ARTICLE

Lexington takes 2009 Intercity League championship

By Bruce Hack
Intercity League Media Relations Director

Medford, MA – Lexington captured its third consecutive Intercity League championship with an 8-1 win over the Andre Chiefs at Tufts Huskins Field Sunday afternoon.
The Blue Sox took the series in four games and for the third straight season won the title on the road. In 2007 and 2008 they won at Cassell’s Trum Field in Somerville. This was also the third straight year the Sox won the title after losing the first game of the finals.
This was the seventh championship in 15 seasons of existence for Lexington. It was the sixth title of this decade as Lexington won in 2002, 2004, 2005, 2007 and 2008.
Pete Frates got the offense started with a single to leadoff the game. He moved to second on a wild pitch and went to third on a sacrifice by Ross Curley. Dan Graham drove him in with a ground out to second and the Sox were up 1-0.
They went up 2-0 in the second when with one out Tom Haugh reached on a fielding error by Chiefs second baseman Mike Baillargeon. Jeff Nolet followed with the first of his two doubles in the game, and Haugh came all the way around from first to make it 2-0.
The Chiefs scored their lone run in the second and had its best chance to take the lead.
Baillargeon reached on an error by his counterpart at second Anthony Santos on a dropped fly ball, which allowed Baillargeon to reach second. He scored on a single to left center by Mike Andre and the lead was cut to 2-1 Lexington. Dario Pizzano followed the first out with a double to right center putting runners on second and third. Bob McCarthy hit a ground ball to third which Andre tried to score on and was out easily at home. Lexington hurler Drew Brzozowski struck out Hal Landers to end the threat.
Brozozwski, who was 2-0 in the playoffs, was making his second start. He was in control all game and gave up only three hits over the last five innings. He set down eight straight over the third through fifth innings and retired 15 of the last 17 batters he faced. He walked none and struck out two in his 89 pitch complete game.
Lexington broke the game open with a four run fourth inning.
Haugh leadoff with a walk, moved to third on Nolet’s double and both runners scored on a double by Santos. Santos scored when he beat the throw home from Baillargeon on a ground ball by Curley. Curley scored the final run of the inning on a throwing error by third baseman Andre and it was 6-1 Lexington.
The Blue Sox finished off the scoring in the fifth. Nolet had a leadoff walk and went to second on a wild pitch. He scored on Frates RBI single to right. Frates came home on an RBI double by Graham and it was 8-1 Lexington.
Frates was outstanding in playoffs. In the four game finals the left hander hitter batted .563 going 9-for-16. He scored four runs; drove in two had a double and 10 total bases. In the seven playoff games he hit .520 (13-for-25) with nine runs scored, four RBI, three doubles, a home run and 19 total bases from the leadoff spot. He led all players in the postseason in runs and hits.
Jeff Bercume and Mike Andre each hit .407 for Andre. Andre led all players in the postseason with two home runs and nine RBI. Bercume scored five runs had two double, a triple and a home run. He also led all postseason players with five stolen bases.
This brings to a close another Intercity League season.
The season began with all six teams playing on the same field in a triple header. The season saw rain wreck havoc on the schedule, but everyone survived and persevered. The season saw the ICL again win the annual all-star game with the Boston Park League. A season that for the third straight year saw the Lexington Blue Sox win the Intercity League title.



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