Andre Chiefs

Reading, MA- The Reading Bulldogs scored three times in the first two innings, then rode the five hit pitching of right-hander Nick Kelley, to hold off the Chiefs 3-2 at Morton Field on Wednesday night.

The Chiefs loss, coupled with the Wakefield Merchants 0-0 tie against the Watertown Reds, and the Testa Corp. Bombers 11-0 win over the Tanners, leaves three teams (Chiefs, Merchants & Bombers) still in the race for second place and an opening round playoff bye.

Kelley retired the Chiefs side in order in the top of the first inning.

The Bulldogs picked up their first run of the night against starter Rob Machado in the bottom of the inning. Brett Flutie flew out, Billy Cataldo reached on an error, stole second, and after Talis was hit by a pitch, Cataldo scored on Alex Fischer’s RBI single to right-center.

The Chiefs went in order again in the second. The Bulldogs upped their lead to 3-0 in the home half of the inning on singles by Andy Gagnon, Cataldo and Trevor Manzi, sandwiched around Machado’s second hit batsman (Flutie).

Kelley made it nine Chiefs up and nine Chiefs down, when he cruised through a 1-2-3 third and Machado settled in nicely and struck out the Reading side in order in the bottom of the inning.

Jeff Bercume broke up Kelley’s streak with a single leading off the fourth and went to second when Manzi bobbled the ball for an error in leftfield. Tony Deshler followed a with a single to left, scoring Bercume, cutting the Bulldogs’ lead to 3-1.

Machado got Reading in order for the second straight inning in the bottom of the fourth and the Chiefs chipped another run off the lead, but missed an opportunity to tie the game, in the top of the fifth. Matt Boleski led off with a gap double. Kelley then popped Nick Leva up for the first out. Mike Baillargeon followed with a double, just inside the third base bag, scoring Boleski to cut the lead to 3-2. The Chiefs missed two chances to tie the game when Kelley got Bercume on an infield popup to shortstop and Deshler on a foul out to first.

That was the last scoring threat for either team as Kelley and Machado tossed zeroes the rest of the way.

Kelley (2-1), struck out two batters and walked none. He retired the first nine batters of the game and finished equally as strong, setting down the last eight Chiefs he faced in succession.  

Machado (2-5), gave up six hits, two earned runs, hit two batters and walked none.

The Chiefs travel to Lexington for a make-up game on Thursday at 8:15 PM against the Blue Sox. The final regular season game of the year, against the Wakefield Merchants, is expected to be played either Saturday or Sunday at Tufts University. The day and starting time is expected to be announced sometime tomorrow.  

Click on http://shartwell.zenfolio.com/p359837115 for Photo Gallery of Chiefs-Reading game.