Andre Chiefs

Somerville, MA- Kevin Sinatra, Wyatt Stanley and Cal Carroll held the offense to just four hits, and their infield turned three doubleplays, in a 6-2 Royals win on Tuesday night at Trum Field. In the process Somerville snapped the Chiefs' lCL best winning streak at seven games. 

The Royals struck for three runs in the bottom of the second off starter Mike DiCato. Singles from Adam Johnson, Paul Pollano and Sean McPhee, along with a Wagner Gomez gap shot triple to left-centerfield, gave them a 3-0 lead.

The Chiefs answered with their only two runs of the night in the top of the third. Steve Gambale singled to right-center, and after Mike Barbati bounced back to Sinatra and Mike Burgoyne struck out, Tony Serino doubled into the leftfield corner, scoring Gambale, to make it a 3-1 game. Sinatra issued then issued three consecutive walks to Danny DiMare, Billy Mottram, and Peter Copa, forcing in a run, but the Chiefs drew no closer than 3-2 when Mike Andre flew to right, ending the inning.

The Royals had an answer with two more runs of their own in the bottom of the third to re-take a three run lead at 5-2. Player-Manager Jim McConville led off with a double off the leftfield fence. Catcher George Crowley followed and made it 4-2 with single to center. Crowley stole second and went to third when the throw went into centerfield. He came around to score on Johnson's second single of the night, giving the Royals a 5-2 lead.

The Chiefs had some chances to draw closer. Jordan Pallazola led off the fourth with a walk but Sinatra got Gambale to bounce into a doubleplay. Mike Barbati worked the second walk of the inning but Sinatra caught Burgoyne looking to end the frame. They loaded the bases with one out in the fifth when Danny DiMare beat out a bunt single and Mottram and Copa drew consecutive walks. Lefty Wyatt Stanley spelled Sinatra on the mound and kept the lead intact when he struck out both Andre and Pallazola in succession. One more chance went by the boards in the top of the sixth when Gambale singled but was erased when Stanley got Barbati to ground into a 6-4-3 doubleplay. The Chiefs got another two out runner on base in the inning when Stanley walked Burgoyne but it stayed 5-2 when he got Serino on a pop-up and DiMare on a groundout.

Somerville got another run in the bottom of the sixth. B.J. Neil led off with a single and scored on Luke Ronchi's RBI double to make the score 6-2. When McConville and Crowley both walked to load the bases, Sam Kasten came on for DiCato and got Rob Caggiano to pop to Copa, keeping it a four run lead.

Cal Carroll worked a scoreless seventh and Somerville came away with the win to even their record at 4-4 while the Chiefs fell to 8-2.

Sinatra (1-2) worked the first 4.1 innings, gave up three hits and struck out four. Stanley went 1.2 innings and allowed only a bunt single, while Carroll worked a hitless seventh. DiCato (1-1) worked 5.2 innings and gave up eleven hits. The righty struck out four and walked three.

Chiefs Chatter....The Chiefs host the Lexington Blue Sox on Wednesday night at Maplewood at 8:15 PM....DiCato became only the fourth Chiefs' pitcher to reach 400 innings. His 403 innings pitched puts him behind only Dave Marsters (1,028), Ari Koufos (615) and Jared Freni (519) in that category. The righty is third all-time in appearances with 92, trailing only Marsters (204) and Koufos (120)....