Andre Chiefs

Lexington, MA- Nate Wolf’s single to left scored Taylor Ferguson with the winning run when the Chiefs suffered their first loss of the season in walk-off fashion 2-1 on Thursday night. 

Chiefs’ lefty Mitchell Clegg (1-1) deserved a better fate but ended up the night being tagged with a loss. 

The Blue Sox took a 1-0 lead in the bottom of the first inning. Ross Curley drew a one out walk, moved to second when Tony Serino, who was forced to make a rare appearance at second base, misplayed a Richie Burgos grounder. Julian Alvarez was next and he gave Lexington the lead with an RBI single that scored Curley with the unearned run. Clegg and the Chiefs averted further damage when Ferguson grounded into a double play.

The Chiefs threatened in the top of the second. Ben Waldrip led off with a double to straight-away center. Catcher Shane Stane then drew a walk from Sox starter Mike Geanellis. But Mike Burgoyne flew out to center for the first out and Geanellis got Andrew Caulfield to bounce into a doubleplay to end the inning.

Clegg sailed through the Lexington second and the Chiefs once again fell victim to the doubleplay ball, extinguishing another scoring chance, in the top of the third. Jamel Vilmont was hit by a pitch and Serino lined a single to left. But Geanellis got Danny DiMare to ground into a 4-6-3 doubleplay and then Juan Portes on a grounder to Ross Curley at short to keep it a 1-0 game. 

Clegg struck out the Lexington side in the bottom of the third and the Chiefs broke into the scoring column and tied things up in the fourth on a Waldrip solo blast to right. The Chiefs put the go ahead run at second with one out when Stande followed with a double into the right-center gap. Once again Geanellis got tough getting Burgoyne on a foul out and then striking out Caulfield to keep the game even at one apiece.

The Chiefs once again couldn’t cash in when DiMare doubled with one away in the top of the fifth against reliever Casey Bussone. The Blue Sox went in order with two more strikeouts against Clegg in the bottom of the inning.

The doubleplay ball bit the Chiefs for the third time in six innings in top of the sixth when Waldrip drew a one out walk but was erased when Stande bounced into another twin killing.

Clegg retired the Lexington side in order in the bottom of the sixth and lower third of the Chiefs order went quietly in the top of the seventh.

Ferguson set the Sox up for the win when he tripled off Burgoyne’s glove in deep center to open the seventh. The Chiefs intentionally walked the bases loaded before Wolf delivered the game winner when he dropped a soft liner in front of Vilmont in left.

Chiefs Chatter….Clegg allowed just four hits and struck out eight…..With the loss the Chiefs fall to 3-1 on the season while the Blue Sox even their record at 1-1….The Chiefs are now off until Monday when they will host the Melrose Americans at Maplewood at 8:00 PM….

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