Andre Chiefs

Malden, MA- Jared Freni continued his early season mastery, this time outdueling Lexington ace Matt Karis, when the first place Chiefs edged the Blue Sox 2-1 at Maplewood on Monday night.

Karis and Freni, the ICL’s two most dominating pitchers over the last few years, did not disappoint those looking for pitching classic in their first head to head matchup this season.

The Chiefs picked up their only runs of the night in the bottom of the second inning. Mike Andre got things started when he led off with a single to center. Nate Witkowski followed suit and also singled to center to put runners at first and second with nobody out. Matt Boleski was next and he dropped a bunt in front of the mound with Blue Sox first baseman Dave Ahern fielding the ball quickly and throwing to third in an attempt to force Andre. His throw was a little high and went off Ross Curley’s glove into left field allowing Andre to get up and score and sending Witkowski to third. Mike Barbati followed and delivered Witkowski with a sacrifice fly to center to make it 2-0.

It was all Freni and Karis for innings three, four and five, before the Blue Sox broke through and cut the lead to 2-1 in the top of the sixth. Second baseman Justin Silvestro drew a leadoff walk and moved to second on Dan Capra’s sacrifice bunt. Freni struck out Curley for the second out before Jeff Vigurs drove in Silvestro with Lexington’s first hit of the night, a line drive single to left.

Karis got the Chiefs side in order in the bottom of the sixth. Freni sealed his sixth win of the year in the Blue Sox seventh when he struck out Ahern, got Nick Martinho to fly to Tony Serino in center, and ended things by getting Tommy Bourdon to ground out to Barbati at second.

Freni, now 6-0, struck out nine and walked two in his 98 pitch complete game effort. Karis (3-1) struck out five, issued no walks, and gave up just six hits while retiring the eleven of the last twelve Chiefs he faced over the final three innings. Both of the runs charged to Karis were unearned.

Chiefs Chatter... Monday's game was completed in a brisk one hour and twenty minutes....Karis beat the Chiefs and Mike DiCato by an identical 2-1 score in Lexington back on June 25.... How dominating have Freni and Karis been over the last few years? Well, combined the elite right-handers own a 68-12-3 career record. Freni has gone 32-6-2 and Karis 38-5-1, which includes an overall 13-2 mark the duo have posted in the postseason while each leading their respective teams to ICL championships..... Interestingly, the Chiefs have handed Karis four of his five career defeats while the Blue Sox have tagged Freni three of his six career losses....The Chiefs travel to Morelli Field on Wednesday at 7:15 PM to meet the Americans as the Town of Melrose celebrates ICL Family Night......B.T.