Andre Chiefs

Lexington, MA- Tony Deshler drilled a two out, two RBI, double to left-center in the top of the seventh inning to give the Chiefs a histrionic come from behind 4-3 win over the Blue Sox on Tuesday night. 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 franchise.

This one had all the usual twists and turns of the legandary 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 thier 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.

After both Chiefs' starter Sam Kasten and Sox starter Rob DiFranco worked a scoreless first inning, the Chiefs loaded the bases with nobody out in the top of the second but had to settle for just one run. Peter Copa drew a leadoff walk, Jordan Pallazola reached on a dribble single in front of the mound, and Ryan Sonberg worked a ten pitch at bat before reaching on a fielder's choice deep into the shortstop hole with Pallazola beating the throw to second. DiFranco got the big first out of the inning when he struck out Billy Mottram swinging on a 2-2 pitch. Steve Gambale was next and he dropped a blopper into short right-center that Taylor Ferguson got a glove on but couldn't make the catch. Copa scored from third on the play and Sonberg was forced out at second after having to hold up on an unusual 8-6 fielder's choice. DiFranco escaped the inning with just the one run when he got Nate Witkowski to ground to Justin Silvestro at second.

Kasten sailed through the bottom of the second when he retired the side in order with a strikeout.

Alsis Herrera came on to start the Chiefs' third and got the first two outs of the inning before Juan Portes sent a 2-2 offering deep over the left-centerfield fence to give the Chiefs a 2-0 lead.

The Blue Sox used two Chiefs' errors and cut the lead in half in the bottom of the third. Kasten struck out Alex Voitik to open the inning before Dorian Rojas found himself standing at second when Deshler dropped his long fly ball to the warning track in right. Kasten retired Dave Ahearn on a pop-up, before Jeff Vigurs reached on an infield single to shortstop with Rojas scoring when Witkowski's throw was high to first. The inning ended when Pallazola threw out Vigurs trying to steal third.

A Sonberg one out single was all the Chiefs could generate from Herrera, who struck out two batters, in the top of the fourth.

The Blue Sox got a two out opposite field double from Julian Alvarez in the bottom of the fourth before Ferguson was hit by a pitch. Kasten pitched out of it when he got Silvestro on a two-hopper to Gambale at second to retire the side.

Herrera and Kasten both got the respective sides in order in a quiet fifth inning.

Portes started the Chiefs' sixth with a line double down the leftfield line. Herrera stranded Portes at second when he struck out Copa, got Pallazola on a groundout, and then set down Sonberg swinging, on a high change up, to end the inning.

The Blue Sox pulled even and then went ahead in the bottom of the sixth. Vigurs led off and lined a single to left. Tom Russo 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. Chiefs' Manager Chuck Andre opted to bring Anthony Sullivan to face 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 Mottram, that scored Russo and tied things up at 2-2. Veteran Dan Graham, who was pinch-hitting for Silvestro, and Voitik, then drew successive full count walks, that forced in Curley, to put the Blue Sox up 3-2. Rojas was next and 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 at least two runs.

Herrera appeared well in control when he caught Mottram looking at a third strike for the first out of the seventh. Gambale gave the Chiefs some life when he lined a single to center and Mike Barbati came on to pinch-run. Herrera had the Chiefs down to their last out after he struck out Witkowski swinging for the second out of the inning. The Chiefs were then down to their last strike when Serino fell behind in the count 0-2 before Herrera threw four straight balls to walk him. That was the night for Herrera as righty Chris Law came out of the Lexington bullpen to replace him. Enter Deshler, 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. Law intentionally walked Portes, and then walked Copa, to load the bases. Jeff Blount, the third Lexington pitcher of the inning, came on to face Pallazola and kept it a one run game when he got the Chiefs' catcher on a looper to second.

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 his first ICL win. Kasten allowed just two earned runs and four hits while taking a no decison in 5.1 innings. Herrera fell to 1-1 while taking the loss.

The Chiefs conclude the regular season on Thursday with a make-up game against the Wakefield Merchants at Maplewood at 8:00 PM.

More on Tuesday's pennant clinching win soon