0 win over Andre.
In 232 playoff games since 2006 (current through game 3 of finals) there have been 48 shutouts or 20.69% of all playoff games. Of the 48 shutouts eight have been 1-0 games.
Written by Bruce Hack, Lexington Director of Media Relations
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