Andre Chiefs

Lexington, MA- The Chiefs scored three times in the top of the first inning and then rode the pitching of Jared Freni to shutout the Blue Sox 3-0 on Wednesday night.

The game featured a fine pitching matchup between two of the Intercity League’s best pitchers, Freni and Blue Sox ace Matt Karis.

The Chiefs got all the runs they would need, and all the runs that were scored in the game, in their first at bat. Karis walked Tony Serino on four pitches to start the game. Paul Yanakopulos then dropped bunt with Karis’ throw pulling Tommy Haugh off the bag at first. Juan Portes flew out to center for the first out before Johnny Welch gave the Chiefs a 1-0 lead when he singled up the middle, scoring Serino. Mike Gedman then lined a single to right to load the bases. Karis got Peter Copa to pop up for the second out before walking Mike Andre to force in Yanakopulos with the second run. Mike Barbati then hit a slow chopper toward shortstop Steve Gath that went for an infield single and a 3-0 Chiefs’ lead. Karis averted further damage when he struck out Mike Burgoyne with the bases loaded to end the inning.

Freni struck out Tommy Bourdon, got Jeff Vigurs on a grounder to Copa, and retired Gath on a comebacker in the Blue Sox first.

Serino drew Karis’ unusual fourth walk leading off the second, but Yanakopulos bunted too hard forcing Serino at second, Portes struck out swinging, and Welch popped up to end the inning.

Lexington mounted its biggest scoring threat in the home half of the second inning. After Freni struck out Dave Ahern looking, Dan Graham dropped a single into right-center and Ross Curley followed with a thick grass single between the mound and shortstop. Will Marcal then drove a long fly to straightaway center which Serino caught up with on the warning track for the second out, with Graham tagging and going to third on the play. The Blue Sox scoring chance went by the boards when Freni got Haugh to ground out to Portes.

In the Chiefs third, Karis got Gedman to flyout and then walked Peter Copa and Mike Andre in succession. Barbati then grounded out, forcing Andre at second, and sending Copa to third. With two strikes on Burgoyne and Barbati running, Karis picked off Barbati (Haugh to Gath) to end the inning.

Freni had his strongest inning in the bottom of the third when he struck out the side in order.

Karis walked Serino for the third consecutive time with one out in the fourth but then struck out Yanakopulos on a breaking ball and then got Portes to groundout.

Ahern doubled into the leftfield corner with one out in the Blue Sox fourth before Freni struck out Graham and Curley popped up to Welch ending the inning.

Welch reached on an infield error to start the Chiefs’ fifth before Gedman struck out for the first out. Copa then got Welch to second with an infield grounder. Lexington centerfielder Mike Hart turned in the defensive play of the night, when he made a diving catch of an Andre shot to deep right-center, keeping it a 3-0 game.

Freni got the Lexington side in order in the bottom of the fifth, including two strikeouts, and Karis set the Chiefs down 1-2-3 in the top of the sixth.

Hart drew a walk to start the Lexington sixth before Freni picked him off for the first out. He then got Jeff Vigurs to fly to Gedman in right and Gath to ground to Welch to end the inning.

Karis enjoyed his second 1-2-3 inning in row in the top of the seventh when Yanakopulos grounded out and Portes and Welch both struck out.

Freni walked Ahern to start the bottom of the seventh before he got Graham to ground into a 4-6-3 (Barbati to Portes to Copa) doubleplay. The final out of the game came when Curley grounded out to Portes at shortstop.

Freni raised his record to 6-2 with the win. He struck out eight and walked two and needed 106 pitches (67 for strikes) to complete the shutout.

Karis (2-1), did not allow a hit after the first inning and finished with a three-hitter as well. The big righty struck out six, but also walked six batters. He threw one more pitch than Freni (107) in the game.

After the Blue Sox travel to Woburn on Thursday to play the Tanners at Ferullo Field, the Chiefs and Blue Sox will meet in a rematch on Friday back in Lexington at 8:00 PM. -
Bruce Tillman for www.andrechiefs.com