Andre Chiefs

Wakefield, MA- The Chiefs climbed out of 2-0 hole, scoring a run in sixth and adding two more in the seventh inning, as they came from behind to beat Jarrod Marchesi and the Wakefield Merchants 3-2 at Walsh Field on Sunday.

The game featured a veteran pitching matchup between Marchesi and Chiefs’ right-hander Mike DiCato, who once again shined on the mound to pick up his third straight victory. The former Malden Catholic and UMass-Amherst standout retired the first ten Wakefield batters he faced before giving up a couple of runs (one earned) in the fourth inning.

Tony Serino led off the game with the first of his three singles on the day.  He got no further than first base when he was caught stealing after Marchesi got Tony Deshler to fly out and Juan Portes to pop up.

DiCato got the Merchants 1-2-3 in the bottom of the first inning and the Chiefs got a mini threat going in the top of the second. Peter Copa was hit by a Marchesi pitch before Nate Witkowski lined out hard to centerfield. Mike Andre then drilled a single to right center but they came up blank when Mike Barbati grounded into a 6-4-3 doubleplay.

DiCato retired the side in order again in the bottom of the second inning and a Serino two out single was all the Chiefs could generate against Marchesi in the top of the third.

It was nine up and nine down for Wakefield in the bottom of the third when DiCato struck out both Bobby Losanno and Justin Dahl and got Joe Barry to foul out to Copa.

The Chiefs threatened again in the top of the fourth inning. Marchesi struck out Portes for the first out before Copa singled to center and Witkowski singled to left. Andre followed and flew out to left-center, deep enough for Copa to tag and move to third. It stayed scoreless when Barbati grounded out to Scott Searles at shortstop to end the frame.

The Merchants drew first blood in the fourth. Nick Murray singled to right with one out and moved to second on a wild pitch. Brooks Townsend followed with another single to short right that Copa chased down. When Copa wheeled and airmailed the throw to the plate in an effort to keep Murray at third, the second baseman scampered home on the error to give Wakefield a 1-0 lead. With Townsend now on second, James Ramsey plated him with a single up the middle to make it 2-0.

Marchesi frustrated the Chiefs once more in the top of the fifth inning. Paul Yanakpoulos led things off with a long double to left-center. Nick Leva then grounded out for the first out of the inning. Ryan Gendron turned in the defensive play of the game when he bare handed a bunt attempt and threw out the fleet footed Serino by half a step at first. With Yanakopoulos now at third, the Chiefs came up empty again when Marchesi caught Deshler looking at strike three.

Barry’s single gave the Merchants a two out base runner in the bottom of the fifth before Leva threw out Taratino at first, on a chopper in front of the plate, to end the inning.

The Chiefs finally got on the board when they picked up a run in the top of the sixth. Portes hit a bomb down the left field line that got lost in the Wrigley Field type ivy and was deemed a ground rule double. Portes went to third on Copa’s grounder and scored on Witkowski’s fielder’s choice bouncer to Searles.

Townsend was hit with a pitch with one out in the bottom of the sixth. He was erased on an inning ending doubleplay when Ramsey hit a line drive seed back to DiCato who made the play and fired to Copa to easily catch Townsend off first.

Marchesi struck out Barbati leading off the seventh and the Chiefs were down to their last two outs before mounting their comeback. Yanakopoulos began the rally with a single to center. Leva fouled off three Marchesi offerings before dropping in a single to left. Enter Rob Machado who came on to pinch run for Leva. Serino followed and tied things up when he singled to right-center, scoring Yanakopoulos, with Machado sliding safely into third when the throw went to plate. Machado’s base running proved to be huge as Deshler then delivered him with a sacrifice fly to center, putting the Chiefs in front 3-2.

DiCato never left the issue in doubt in the bottom of the seventh. He struck out Gendren and got Seales and Lossano on infield grounders, the latter on a nice game ending scoop by Copa of a low Portes throw.

DiCato surrendered just four hits, three in the fourth inning, struck out four and didn’t issue a walk. Marchesi gave up ten hits and also struck out four and didn’t walk anyone.

With their fifth straight win, the first place Chiefs improved to 19-5 on the year. They are back in action on Monday night when they host the Arlington Trojans at Maplewood Park (Malden Catholic) starting at 8:00 PM.