BULLDOGS WIN FIRST EVER ICL CHAMPIONSHIP
INTERCITY LEAGUE NEWS & NOTES
Blue Sox win Thursday night, clinch first place
By Bruce Hack Watertown – In a game moved to Victory Field due to the weather, Lexington jumped out to an 8-0 lead and then held on for an 8-6 win over Alibrandis Thursday night. The Blue Sox win clinched a first place finish in the regular season at 18-6 for 36 points. Alibrandis is 12-10-1 for 25 points in fourth place with a game to play. Julian Alvarez capped off the sixth run fourth inning with a three run home run, his second of the season. The Sox had Ryan O’Rourke on first (single) with two outs. Lexington took advantage of an Alibrandis error on a dropped infield pop up. Dom Zaher, Gage Gaunt and Luke Hall all delivered two-out singles that drove in a run for a 5-0 lead and setting up Alvarez. Lexington scored twice in the third also with two outs in the inning. Brendan Jones tripled with one out. After the second out, Gaunt walked and Hall and Alvarez had RBI singles for the 2-0 lead. Meanwhile on the mound for the Blue Sox O’Rourke faced 15 batters in his 5 innings pitched. He walked Juan Parra to start the game, struck out Pete John and then induced a double-play ground ball by Joe Maguire to end the inning. The southpaw then retired the next 12 batters, eight on strikeouts and finished with five scoreless and hitless innings. At one point he struck out five consecutive batters and seven of eight. Alibrandis got to the Blue Sox bullpen in the sixth scoring four runs off Armando Acosta. Parra and John each had RBI singles to put Alibrandis on the board with one out. Steve Rizzuto had a two out, two-run single to make it 8-4 after six. In the seventh with one out Alibrandis loaded the bases on singles by Charlie Auditore, pinch-hitter Tyler Ferdinand and Parra. John delivered a two-run single to make it 8-6 off Blue Sox reliever Robbie Cobb. They would get no closer as Lexington held on to sweep the season series, 4-0. Alvarez drove in four runs for Lexington on two hits. Jones and Gaunt each scored twice and had two hits. Hall had a pair of two-out RBI. For Alibrandis John had two hits and three RBI. Auditore scored twice and contributed two hits, including a double. Parra had two hits, a run and RBI. O’Rourke earned his eighth win of the season finishing 8-0 with 94 strike outs in 50 innings pitched. Scott McDonald started for Alibrandis and pitched a complete game. He gave up 13 hits, eight runs, two earned, walked three and struck out five. Bruce Hack, Lexington Media Relations Director
Americans Beat Expos, Chiefs Top Alibrandis in Tuesday ICL Action
Noah Jankowski had a homer and two RBI’s when the Melrose Americans beat the Middlesex Expos 3-1 on Tuesday night at Morelli Field. Bobby Tramondozzi pitched a scoreless seventh to pick up his league leading fifth save of of the season in relief of starter Mike Nestor (5 innings, 1-0) and reliever Nick Colucci (1 inning). Matt Hosman had the third RBI for the Americans. Cam Monagle (3-1) took the loss for the Expos. At Maplewood, the Andre Chiefs turned around a 4-1 fifth inning deficit, scoring three times in top of the sixth and adding a couple more runs in the seventh, on the way to a 6-4 win over Alibrandis. Nick Valdario (3-4, triple, RBI), Graham Smith (2-3, 2 RBI’s), and Andrew Caulfield (double, 2 RBI’s), led the Chiefs in backing Tim Dunphy’s (3-2) complete game win. Gordie Gronkowski hit a homer for Alibrandis. Sean Sullivan (1-3) went the distance but took the loss.
Alibrandis, Blue Sox in Monday Win Column
Alibrandis erased a 7-2 sixth inning deficit on the way to a 13-8 extra inning win over the Malden Maddogs at Maplewood on Monday night. The winners scored five times in the top of the sixth to tie the game at 7-7. Malden scored a run in the bottom of the sixth to regain the lead at 8-7 before Alibrandis forced the extra inning with a run in their half of the seventh. Alibrandis posted their second five spot of the night in the top of the eighth to account for the 13-8 final. Juan Parra (3-4, double), Dave Lightbody (2-5, double, 3 RBI’s), Charlie Auditore (2-2, double) and Joe Boushell (2 RBI’s), led Alibarndis’ 12 hit offense. Tyler Ferdinand (1-0) got the win with two innings of scoreless pitching in relief of starter Anthony DelPrete (5 innings) and reliver Brian Bryan Saffelle (1 inning). In Lexington, the Blue Sox beat the Chiefs 10-1. (See separate story by Lexington’s Media Director Bruce Hack). On Tuesday, the Americans host the Middlesex Expos at Morelli Field in Melrose at 7:30 PM and the Chiefs visit Alibrandis at Maplewood (Malden Catholic) at 8:30 PM.
Lexington wins big over the Chiefs
By Bruce Hack Lexington – The Blue Sox won their fourth straight game Monday night with a 10-1 win over the Andre Chiefs at Lexington High School. The Sox broke open a 4-1 game with a six-run sixth to improve to 17-6-0 for 34 points and keep hold of first place. Lexington took a 4-0 lead after three innings. In the second Drew Michaud drove in both runs with a double. Dahiandy Johnson’s 2-run single drove in the two runs in the third. Lexington starter Pat McGowan was the beneficiary of the offense as he improve to 5-0 and struck out a season-high 14 batters. McGowan set down 10 of the first 11 Chiefs, seven on strikeouts. The Chiefs lone run came in the fourth. With one out Ryan Noone doubled to left. Andrew Caulfield singled to bring in Noone and it was 4-1. Caulfield had two of the Chiefs four hits in the game. In the sixth the first six Blue Sox batters reached base on four hits and two errors. Michaud drove in his third run of the night with a single and Gage Gaunt doubled to drive in a run. Luke Hall and Peyton Heisner finished off the scoring with a sacrifice fly each. Michaud finished with two hits and three RBI to pace the Lexington offense. Johnson had 2 hits, 2 RBI. Chiefs starter Tommy Leone (0-1) pitched five plus innings giving up nine hits, walking three and striking out three. Jared Frohne came in from the bullpen and finished off the game. Lexington closes out the regular season on Thursday night when they play Alibrandis in Lexington with an 8:00 PM start. The Chiefs play Alibrandis tonight at 8:30 PM at Maplewood.