2024 Intercity League Champions – Andre Chiefs
Chiefs Get Wednesday Win as ICL Heads to Fourth of July Break
INTERCITY LEAGUE NEWS & NOTES
2022 ICL PLAYOFFS
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)
Middlesex, Kirby Shut Down Lexington
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 – 30 –
Blue Sox Fight Back to Even the Series
Melrose – An afternoon rainstorm prompted a change in venue, but even that could not derail the Lexington Blue Sox as they defeated Middlesex 3-1 in a game played at Pine Banks Park and knot the finals series at 1-1. The heavy rainfall made Morelli Field unplayable, so the teams arranged to play game two on the turf field at Pine Banks. Game three will return to Morelli Wednesday night with a 7:45 first pitch. Lexington struck quickly in the first inning. With one out Josue Feliciano lined a single to left. After an errant pickoff throw by Middlesex pitcher David Kerns, Feliciano moved to second. Julian Alvarez walked to put Sox on first and second. Cam Meyer singled to left and Feliciano rounded third and came home with the Sox first run. For the fifth straight playoff game a Blue Sox opponent scored in the first inning. The Expos Kebler Peralta singled with one out to start the rally. After the second out cleanup hitter Dionys Quezada singled into right and Peralta went to third. A wayward throw back to first from right fielder Alvarez allowed Peralta to come home with the tying run. Neither team could put up another run in the second and third innings, but in the fourth inning the Blue Sox broke open the tie game. Matt Chatelle hit his second home run of the postseason as he blasted a slider over the left field fence to give Lexington a 2-1 lead. After the second out Morgan Brown bounced a ground ball up the middle and reached on a single. Ernie Little was hit by pitch putting Blue Sox on first and second. Dom Zaher followed with a single and Brown raced home to give the Blue Sox a 3-1 lead. Robbie Cobb made his second start of the playoffs, for the Blue Sox. He improved to 2—0 pitching five strong innings. Cobb scattered five hits, allowed an unearned run, walked three and struck out two. Setup man Borja Jones-Berasaluce pitched a scoreless sixth for Lexington. He struck out 2 of the four batters he faced. Manny Delcarmen came in the seventh to close out the game. He struck out the first two batters he faced and retired leadoff hitter Idelson Taveras on a comebacker to save the game. David Kerns started for Middlesex and went the distance. In his 7 innings of work, he scattered 5 hits, gave up 3 earned runs, walked one and struck out four. Kerns retired six straight Blue Sox batters from the fifth through seventh. Peralta and Quezada each had two of the Expos five hits. Meyer was 3-for-3 for the Sox with a run and stole a base. Chatelle was 2-for-3 with a home run, run, RBI. The game was played in an efficient one hour and 46 minutes. From the Stat Sheet – This was the fifth time Lexington has played a playoff game at Pine Banks. The previous four were against Andre and the Sox had split those games. This was the third finals game Lexington has played at Pine Banks and it first win. The Blue Sox are now 3-2 at Pine Banks in postseason games. Matt Chatelle is the fifth Blue Sox player to hit two homeruns in the postseason since 2006. Middlesex is now 2-2 in game two of a playoff series and 0-2 in game two of the finals. Written by Bruce Hack, Lexington Director of Media Relations – 30 –
Tuesday’s Game 2 Moved to Pine Banks at 7:45 PM Due to Wet Grounds at Morelli
(Melrose, MA) Tuesday’s game two of the ICL Championship Series has been moved to Pine Banks on the Melrose/Malden line starting at 7:45 PM. The decision was made after this afternoon’s thunderstorm left Morelli Field unplayable. Pine Banks is located at 1087 Main St, Malden MA 02148.