Andre Chiefs

Waltham, MA- Karl Alexander tossed a neat five-hitter, striking out nine, to pitch the Watertown Reds to a 4-2 win over the Chiefs at Bentley University on Tuesday evening.

The Chiefs squandered an early 2-0 advantage and Alexander, who was 5-3 for Bates this past spring with a 2.50 ERA, shut down the offense over the last four innings.A Tony Deshler RBI single, driving in Vinny Pennell, who had doubled, gave the Chiefs a 1-0 lead in the top of the first inning.

Chiefs’ starter Mike DiCato got the Reds in the bottom of the first inning and Alexander retired the side in order in the top of the second.

DiCato and the Chiefs got themselves out of a bases loaded nobody out jam in the Reds’ second. Sean Callahan walked, Ryan Nicholas singled, and Brendan Casey was hit by a pitch to fill the bases. DiCato then served up a tailor-made 1-2-3 doubleplay off the bat of Jim McLaughlin to get two big outs. He completed the escape by getting Steve Tramontozzi to bounce back to the box.

The Chiefs picked up an unearned run in the top of the third inning when Jeff Bercume singled, stole second, and scored when Deshler reached on an infield error.

The Reds answered back and cut the lead to 2-1 in the bottom of the third. Sam Sager led off with a single. Steve Busby then lined another single to center with Bercume trying to throw Sager out at third on the play. Sager was safe and Busby had taken a wide turn at first. Chiefs’ third baseman Mike Andre’s throw was low to first and skipped past Pennell allowing Sager to score.

It stayed a 2-1 game until the Reds took the lead at 3-2 lead in the bottom of the fifth. Sager walked, Busby struck out and Dan Chaisson walked. With Sager attempting to steal third, Callahan hit an infield chopper between Andre at third and Mike Baillargeon at shortstop. With Andre covering the bag, Baillargeon had to go deep into the hole to make the stop. Sager kept on running and the he slid under Paul Yanakopulos’ tag to tie the game at 2-2. The Reds’ scored what proved to be the game winner a batter later when Chaisson scored the third run on a wild pitch.The Reds added an insurance run in the bottom of the sixth on a Justin Forman two out single and a long RBI double to left-center by Sager.

Alexander, now 4-3, retired 13 of the last 15 batters he faced. He was aided by some fine outfield defense as Nicholas ran down a deep Andre shot to center and Tramontozzi made a nice grab of a Boleski drive in left for the last two outs of the sixth. Nicholas was at it again as he made a diving grab of a Bercume liner, with two away in the seventh, to end the game.

DiCato, fell to 3-3 on the season after winning his last three decisions. The former Malden Cathoilc and UMass-Amherst righty worked six innings, allowed three earned runs on eight hits. He struck out four, walked four (one intentionally) and hit two batters.

Bercume, with two singles, tied former longtime Chief Rob Ross at number 20 on the Chiefs' all time career hit list.

The Chiefs, now 15-9-1 on the year, visit the Blue Sox at Lexington High School on Wednesday night at 8:00 PM.