Waltham – Richie Burgos singled in Josue Feliciano (double) in the top of the seventh to give Lexington a 4-3 lead and Manny Delcarmen pitched a 1-2-3 bottom of the seventh to give the Blue Sox the win over Watertown in a game played at Bentley University.
In a game between the top two teams in the Intercity League, it gave the fans all they could want in a baseball game, as the teams played a tight, hard-fought, well-played game that displayed the best the ICL has to offer.
The Reds got on the scoreboard quickly scoring in the bottom of the first. Kyle LaVigne started the rally with an infield single. He went to third on Mike Samko’s single to right, which placed Reds at the corners with no outs. Will Brennan grounded into a 6-3 double play that scored LaVigne.
Lexington came back in the third scoring twice to take a 2-1 lead. Richie Burgos singled in Gray Goolsby (walk) with the first run. Burgos stole second and then came around to score on two wild pitches by Reds starter Nate Beck.
The Blue Sox took a 3-1 lead in the fifth when Burgos again singled to drive in Goolsby, who had walked for the second time.
Watertown tied the game in the sixth as Brennan snapped a streak of eight straight outs by Reds hitters with a single. After the first out, Jake Miller doubled to center to put runners on second and third. Justin Forman followed with a single to center to bring in both runs and it was 3-3.
CJ McKinnit, 2-0, earned the win pitching an inning in relief. He gave up two runs, three hits and did not walk or strikeout a batter.
Pitching the seventh Reds reliever Dan Haverty took the loss giving up a run on two hits with no walks or strikeouts.
Neither started was around for the decision, but both pitched well and in and out of trouble.
Reds starter, Nate Beck, left Blue Sox runners stranded in the first, second and third innings (one3 each) and then two more in the fifth. His only 1-2-3 inning was his last the sixth. In six innings of work he gave up four hits, walked five and struck out four.
Lexington starter Drew Brzozowski, gave up five hits, one run, a walk and a strikeout. He faced runners at first and third with no outs in the first and only allowed the one run on a double play. In the second the Reds loaded the bases with one out and two outfield fly balls later Brzozowski was out of the jam. He finished his five inning stint by setting down the final eight Reds batters he faced.
The win clinched first place for Lexington and gives the Blue Sox a first round bye and home field advantage through out the playoffs.
Watertown is in second, but only a point ahead of Wakefield, 32-31. Each team has two games remaining.

The Lexington Blue Sox took both ends of a doubleheader in Reading, winning the opener 8-0 and then taking the nightcap over the Bulldogs 6-2. Alsis Herrera (1-0) threw five shutout innings and Dorian Rojas drove in three runs in the first game. Julian Alvarez homered and Taylor Ferguson had a double and two RBI’s in the second game. Casey Bussone (3-1) went five innings to get the win and Kevin Scanlon chalked up the two inning save.

The Somerville Royals and Watertown Reds split a pair at Victory Field. The Royals won the first game 4-2 behind the three-hit pitching of Ryan Covelle (3-1). Brady Chant led the way with four hits and Jake Cintolo and James McConville added a couple of hits each for the Royals. The Reds rebounded to grab game two 5-1.

In Wakefield, Evan Walsh (4-3) allowed just two earned runs and six hits when the Andre Chiefs edged the Merchants 4-3. Ben Waldrip had four hits and two RBI’s and Tony Serino, with three singles, led the Chiefs offense. Ryan Collins had two of the Merchants hits as Andrew Auld (0-1) took the loss.

Joseph Maguire (pictured) went the route when the Merchants turned back the Reading Bulldogs 6-4 in Wakefield. Paul McGunigle had a double and three RBI’s and Bobby Losanno added two hits for the Merchants. Zac Talis and Johnny Hayes both had a couple of hits for the Bulldogs. Maguire raised his record to 5-2 on the season. Cam Lanzilli (1-3) went the distance for Reading.

Justin Silvestro and Taylor Ferguson both belted grand slams to lead the Blue Sox to a 12-0 win over the Malden Maddogs in Lexington. Morgan Brown, who had three hits, cleared the bases with a double in the sixth. Mike Geanellis (1-1) went five innings, allowing four hits, to record his first win.

In Melrose, Mitchell Clegg (2-2) went the distance, striking out nine, to get the Andre Chiefs past the Americans 5-3 at Morelli Field. Tony Serino (2), Shande Stande, Leivi Ventura, and Johnny Welch, with a solo homer, had the Chiefs’ RBi’s. Chris Hopkins had three hits and Dave Center, Malcolm Nachmanoff and John Jennings two hits each for the Americans. Chris Mitchell (3-2) allowed only two earned runs in 6.2 innings but took the loss.

Alibrandis scored a couple of runs in the top of the seventh to come from behind and beat the Somerville Royals 5-4 at Victory Field. Sean Sullivan and Lamarre Rey (2-0) combined on the win. Edaurdo Soto and Rob Caggiano had three hits each for the Royals who outhit Albrandis 10-4 in the game. Chris Ramos (0-2) suffered the loss in relief of Paul Covelle who worked the first six innings.

Taylor Ferguson and Justin Silvestro each drove in two runs in a five run third inning when the Lexington Blue Sox beat the Andre Chiefs 5-2 at Maplewood. Nick Godfroy (2-2) earned the win tossing two innings in relief of Drew Brzozowski. Former Boston Red Sox right-hander Manny Delcarmen pitched out of a bases loaded jam in the bottom the sixth and earned the five out save. Johnny Welch, with his fifth home run, and Kyle Dembrowski with a pinch-hit single, drove in the Chiefs’ runs. Tim Dunphy threw four innings of scoreless ball in relief of Jared Freni (3-2) who took the loss.

The Wakefield Merchants-Melrose Americans game at Morelli Field was postponed due to wet grounds.