Andre Chiefs

Medford, MA- Third baseman Mike Andre went three for four, including his third homer of the season, to lead the Chiefs to an 8-5 win over the Americans at Playstead Park on Saturday afternoon. It was the Chiefs second win in eighteen hours as they knocked off the Trojans in Arlington on Friday night.

The Chiefs staked veteran right-hander Mike DiCato to a three run lead in the top of the first inning. After Americans’ starter Joe Sheehan caught Mike Maguire looking for the first out, the Chiefs caught a break when Tony Deshler reached on an infield error. Vinny Pennell drew a walk and both runners moved up a base on a wild pitch. Justin Crisafulli then doubled to the fence in left-center with Deshler scoring and Pennell, having to wait to see if the ball was going to be caught, stopping at third. Andre (pictured left) then lined a single to left-center, scoring Pennell and sending Crisafulli to third, giving the Chiefs a 2-0 lead. Dave Scioli then legged out the back end of an attempted 4-6-3 doubleplay grounder, allowing Crisafulli to come across the plate with the inning’s third run. The Chiefs threatened for more when Mike Barbati reached on an error and  Paul Yanakopulos singled to load the bases. Sheehan escaped more trouble when he got Matt Boleski to fly to veteran Steve Napier in left.

DiCato recorded two K’s in the home half of the first inning and the Chiefs upped their lead to 4-0 in the top of the second. Maguire got things started with a single to right-center and promptly stole second. After Deshler flew to center for the first out, Pennell delivered Maguire with a RBI single to left-center. Crisafulli flew out before Andre singled again, sending Pennell to second. The inning ended with Scioli at the plate when Pennell was thrown out at third on a delayed steal attempt.

The Americans climbed right back into the game at 4-2, picking up a couple of runs, in the bottom of the second. The hosts took advantage of two errors by Deshler at first base, a walk, a hit-batsman and a two-out, two RBI single to left by Joe Nixon.

Scioli started the Chiefs third with a single but was erased when Barbati bounced into a crisp 4-6-3 before Sheehan struck out Yanakopulos to retire the side.

The Americans went in order in their half of the third and the Chiefs opened the lead to 8-2 in the top of the fourth. Matt Boleski led off the inning with a solo homer to right, his second of the year to make it a 5-2 game. Maguire followed with his second single of the day and Deshler chased him to third with a long double to center. Sheehan then got Pennell swinging for the first out before Crisafulli lofted a sacrifice fly to center scoring Maguire. Andre followed and drilled a two-run homer to right center, scoring Deshler ahead of him, while chalking up his league leading 17th and 18th RBI of the season.

It stayed 8-2 until the Americans climbed back into the game for the second time, when they picked up three runs in the bottom of the fifth. Nixon and Mike Burgoyne got the Americans going with consecutive singles. Steve Napier’s RBI grounder to Scioli at shortstop scored Nixon making it 8-3. James McConnville then drew a walk but DiCato recorded a big strikeout when he got Mike Kalfopulous swinging for the second out. With Jake Ohanesian at the plate, Burgoyne took off from third and stole home to make it 8-4. Ohanesian drilled DiCato’s next pitch into left for an RBI single scoring McConnville to make it 8-5, but he was thrown out trying to advance to second on the play by Yanakopulous to end the inning.

Neither Sheehan or DiCato allowed a hit over the last two innings, accounting for the 8-5 final.

DiCato, who evened his season mark at 2-2, allowed just five hits and two earned runs while striking out seven. It was his second win in a row after a throwing his first career no-hitter last Saturday against the Tanners.

The Chiefs enjoy Sunday off while the Americans travel to Wakefield at 5:30 PM to meet the Merchants at Walsh Field. The Chiefs and Americans hook up again on Monday at Tufts University in 6:00 PM start.