Andre Chiefs

Arlington, MA- There is no doubt that Tim Dunphy earned a few more feathers for his Chiefs headdress this week.

In an ironman like performance, the veteran southpaw pitched a dozen innings in a little less than two days, personally getting the Chiefs three points with a tie on Wednesday and complete game 5-3 win on Friday against the Arlington Trojans.

Dunphy, was pressed into the emergency start in Arlington when righty Jared Freni was a late scratch.

Things started a bit on the ominous side for Dunphy and the Chiefs. The Trojans looked poised to put some up big numbers in bottom of the first inning. After Arlington starter Mike Griffin set the Chiefs down in the top of the first, the Trojans started quick but had to settle for 2-0 lead. Alex Lidonni and Morgan Brown led off the frame with singles and Pete Creamer moved them both up a base with a sacrifice bunt. The Trojans loaded the bases when Don Walter drew a four pitch walk. Greg Wilson was next and he hit a grounder earmarked for the left field corner. Third baseman Mike Andre made a nice diving stop and from his knees threw home to catcher Paul Yanakopulos. Yanakopulos made an outstanding scoop of the low throw to force Lidonni at the plate for the second out. The count went full to Danny Binz before the Trojan third baseman drilled a single up the middle, scoring Brown and Walter, to give Arlington a 2-0 lead. Dunphy averted futher damage when he got Kevin Hart to line to Mike Baillargeon at shortstop.

The Chiefs went quietly in the top of the second and Dunphy settled in nicely in the bottom of the inning, keeping the Tanners from increasing their lead.

The Chiefs turned the game around in the top of the third inning. Yanakopulos led off with a line single to right. Jesse Bruinsma then avoided Griifin’s tag on an infield single, and when the throw to get him sailed high of first, Bruinsma took second with Yanakopulous going to third on the play. Vinny Pennell then singled to right scoring both runners and tying the game up at 2-2. It didn’t stay tied for long. Justin Crisafulli followed with a double off the fence in left-center sending Pennell to third. For Crisafulli, it was hit number 539 of his Chiefs career, vaulting him past Mike Langston as the all-time leader. Mike Andre then played a little fence tune of his own, unloading a double off the fence in right-center, scoring Pennell and Crisafulli to give the Chiefs a 4-2 lead.

After Dunphy struck out Creamer to begin the bottom of the fourth, Walter reached on a tough hop error by Baillargeon. Wilson then bounced back to Dunphy with Walter taking second. Binz followed with a line single to right. The Chiefs came up with the second big defensive play of the game when Pennell hosed Walter out at the plate to end the inning.

The Chiefs picked up their fifth run in the top of the fourth. Mike Barbati singled and advanced to second on Yanakopulos’ sacrifice bunt. After Yanakopulous was thrown out at first, Barbati continued on to third but the throw to get him was high, allowing him to score.

Dunphy retired the side in order in the Trojans’ fourth and the Chiefs wasted a big time threat in the top of the fifth when they came up empty after loading the bases (Crisafulli walk, Andre & Deshler singles) with nobody out.

It a was a seven pitch 1-2-3 inning for Dunphy in the bottom of the fifth and Griffin pitched out of another jam in the top of the sixth to keep the Trojans within striking distance at 5-2.

Things looked promising for the Trojans in the bottom of the sixth when Walter and Wilson had consecutive singles. The Chiefs then came up with their third huge defensive play of the night with a Barbati to Baillargeon to Rick Vail (4-6-3) doubleplay. The fourth gem came a batter later when Baillargeon gloved a Hart laser to short, with Walter at third, to end the inning and send the game to the seventh.  

Things got a little interesting in the bottom of the seventh. Paul O’Neil led things off and drew a four pitch walk. Catcher Eddie McDonald then blooped a single to right that Pennell lost in the lights. Big defensive play number five came when O’Neil rounded the bag at second and an alert Baillargeon tagged him out. But the Trojans were not done yet as McDonald went to second on a wild pitch and came around to score when Brown singled to right-center. Dunphy finally ended the evening’s proceedings when he got Creamer to groundout to Baillargeon.

The Chiefs have little time to enjoy the win as they travel to Playstead Park in Medford on Saturday afternoon at 1:30 PM to face the Americans.