Andre Chiefs

By Bruce Tillman
Malden, MA-The Chiefs came up a bit short against the Lexington Blue Sox in a 2-0 loss on Monday night at Maplewood. To be more exact, about three feet short.

Oh, there were plenty of chances for the hosts to put this one in the “W” column before Johnny Welch’s bid for a walk off three run dinger fell the aforementioned yard shy. But missed opportunities, some bad baseball luck, along with some pretty sparkling Lexington defense, sent them to their third loss in five games so far this year at Maplewood.  

The Lexington defense, and in particular shortstop Steve Gath, stymied the Chiefs for most of the evening before going the “almost giveth away route” in the bottom of the seventh.

Along the way, the Chiefs were unable to take advantage of the superb pitching effort they got from veteran Mike DiCato.

Now to the particulars.

After a scoreless top of the first, the Blue Sox and Gath turned in one of the defensive highlights in the bottom of the inning. After two were out, Juan Portes singled and Johnny Welch was hit on the arm by a Mike Bourdon pitch. Mike Andre was next and he singled a up the middle with Gath making an outstanding play and getting enough of the ball to keep it in short center and forcing Portes to hold when rounding third. Gath’s play proved huge when Bourdon caught Peter Copa looking a strike three to end the inning.

DiCato pitched out of a little jam in the second when Justin Silvestro doubled with one out. The veteran kept it a scoreless game by getting a ground out and striking out Joe Eramo.

The Chiefs got a two out single from Nick Leva in the bottom of the second and the Sox went in order in the third. In the bottom of the third, Portes singled with one out before Gath turned a “6-unassisted-3” doubleplay off the bat of Welch.

The Blue Sox got two men on base in the top of the fourth (Dave Ahern single, JP Pollard walk) before the Chiefs turned a 6-4-3 doubleplay of their own.

The Chiefs went in order against Bourdon in the fourth and the Blue Sox broke through with a run, without getting the ball out of the infield, in the top of the fifth.

Eramo drew a one out walk and John Puttress reached on an infield single into the shortstop hole. DiCato then struck out Ross Curley before Mike Hart reached on an “excuse me” check swing dribbler between the mound and third base. Gath drew a bases loaded walk for an RBI and a 1-0 Sox lead. DiCato got Ahern to ground out to end the inning.

Major frustration for the Chiefs in the bottom of the fifth. Mike Burgoyne drew a walk and Leva bunted him to second. Tony Serino reached on his umpteenth infield single of the year to put runners on the corners. With Serino running and Burgoyne tagging up on a 2-1 pitch, Paul Yanakopoulos lined sharply to Ahern in right who fired to first for an easy doubleplay after Serino had already rounded second ending another Chiefs’ bid.

DiCato kept the Sox off the board in the top of the sixth and enter Gath once again in the bottom of the inning. After Bourdon struck out Portes, back to back singles by Welch and Andre put the Chiefs in business. Pinch-hitter Nate Witkowski then popped up for the second out before Mike Barbati drew a walk to load the bases. Burgoyne was next hit a high chopper that Gath made a sensational bare handed “grab and throw” to nail Burgoyne by a half step to keep the Chiefs off the board.

Lexington doubled their lead to 2-0 in the top of the seventh. Puttress doubled to left-center and Curley bunted him to third. Barbati made a nice play with infield drawn in to keep the runner at third and throw out Hart for the second out. Gath drew another walk before Ahern’s grounder was kicked by Portes at shortstop, allowing Puttress to score the second run.

Leva lined to right and Bourdon struck out Serino to start the bottom of the seventh. Gath almost undid all the good he had done by booting two consecutive and apparent game ending grounders form Yanakopoulos and then Portes. Welch followed and sent a 1-2 Bourdon pitch to the fence in right-center where it was caught by Ahern to end the game.

Bourdon, who allowed seven hits, won his fourth straight decision and is now 4-0. DiCato (0-1), also allowed seven hits and struck out five.