Andre Chiefs

By Bruce Tillman
Watertown, MA- The Watertown Reds rallied back from a 7-4 seventh inning deficit to beat the Chiefs 8-7 in walk off style at Victory Field. The Reds scored four times against three Chiefs’ pitchers, who didn’t record an out in the inning. In the process, they put an end to the Chiefs’ seven game winning streak.

It was a game of turnarounds, as the Chiefs rallied back from a 3-0 first inning hole.

The Reds went right to work against Chiefs’ starter Mike DiCato. The hosts scored three times in the bottom of the first inning on a walk, a hit batsman, a single from Steve Morganelli, a double by Justin Forman, and a sacrifice fly from Steve Tramantozzi.

The Chiefs scored five times in the top of the fifth inning to grab a 5-3 lead. Johnny Welch singled, Peter Copa drew a walk, and Mike Andre moved them both up with a sacrifice bunt. Nate Witkowski then grounded to third and Dan Chaisson threw low to the plate and to the backstop, allowing both Welch and Copa to score. Mike Barbati and Mike Burgoyne drew consecutive walks and Tony Serino reached on an infield error that scored Witkowski to tie the game at 3-3. After Paul Yanakopoulos popped up, Juan Portes gave the Chiefs a 5-3 lead with a single to center and went to second on the throw home. Aric Dama then intentionally walked Welch before he got Copa to ground out sharply to end the inning.

The Reds got a run back in the bottom of the sixth inning. Forman doubled to left and Morganelli drove him home with a single. Morganelli then was thrown out at second on a disputed play when the Chiefs cut the relay home. DiCato got out of the inning with a fly out an infield grounder.

The Chiefs extended their lead to 7-4 in the top of the seventh. Andre led off with a single to center and Dan Bonito came on to pinch run. Witkowski then dropped a bunt, but Reds’ reliever Nick Ahearn threw wide of first, sending Bonito to third. Barbati then flew out to right, with Bonito holding at third. Mike Burgoyne followed and delivered a RBI grounder to second that scored Bonito to make it a 6-4 game. Serino then singled to left-center, scoring Witkowski upping the lead to 7-4.

DiCato walked Kyle LaVigne to start the seventh and then hit Kevin Kelly with a pitch. Left-hander Evan Walsh came out of the bullpen to face the left-handed hitting Mike Samko. Samko delivered a single to right, scoring LaVigne, and sending Kelly to third. Matt DiCato then came on to face Josue Feliciano who placed a perfect bunt single down the first base line to load the bases. Sean Callahan-Montague was next and he singled to right-center, scoring Kelly, to close the lead to 7-6. DiCato then walked Forman, forcing in Samko to tie the game. With the Chiefs infield now drawn in, Morganelli delivered the game winner with a ground ball single to right.