Announcement
Bullpen Comes Up Big, Crisafulli Delivers Game Winner in 3-2 Win at Arlington
Arlington, MA- Lefty Kevin Gilchrist and righty Rob Machado came out of the bullpen to preserve a 3-2 comeback win over the game expansion Arlington Trojans on Friday night at Summer Street Field.
The Chiefs appeared poised to take the lead in the top of the first inning against Trojans starter Jordan Dean of Kennesaw State in Georgia. With Mike Baillargeon, who had walked and stole a base, on second with two outs, Matt Anderson uncorked a bomb to the left-center field fence. Trojans centerfielder Justin Mansfield made a spectacular diving catch robbing Anderson and kept the Chiefs off the scoreboard.
Chiefs starter Mike DiCato and Dean traded blanks before former Chief Eddie McDonald gave the Trojans a 1-0 lead in the bottom of the second with an RBI single.
The Trojans lead doubled to 2-0 in the home half of the third when Quinnipiac’s Kevin Hart delivered a Mansfield with another RBI single.
The Chiefs chased Dean when they picked up three runs to grab a 3-2 lead in the top of the fifth inning. After Baillargeon lined out, trouble starting brewing when Mike Gedman drew a walk and stole second. Anderson then reached on an error by Trojan third baseman Nick Napoli. Dean got a bit a wild and walked Mike Andre and Bob McCarthy in succession to force in a run to make it 2-1. Hal Landers then reached on a RBI fielder’s choice that tied the game at 2-2. Veteran Justin Crisafulli then delivered the game winner when he singled in Andre with the 382nd RBI of his career to give the Chiefs a lead they never relinquished.
The Trojans were far from finished. Mansfield reached on a bad hop grounder to Baillargeon and Greg Wilson singled in the bottom of the fourth, putting two men on with one out. Gilchrist came on in relief of DiCato and uncorked a wild pitch to move both runners into scoring position before striking out the left-handed hitting Hart for the inning’s second out. Righty Rob Machado came on and struck out Napoli swinging to get the Chiefs out of the jam.
Machado blanked the Trojans over the next two innings to record the save. Gilchrist, who was 6-1 at Tufts University this spring, picked up his first career ICL win.
The Chiefs begin a four game homestand on Monday when they host the Testa Corp. Bombers at Tufts University at 6:00 PM.
