Andre Chiefs

Lexington, MA- The Lexington Blue Sox roughed up Chiefs starter David Garcia for six first inning runs en route to an 11-7 win in the regular season's final game for both teams. With the win the Blue Sox claim the ICL's pennant and the Chiefs head to the playoffs, finishing fourth with a 17-8-6 record.

The Chiefs took a 1-0 lead in the top of the first inning off Blue Sox starter Kevin Scanlon. After two outs, Andrew Hanson reached on an infield error, moved to third on the first of Matt Lawlor's three hits on the night, and eventually scored on a Paul Koslowski RBI single.

The Sox used first inning doubles by Danny Graham, Sean McElroy and Anthony Santos sandwiched around two base on balls, a hit batsman and a Matt Gedman RBI single, to score a half dozen runs off Garcia in the bottom of the first inning.

Joe Martini came on to start the second inning for the Chiefs and after Graham led off with his second double in as many innings, he retired the next three Lexington hitters in order.

The Chiefs responded and came up with three runs in the top of the third inning to cut the Lexington lead to 6-4. Nate Leva led off with a single off Sox reliever Sammy Steed. Hanson followed with another single and Justin Crisafulli drew a base on balls. Lawlor then singled to left driving in Leva and Hanson scored when the ball was misplayed to make it a 6-3 game. Steed got Koslowski swinging and Phil Costello walked. Mike Andre then hit a RBI grounder, which Anthony Santos made a nice play on to throw him out at first, with Crisafulli scoring on the play.

The Blue Sox picked up two unearned runs off Martini in the bottom of the third to increase thier lead to 8-4. McElroy reached on an error by Leva at shortstop and went to second on a passed ball. Jack Laurendeau then singled driving in McElroy to up the lead to 7-4. Laurendeau went to second on the throw home and to third on a fly ball to right. He scored the Sox eighth run on a long Santos sacrifice fly to center.

The Chiefs kept battling back, as they have done all season long, and cut the Blue Sox lead to 8-7 in the top of the fourth on singles from Brendan Pyburn and Lawlor, a hit batsman, a long double by Leva and a sacrifice fly from Koslowski.

Lefty Dylan Ellis came on to work the fourth and fifth innings for the Chiefs and retired all six batters he faced. Veteran Barry Foster turned the same trick for the Sox, holding the Chiefs scoreless as well in innings five and six.

Chris Foundas came on for Ellis to start the bottom of the sixth inning and experienced control problems as the Blue Sox picked up three more runs to take an 11-7 lead. A Ben Hewett two RBI double and a Gedman single, along with four walks issued by Foundas (one intentional), resulted in the Sox picking up their four runs. Righty Jose Pimentel came on for Foundas with two out and retired the only batter he faced on a ground ball.

Former UMass-Amherst ace Jesse Santos set the Chiefs down quietly in the top of the seventh as the Blue Sox picked up their 24th win of the year.