Announcement
Matt DiCato Gives Chiefs Another Three-Hit Shutout in 3-0 Win Over Tanners
Woburn, MA- For the second consecutive Sunday Matt DiCato threw a gem.
Last week he held the Wakefield Merchants to five hits and one unearned run as his mates pulled off a seventh inning two out rally to give him a 2-1 win. On Sunday night at Ferullo Field he was even better.
The now 4-1 right-hander threw a complete game three-hit shutout, never allowing a runner to get beyond second base, and took a no-hitter into the fourth inning in a 3-0 Chiefs win over the Mooney Dental Tanners. It was the Chiefs second three hit shutout in as many days as lefty Tim Dunphy turned the trick against the Lexington Blue Sox on Saturday.
The game featured a fine pitcher’s duel between DiCato and Mooney righty Max McKenna of Amherst College. McKenna deserved a much better fate as he only allowed one earned run and six hits while striking out a half dozen.
The Chiefs took a 1-0 lead in the top of second inning when Mike Baillargeon singled and stole second. McKenna then struck out Mike DiCato looking at a breaking ball and got Paul Yanakopulos to fly to right. Veteran Mike Barbati was next and he came up big with two outs when he drove home Baillargeon with a liner off first baseman’s Bill Manley’s glove.
It went to 2-0 in the top of the third. After Tony Deshler bounced back to McKenna for the first out, consecutive line drive singles by Juan Portes and Mike Andre put runners at first and second. McKenna got Baillargeon to fly to right for out number two. The Chiefs caught a break when Mike DiCato’s pop up was dropped in short right field allowing Portes to score the unearned run.
The Chiefs scored another unearned run in the top of the fourth inning to take a 3-0 lead. McKenna started the inning by striking out Matt Boleski. He then hit Barbati with a pitch. Bercume was caught looking at a McKenna fastball on a 3-2 count with Barbati running and stealing second on the pitch. The Chiefs caught break number two of the night when Deshler’s grounder went through the wickets of shortstop Carlton Lentini as Barbati was crossing in front of him, allowing him to score the third and final run of the night.
Lentini broke up DiCato’s hitless run with a clean single to right leading off the fourth. After Joe Burnham flew to Bercume in center for the first out Manley drew a walk to give the Tanners two base runners on for the only time in the game. The Tanners only real scoring threat ended when Keegan DeNapoli bounced into a 6-4-3 doubleplay.
McKenna and DiCato threw blanks the rest of the way as the Chiefs left Woburn with their fifth straight win and an 18-6-2 record.
Chiefs Chatter.....Mike Andre reached a milestone with his third inning single that was the 200th hit of his Chiefs career. The third baseman is currently in tenth place on the Chiefs’ all time career list. He is in some pretty impressive company in the “200 Hit Club” trailing Justin Crisafulli (567), Mike Langston (538), Mike Barnes (365), Dave Clivio (328), Warren Olson (304), Steve Daley (273), Hank Landers (238), Brian Macrina (227), Alex Masel (213) and now Andre at 200.....Matt DiCato lowered his ERA to 0.51 in 27.1 innings of work so far this season.....For the 47th time in 49 seasons the Chiefs have clinched both a playoff spot and a winning record.....Both Peter Copa (quad) and Edward Ovalle (calf) are expected back into the lineup later this week.....The Chiefs will send Jared Freni (6-1-1) to the mound on Monday night when they host the Arlington Trojans at Maplewood Park on the campus of Malden Catholic at 7:45 PM.....
