Chiefs Clinch 24th Intercity League Pennant with 4-3 Comeback Win in Lexington
– Ian Roberts
Tony Deshler drilled a two out, two RBI, double to left-center in the top of the seventh inning to give the Andre Chiefs a histrionic come from behind 4-3 win over the Lexington Blue Sox. In the process, the Chiefs clinched themselves the 2016 Intercity League Pennant. For the Chiefs, it was their third regular season pennant in the last four years, the ninth for Manager Chuck Andre, and the 24th for the Medford based Andre/Hosmer Chiefs franchise.
This one had all the usual twists and turns of the legendary Blue Sox-Chiefs rivalry, and then some, with major playoff implications on the line for both of the ICL’s heavyweights.
The Chiefs went up 2-0, saw the Sox score twice to take a 3-2 lead in the bottom of the sixth, were down to their last strike in the top of the seventh, before securing the regular season crown with Lexington leaving the tying and winning runs on base in the bottom of the seventh.
The Chiefs took a 2-0 lead in the top of the third when former Minnesota Twin Juan Portes (pictured) sent a 2-2 offering deep over the left-centerfield.
The Blue Sox cut the lead in half in the bottom of the third off Chiefs’ starter Sam Kasten of Muhlenberg College.
The Blue Sox pulled even and then went ahead in the bottom of the sixth. Jeff Vigurs led off and lined a single to left. Tom Russo of Holy Cross then popped up a bunt attempt in front of the mound that Kasten almost caught on the fly before throwing Vigurs out at second. Kasten hit Ross Curley with a 3-2 pitch to move Russo to second representing the tying run. Andre opted to bring former California Angels 19th Round draft pick Anthony Sullivan in from the bullpen to face Julian Alvarez and the closer got him to fly to Deshler in right for the second out. Ferguson was next and grounded a single to left, just out of the reach of former Chicago Cub farmhand Billy Mottram that tied things up at 2-2. Veterans Dan Graham and Alex Voitik then drew successive full count walks to put the Blue Sox up 3-2. Dorian Rojas was next and Medford’s Steve Gambale turned in what proved to be the defensive play of the night when he made a nice grab of a Rojas tweener in short rightfield that saved two runs.
Gambale gave the Chiefs some life when he lined a single to center and Mike Barbati came on to pinch-run. The Chiefs down to their last out after Alsis Herrera struck out Bentley’s Nate Witkowski swinging for the second out of the inning. The Chiefs were then down to their last strike when Tony Serino fell behind in the count 0-2 before Herrera threw four straight balls to walk him. That was the night for Herrera as Holy Cross righty Chris Law came out of the Lexington bullpen to replace him. Enter Deshler, the former Brandeis captain, who drilled the second pitch he saw into the left-centerfield gap, scoring Barbati, and then Serino, all the way from first, to put the Chiefs back up 4-3.
Sullivan struck out Frank Frias on a blistering 1-2 fastball for the first out of the seventh. Lexington refused to go quietly and began its own one out comeback attempt when pinch-hitter Josh Hassell lined the first pitch he saw from Sullivan to right. When Russo followed with another single to right, the Blue Sox had the tying and winning runs on base with one out. Curley was next up and the veteran put a charge into a 1-0 pitch that Deshler was able to run down in right for the second out. Sullivan then ended things, and gave the Chiefs the win and the pennant clincher, when he got Alvarez on a slow roller to Barbati at second.
Sullivan went 1.2 innings to get the win to go along with four saves. Kasten allowed just two runs and four hits while taking a no decision in 5.1 innings. Herrera fell to 1-1 while taking the loss.
The Chiefs get a week off and will meet either the #4 Reading Bulldogs, the #5 Melrose Americans, or the #6 Somerville Royals in best of five semi-final series starting next Sunday night. For updates visit the Chiefs’ website at www.andrechiefs.com.