Announcement
2016 Championship Run Ends with 5-4 Loss
Melrose, MA- The Chiefs 2016 run came to an end on Tuesday night when they dropped game three of the championship series 5-4 to the Lexington Blue Sox at Morelli Field.
Lexington took a quick 2-0 lead in the top of the first inning against Chiefs' ace Jared Freni. A Taylor Ferguson infield single, followed by a walk to Dan Graham, and then a two RBI double from Julian Alvarez, led to the runs.
The Chiefs answered with a run of their own against veteran righty Matt Karis in the bottom of the first. Tony Deshler reached on a one out single, moved to second when Peter Copa was hit by a pitch, and scored on Jordan Pallazola's RBI single.
The Blue Sox upped their lead to 5-1 in the top of the third. Walks to Ferguson and Graham, another Alvarez double, and a Julian Rojas single did the damage.
Former California Angels righty Anthony Sullivan came on in relief of Freni to start the fifth and pitched a second scoreless inning before the Chiefs cut the lead to 5-2 in the bottom of the inning. Mike Barbati led off with a gap shot double to left-center and scored on Deshler's two out single.
Sullivan got the Lexington side in order in the top of the sixth and the Chiefs closed to within a run to 5-4. Copa drew a walk from Karis and Pallazola greeted reliever Rob DiFranco with two run homer to center.
It was another 1-2-3 inning for Sullivan in the top of the seventh.
The Chiefs made a bid to tie the game up in the their last at bat but came up short. DiFranco hit Witkowski with a pitch to open the bottom of the seventh and Tony Serino bunted him to second. Jeff Blount then struck out Deshler, and then got Billy Mottram to ground to Rojas at first base, to end the game.
Karis went five innings plus to get the win.
Freni worked four innings and allowed four hits, was charged with all five runs, walked five, and struck out two. Sullivan went three scoreless frames, allowed only one hit, walked one, and struck out four.
The Chiefs conclude the season with an overall record of 23-12-1 and had to settle for the hard earned regular season pennant.
More on the 2016 season to follow.
