Sox guarantee they finish no lower than 2-seed and are assured a bye into the semi finals.
The Metro Red Sox won their third Masters title in a row, this time with the much needed support of the Boys from Saugus. Merlina, Nicolo, and Capozzi worked their bribery, extortion, corruption, graft, and embezzlement in varying ways to secure the title.
In addition, the Sox bats destroyed opposing pitching, belting out 250 hits in 17 games for a .436 average and a league record 208 runs. Details for a Rolling Rally to the Aurora Club will be announced soon.
The Metro Red Sox remained unbeaten after a close 6-3 game over the Billerica Indians.
Glenn Watson didn't have his best stuff but hung in there for the win. A web gem by
Pete Nicolo ended the Indians one big rally.
After the game, there were snacks and salsa left on home plate. Although no one saw who left it there, the Locke Middle School surveillance cameras picked up the grainy image below. Coach Pencil issued a statement that the pretzel caper is a closed issue and no further comment or suspensions will be discussed.
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We can't have this hanging over the team the entire season. After last weeks game, two bags of pretzels were mysteriously missing. A loud shrill laughter could be heard in the distance and a trail of salsa led to the location where Eric "Wonderboy" Kimble's car had been parked. Metro Sox pitcher Officer "Rhino" Garofano was woken up in his cruiser and alerted to be on the lookout. Manager Pencil vowed to get to the bottom of this even if it meant calling in Cappy Capozzi to break some knees.
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The MetSox swept the Boston Townies by the scores of 21-2 and 22-8. Game 1 had both
Glen Watson and
Kevin Curtin ripping 3 hits and knocking in 3 runs.
Vinnie Bonnano's 3 hits would deserve mention but his adventures in the field negate any potential praise.
Game 2 featured the season debut of Dave "Rhino" Garofano who could barely find the plate but hung around long enough to earn the win. Watson chipped in 3 hits and 2 RBIs and earned the save going the last 4 innings. Curtin, forgetting that when an infield fly rule is called, the runners can advance at their own risk, made it safe to second base but in his incessant need to prove he knows more baseball than the umpires, lectured the umpire that did not make the incorrect call on the infield fly rule all the way back to first base. Pencil credited him with a stolen base.
The Sox won on their last at bat, 9-8 over the N. Andover Thunder on a
Scott Ellis leadoff walk, pinch runner
Mark Moise stole 2nd and 3rd, and
Bill Carlezon launched a deep drive to center for the game winning hit.
Glen Watson made his season debut and was cruising until new skipper Pencil gave him the hook in the 5th inning. Carlezon came in and got the Sox out of the jam and was in line for the victory until the Thunder came back against closer Steve Bessette in the top of the 7th. Bessette ultimately got the vulture win.
The Sox came back from a 6-4 deficit to defeat the Wellesley Monarchs 8-7 and remain undefeated.
Eric "Wonder Boy" Kimble (left) led the comeback with his 3rd hit of the game and
Kevin Curtin got out of a 9th inning jam to secure the victory.
Marco Vittozzi maintained his 1.000 OBP with a single and two walks. Bob Merlina checked in with 2 hits and 2 rbis.
Manager Pete the Pencil missed the game because he was celebrating last week's victory at Hilton Head.
The Metro Red Sox won their opening game over the Wellesley Monarchs, 8-2, and making Pete the Pencil a winner in his managerial debut. Offensive stars included Matt Petruzzo's SF to break a 0-0 game and Scott Ellis' 2-run single to put the game away. Offensive running play of the night was Steve Bessette running from first to third with total disregard to the fact that there already was a man occupying that base.
Kevin Curtin got the win by pitching 5 shutout innings but Mr. RBI did not record his first of the season until the 6th inning. Team founder and long time manager Steve Wolf was summarily dropped from the lineup by Ticonderoga #2 sending a message to all that no one gets special treatment.
Sox repeat as Masters Division Champions by sweeping the Brockton Blue Jays in two games. Glenn Watson pitched a gem, making one mistake to Les "Gibson" Weber in the 5th for a pool shot homer. Meanwhile, the Sox couldn't get anything going against Jay's ace Mike Connolly.
But with one out in the 7th, Al Visnick dropped a single into center field doubling the Sox hit total for the game. Mark Moise then singled to get the tying run on second. Connolly then loaded the bases with a walk to Eric Kimble and up at the plate was Russ "NRHS HOF '08" Ward. Through the heckling of Pete "choke and poke" Nicolo, Connolly got rattled and walked in the tying run. Dave Garofano then gave the Sox the lead with a sharp FC down the line.
In the Jays last at bat, Mike Williams led off with a double that Paul Rousseau spun, circled, and dove for but missed. Steve Bessette then came in to relieve and got the first out on a sac bunt moving the runner to 3B. With Weber at the plate, he lofted a fly ball to right that Kimble gloved and then unleashed a pea (okay a floater), to Moise who relayed the ball to home in time to tag out the potential tying run.
It was the Sox 19th straight win after an opening day drubbing by Acton and the Metros win the Championship for the 3rd time in 4 years.
Dave Garofano kept down a beat up Blue Jays team with the help of some defensive gems by Steve Bessette and Pete Nicolo. Without team RBI leader Kevin Curtin, the Sox were held scoreless until the bottom of the sixth when they got a run on a single by Bill Carlezon and a double by Mark Moise. With 2 outs and none on in the 7th, the Jays didn't give up as Mike Williams singled, stole second, and was plated by Les Weber's single.
The Sox finally ended it in the 8th with a leadoff double by Scott Ellis and a single by Steve Wolf.
Game featured 3 HOF'ers, Les Weber and Bob Johnston (Cranberry League HOF) and Russ Ward (N. Reading High School HOF).
