Andre Chiefs

Malden, MA- For the second time in three nights the Chiefs rallied for a walk-off win at Maplewood. Following Monday's 6-5 extra inning score against the Melrose Americans, the Chiefs were down to their final out last night, erasing Reading leads of 4-1, 5-3 and 7-6, and finally taking a dramatic 8-7 win, thanks to the two out heroics of Nate Witkowski and Mike Barbati.

The Chiefs took a 1-0 lead from Reading starter Jack Burke in the first, without the benefit of a hit, on a couple of infield errors and a Juan Portes RBI groundout.

Rookie starter Anthony DeSouza, who is bound for URI, was impressive over the first 3.2 innings while holding the Bulldogs' offense scoreless.

It was still 1-0 Chiefs when trouble began to brew with two outs in the fourth. Kyle Devin tripled off the base of the fence in left and scored on a Zac Talis single. E.J. Martinez followed with a line single to right, and when the ball skipped by Tony Deshler on the field turf for a two base error, Talis scored to give the Bulldogs the lead and Martinez ended up at third. DeSouza then walked Mike Taylor, and he stole second. Chris Bosco delivered both Martinez and Taylor, and gave Reading a 4-1 lead, with a sharp single to right.

Singles from Portes, Witkowski, and Barbati, and a Ryan Sonberg double, closed the gap to 4-3 in the Chiefs' fourth.

Reading answered back with a run and chased DeSouza in the top of the fifth. Darren Hartwell's one out double and Devin's single to center gave the Bulldogs the lead at 5-3. Mike DiCato came out of the Chiefs' bullpen and recorded a big strikeout when he got Talis swinging, with Devin at third, to keep it a two run deficit.

The Chiefs came all the way back to take a 6-5 advantage, scoring three times after two were out, in the bottom of the fifth inning. Portes was hit by a Burke pitch and Peter Copa walked. The Chiefs caught a big break when Martinez threw away Jordan Pallazola's grounder to short allowing Portes to score. Singles from Sonberg and Witkowski accounted for two more runs and a 6-5 Chiefs lead heading into the top of the sixth.

The lead didn't last long as the Bulldogs reached DiCato for two runs to pull back in front. Martinez made immediate amends and led off with a double. Following an infield out that send Martinez to third, Rosario Missiti drew a walk and stole second. Veteran pinch-hitter Steve Busby then put Reading back in the lead with a hard single to right. Cam Farnum came on to run for Busby and he was thrown out by Pallazola attempting to steal second before DiCato got Mike DeDonato to line to Deshler in right to end the inning.

Reliever Colby Morris made easy work of the Chiefs in the bottom of the sixth.

DiCato was aided by a Witkowski unassisted to Copa inning ending doubleplay in the top of the seventh, after walking Hank Oringer.

Morris set the stage for the upcoming dramatics when he hit Copa with a pitch to begin the Chiefs' seventh before giving way to Cody Hall. Pallazola grounded out to Missiti at third for the first out with Copa moving to third on the throw. Sonberg then hit another grounder to Missiti, freezing Copa at third, before he threw out Sonberg at first on a nice pick-up by Taylor. Down to their last out, Witkowski, who provided a walk off win on Monday, once again came up big and lined a single to left-center, scoring Copa, to knot the game at 7-7. It didn't stay that way for long as Barbati dropped a double just inside the rightfield line that scored Witkowski all the way from first with the game winner.

DiCato got the win and improved his record to 3-1 on the season. The veteran righty went 2.1 innings, allowed two runs, two hits, and also struck out two. DeSouza worked the first 4.2 innings, was charged with five runs, gave up seven hits, struck out five (including the side in order in the third), and walked two. Hall (2-1) was tagged with the loss for Reading.

CHIEFS CHATTER.....The 13-5-1 Chiefs are now off until Sunday when they will travel to Morton Field at Reading High School for a rematch with the Bulldogs at 5:00 PM.....In other ICL action on Wednesday, Lexington beat Watertown 4-1, Melrose topped Arlington 11-3, and Somerville handled Wakefield 8-5.....
Courtesy Jim Valente