Andre Chiefs

Malden, MA-The Chiefs handed the Reading Bulldogs a 2-0 first inning lead, then squandered a 4-2 fourth inning advantage, on the way to a sloppy 5-4 opening night loss on Wednesday night at Maplewood.

The Chiefs’ pitching staff allowed only five hits, two of the infield variety, and struck out ten Reading batters. But hit batsmen, walks, wild pitches and passed balls, added up to it not being enough on this night. A big fifth inning Kevin Marciano RBI single, to go along with some lights out relief pitching from Wayne Lundgren and Max Mardany, gave the Bulldogs the win. 

The Chiefs’ defense abandoned starter Jared Freni in the top of the first inning. The visitors took advantage of two Chiefs’ errors to take a 2-0 lead without the benefit of a hit. The inning started harmlessly enough when Freni struck out leadoff man Nick Berno. Rosario Missiti was next and he reached when Johnny Welch threw high to first after fielding his infield grounder. Freni then hit Marciano with a pitch and both runners moved up on a passed ball. Veteran J.P. Songin followed and hit a one-hopper to Welch at third who fired home and looked to have Missiti at the plate but his throw was dropped by catcher Jordan Pallazola, for an error, and a 1-0 Reading lead. Mike DeDonato followed and hit what appeared to be an inning ending doubleplay ball to Welch, who threw to second baseman Matt Nuzzo for the second out of the inning. Nuzzo’s throw to first sailed high and into the Reading bench, allowing Marciano to score the second run of the inning.

It stayed a 2-0 Reading lead until the Chiefs scored three times, with two outs, in the bottom of the third off Reading starter Colby Morris. Mike Burgoyne drew a two out walk and stole second. Tony Serino delivered him with a gap shot double to left center that cut the lead to 2-1. Tony Deshler drew another walk and Nuzzo gave the Chiefs a 3-2 lead with a two RBI missile double off the fence in left.

Freni settled in nicely and got the Bulldogs in order in the top of the fourth.

The Chiefs’ lead went to 4-2 in the bottom of the inning when Mike Andre lined an RBI single to left, scoring Pallazola who led off the inning with a double.

Freni, who was on an apparent pitch count, walked Chris Bosco to open the fifth. Bosco stole second and moved to third on a passed ball, before Freni K’d Mike Taylor for the first out. Darren Hartwell then reached on an infield single that scored Bosco and chopped the lead to 4-3. Freni walked Berno and southpaw Joe Saia came out of the bullpen and promptly walked Missiti to push Hartwell to second with the tying run. Both runners moved up on another passed ball and Hartwell scored the equalizer on a wild pitch. With Chiefs’ infield drawn in, Marciano delivered the night’s biggest hit, an RBI single to right that put Reading in front 5-4. Saia then got both Songin and DeDonato on infield grounders to keep it a one run game.

Wayne Lundgren, who picked up the win, worked a scoreless bottom of the fifth, despite surrendering a leadoff single to Serino, and Saia did the same to the Bulldogs in the top of the sixth.

Max Mardany, the former Westford and Northern Essex standout, took over in the bottom of the sixth and kept it 5-4 heading for the seventh.

Former Boston College star Andrew Chin came out of the Chiefs' bullpen and looked impressive in his ICL debut, striking out the first two Reading batters he faced in the top of the seventh.

The Chiefs had a chance in the bottom of the seventh when Serino reached base for the fourth consecutive time on a one out walk. Mardany closed the door when he struck out Deshler swinging, and then Nuzzo looking, to end the game.

BOXSCORE at: www.IntercityLeagueBaseball.com 

Chiefs Chatter….Lundgren spent 14 seasons in the professional ranks. The 35-year-old first appeared as an 18-year-old rookie in the Red Sox organization in 2000. He spent from 2000-2006 with the Sox, St. Louis and Cincinnati, before a stint in the Can-Am League. The righty then played for Sydney in the Australian Professional League from 2010-2015. He has a career 56-49 record in 305 professional games…. Chin was a fifth-round draft pick of the Toronto Blue Jays out of BB&N before electing to attend BC. He eventually signed with the New York Yankees after being their 15th Round selection in 2014 MLB Draft. The lefty appeared for Team China in the 2017 World Baseball Classic….The Chiefs hit the road on Thursday when they travel to Victory Field in Watertown to meet the Reds at 7:45 PM….
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