Lexington blanks Middlesex 6-0, Tonight’s Game 3 Moved to Victory Field in Watertown at 7:00 PM
By Bruce Hack
THURSDAY’S GAME THREE WILL NOW BE PLAYED AT VICTORY FIELD IN WATERTOWN AT 7:00 PM.
Melrose – Lexington moved to within a win of taking the 2021 Intercity League championship with a 6-0 shutout of Middlesex in game two of the finals.
Alex Voitik and Josue Feliciano each hit solo home runs to power the Blue Sox offense. Voitik, hit his first round tripper of the postseason, leading off the third inning giving Lexington a 3-0 lead. Feliciano, hit his first of the postseason, leading off the sixth inning, to put the Blue Sox up 6-0.
Pat McGowan and Manny Delcarmen combined on the four hit shutout with two walks and six strike outs. McGowan, in his second postseason start, pitched two 1-2-3 innings in the first and fifth. He stranded four Expos, only two in scoring position.
Though the Lexington streak of scoring in the first inning was stopped, the Blue Sox scored twice in the second, the only runs they would need. Dahiandy Johnson singled with one out, his first of three on the night. He stole second and third with two outs and Brendan Jones stepping to the plate. Jones worked a nine-pitch walk to put Blue Sox on the corners. Number nine hitter Dom Zaher walked on eight pitches to load the bases. Feliciano saw eight pitches, the last one was ball four and Johnson trotted home with the first run of the night. Gage Gaunt reached on error and Jones scored for the 2-0 lead.
After not scoring in the first the Blue Sox scored in the next five innings. Zaher scored the run in fourth on a passed ball. In the fifth Zaher singled to drive in Johnson.
Lexington has now scored in 19 of the 32 innings it has played in the postseason or 59%.
Zach Kirby started for Middlesex, but the Expos ace was not at his best. In the second inning he threw 45 pitches, he pitched 25 of them to Jones, Zaher and Feliciano who all went to full counts. Kirby’s night ended after five innings pitched. He gave up 7 hits, five runs, 3 earned, walked three and struck out eight. There was also three wild pitches among the 124 pitches he tossed.
The shutout was the first for Lexington since August 14, 2019 when the Sox blanked Andre 1-0 behind Mike Geannelis. It was the Blue Sox first finals shutout since August 26, 2018 when they blanked Watertown 8-0 in the title clinching game.
The teams hope to play game three on Thursday night weather permitting. The forecast is not good.
For up-to-date information on the league and status of game three go to www.intercityleague baseball.com
To watch all the action live streamed on You Tube, go to Beyond Sight Sports. The link will be posted on the ICL website and twitter as soon as possible before the start of the game.
