Andre Chiefs

Malden, MA- Brotherly love can go a long way.

Veteran Mike DiCato came on in the top of the fifth inning to get his younger brother Matt out of a bases loaded one out jam to keep the Chiefs in the lead in a hard fought 6-4 win over the resilient Testa Corp. Bombers on Friday night at Maplewood Park.

It was the seventh straight win for the Chiefs who improved to 20-6-2 on the season with four regular season games left to play.

This one did not come easy as the Bombers jumped out to an early 3-0 lead.

Testa Corp. picked up a run in the top of the first inning against Matt DiCato on a walk to Mark O’Flynn, a Mike Addesa base hit, a Devon Perry HBP, and a RBI single from journeyman Aaron Finklestein.

The lead went to 3-zip Bombers in the top of the second inning when O’Flynn hit a two run homer to right-center.

The Chiefs came back quickly and tied the game at 3-3 in the bottom of the second. Peter Copa, who was making his return after missing ten games with a quad injury, singled to left to get things started. Hal Landers then doubled into the left-center field gap sending Copa to third. Bomber’s starter Airel De la Cruz then struck out Mike Barbati swinging and got Nick Leva to line to Perry at shortstop for the first two outs of the inning. De la Cruz was a strike away from getting out of the predicament when Jeff Bercume came up big, tripling to left-center, scoring Copa and Landers getting the Chiefs on the board but still trailing 3-2. Tony Deshler then drilled a De la Cruz fastball into right scoring Bercume to even things up and make it a new ballgame at 3-3.

The younger DiCato got the Bombers in order in the top of the third and the Chiefs responded to take a 4-3 lead in the bottom of the inning. Edward Ovalle, who was another returnee to the lineup after missing the last four games with a calf injury, walked, stole second, and scored on Mike Andre’s long RBI double off the fence in right-center.

DiCato worked his second 1-2-3 inning in a row in the top of the fourth and the Chiefs picked up a couple of more runs in the bottom of the frame to take a 6-3 lead. Bercume lead off the inning with his fourth homer of the season, a moon shot to straight away rightfield off Bombers reliever John Jennings.  Deshler and Juan Portes followed with consecutive singles to left. Jennings got Ovalle to pop up for the first out before Andre lined a single to right-center scoring Deshler to make it 6-3 with Portes being thrown out trying to go to third on the play. Copa then hit a ground rule laser double to left sending Andre to third. Landers drew a walk to fill the bases but Jennings kept the Bombers within three runs when he got Mike Barbati to fly out to end the inning.

O’Flynn  got the Bombers back within two runs when he led off the top of the fifth inning with his second homer of the game to straight away center, making it a 6-4 game. DiCato then walked Dan O’Flynn. After an infield out the Bombers got another threat brewing when Adessa drew the second walk of the inning and Perry singled to right to load the bases. That was the night for DiCato as he gave way to older brother Mike who was summoned from the bullpen. Big brother didn't let his younger sibling down as he got out of the jam by striking out Finklestein and Joe Barry in succession to keep the Chiefs in front at 6-4.

Mike was superb over the next two innings, allowing just one baserunner, hitting O’Flynn with a two strike picth with two outs in the sixth. The former Malden Catholic and UMass-Amherst standout struck out four while picking up his third win of the season. Addesa, formerly a GBL all-star pitcher at Revere High as well as making mound appearances during his collegiate career at Salem State, blanked the Chiefs over the final two innings to account for the 6-4 final.

The Chiefs are off on Saturday and will host the Mooney Dental Tanners on Sunday at 5:00 PM at Tufts University in Medford.

Medford, MA- Jared Freni threw the third three-hit shutout for the pitching staff in three days as the Chiefs blanked the Arlington Trojans 5-0 at Maplewood Park on Monday night. Freni’s three-hitter followed mirror efforts by Tim Dunphy who beat Lexington on Saturday 5-0 and Matt DiCato’s 3-0 win over Mooney on Sunday night.

Tony Deshler’s two run homer in the bottom of the first inning, scoring Jeff Bercume ahead of him who had singled, gave Freni all the runs he would need.

The Chiefs made it 3-0 in the third when Mike Andre fielder’s choice grounder with the bases loaded was thrown wide of home allowing Bercume, who had singled, to score.

It went to 4-0 in the bottom of the fourth when Mike Barbati scored when Bercume beat out an infield single and the throw to get him at first skipped away.

The Chiefs added their fifth and final run in the sixth inning on Andre’s RBI single to right.

Freni struck out eleven Trojans and retired the last 14 batters in a row. The right-hander raised his record to 7-1-1 on the season.

The Chiefs, who are now 19-6-2, are off on Tuesday and will return to Maplewood to face the Reading Bulldogs on Wednesday at 7:45 PM.

Woburn, MA- For the second consecutive Sunday Matt DiCato threw a gem.

Last week he held the Wakefield Merchants to five hits and one unearned run as his mates pulled off a seventh inning two out rally to give him a 2-1 win. On Sunday night at Ferullo Field he was even better.

The now 4-1 right-hander threw a complete game three-hit shutout, never allowing a runner to get beyond second base, and took a no-hitter into the fourth inning in a 3-0 Chiefs win over the Mooney Dental Tanners. It was the Chiefs second three hit shutout in as many days as lefty Tim Dunphy turned the trick against the Lexington Blue Sox on Saturday.

The game featured a fine pitcher’s duel between DiCato and Mooney righty Max McKenna of Amherst College. McKenna deserved a much better fate as he only allowed one earned run and six hits while striking out a half dozen.

The Chiefs took a 1-0 lead in the top of second inning when Mike Baillargeon singled and stole second. McKenna then struck out Mike DiCato looking at a breaking ball and got Paul Yanakopulos to fly to right. Veteran Mike Barbati was next and he came up big with two outs when he drove home Baillargeon with a liner off first baseman’s Bill Manley’s glove.

It went to 2-0 in the top of the third. After Tony Deshler bounced back to McKenna for the first out, consecutive line drive singles by Juan Portes and Mike Andre put runners at first and second. McKenna got Baillargeon to fly to right for out number two. The Chiefs caught a break when Mike DiCato’s pop up was dropped in short right field allowing Portes to score the unearned run.

The Chiefs scored another unearned run in the top of the fourth inning to take a 3-0 lead. McKenna started the inning by striking out Matt Boleski. He then hit Barbati with a pitch. Bercume was caught looking at a McKenna fastball on a 3-2 count with Barbati running and stealing second on the pitch. The Chiefs caught break number two of the night when Deshler’s grounder went through the wickets of shortstop Carlton Lentini as Barbati was crossing in front of him, allowing him to score the third and final run of the night.

Lentini broke up DiCato’s hitless run with a clean single to right leading off the fourth. After Joe Burnham flew to Bercume in center for the first out Manley drew a walk to give the Tanners two base runners on for the only time in the game. The Tanners only real scoring threat ended when Keegan DeNapoli bounced into a 6-4-3 doubleplay.

McKenna and DiCato threw blanks the rest of the way as the Chiefs left Woburn with their fifth straight win and an 18-6-2 record.

Chiefs Chatter.....Mike Andre reached a milestone with his third inning single that was the 200^th hit of his Chiefs career. The third baseman is currently in tenth place on the Chiefs’ all time career list. He is in some pretty impressive company in the “200 Hit Club” trailing Justin Crisafulli (567), Mike Langston (538), Mike Barnes (365), Dave Clivio (328), Warren Olson (304), Steve Daley (273), Hank Landers (238), Brian Macrina (227), Alex Masel (213) and now Andre at 200.....Matt DiCato lowered his ERA to 0.51 in 27.1 innings of work so far this season.....For the 47th time in 49 seasons the Chiefs have clinched both a playoff spot and a winning record.....Both Peter Copa (quad) and Edward Ovalle (calf) are expected back into the lineup later this week.....The Chiefs will send Jared Freni (6-1-1) to the mound on Monday night when they host the Arlington Trojans at Maplewood Park on the campus of Malden Catholic at 7:45 PM.....

Medford, MA- Veteran Tim Dunphy twirled a complete game three-hit shutout to pitch the Chiefs by the Lexington Blue Sox 5-0 on Saturday afternoon at Tufts University’s Huskins Field.

Dunphy was in control from the outset, allowing just four baserunners on the day, two of which were erased on Chiefs’ doubleplays.

The Blue Sox got the first of their hits in the top of the first inning when Dan Capra lined a one out single to right. Capra was forced at second when Dunphy got Steve Gath to bounce into a 6-4-3 (Portes-Baillargeon-DiCato) doubleplay to end the inning.

The Chiefs went right to work in the home half of the first inning. Leadoff man Jeff Bercume was hit by a Drew Brzozowski pitch. Brzozowski caught Bercume leaning and picked him off for the first out. Tony Deshler then drew a walk and Juan Portes was next. For the third consecutive game Portes gave the Chiefs a lead when he hit his third first inning home run in a row and fifth of the year, a line drive to right-center, scoring Deshler ahead of him for a 2-0 lead.

It was three up and three down for the Blue Sox in the top of the second against Dunphy and the Chiefs picked up an unearned run in the bottom of the inning. After Hal Landers fouled out, Mike DiCato reached on a two base throwing error and scored when Paul Yanakopulos drilled an RBI single to right-center.

Joe Eramo reached on a Portes error with two outs in the top of the third and stole second before Dunphy got Ross Curley to fly to Bercume in center to end the inning.

The Chiefs made it a 5-0 game in the bottom of the third. Mike Andre got things started with two outs when he lined a Brzozowski pitch to center. Mike Baillargeon then drew a walk and both runners moved up on a wild pitch. Hal Landers then singled to right-center scoring Andre and Baillargeon jumping the lead to 5-0.

Capra singled to start the top of the fourth but Gath lined into a doubleplay before Dan Graham singled and Jason Twomley flew out to end the inning.

The Chiefs threatened but couldn’t add to their lead in the bottom of the fourth. Yanakopulos lined a shot down the left field line but was thrown out trying to stretch it into a double. Bercume was hit by a pitch for the second time in the ballgame and Deshler drew another walk. That was it for Brzozowski as Tyler Kendrick was summoned from the Sox bullpen. The lefty got Portes on a foul pop up to keep it a 5-0 game.

Dunphy got the Sox side in order in the fifth. The Chiefs got two aboard with one out when Baillargeon singled and Landers was hit by a pitch. Kendrick got out of it when he got DiCato to hit into a 1-6-3 doubleplay.

Lexington went 1-2-3 again in the sixth. Pinch-hitter Jon Byrne gave the Chiefs a start when he led off the bottom of the inning with a single to right. Andy Cavanaugh came on to pinch run for Bryne and was gunned down at second on a nice throw by catcher Mike Abraham on a Yanakopulos unsuccessful sacrifice bunt. Bercume followed with a single but Deshler hit into a 4-6-3 doubleplay to send the game to the top of the seventh.

Dunphy again retired the side in order (Gath, Graham & Twomley groundouts) to give the Chiefs the win as the skies over Tufts were quickly darkening.

Dunphy needed just 79 pitches to pick up his fifth win of the season. He struck out just one but retired the last ten batters in row. The former Brandeis star is now 5-1-1 on the campaign and lowered his ERA to 1.30 in 48.1 innings.

The Chiefs stay busy with a road game on Sunday night at 8:00 PM when they travel to Ferullo Field in Woburn to visit the Mooney Dental Tanners. On Monday, the Chiefs will host the Arlington Trojans in a 7:45 PM start at Maplewood.

Malden, MA- Jared Freni went 6.1 innings to get his sixth win and Juan Portes and Tony Deshler swung the big bats as the Chiefs topped the Reading Bulldogs 8-1 at Maplewood Park on Wednesday night.

For the second game in row, Portes gave the Chiefs a first inning lead with a home run, this time a solo blast to left-center, for his fourth of the season.

That was all the scoring either team could generate as Reading lefty Sean Boyle and Freni matched zeros until the Chiefs put up a three spot to take a 4-0 lead in the bottom of the fourth. Deshler got things started with double into the left-centerfield gap. Portes followed with shot off the fence in center that came back quickly to Darren Hartwell with Deshler only advancing as far as third. With Mike Baillargeon at the plate, Boyle balked Deshler home and moved Portes to third. Baillargeon drew a walk and stole second and Mike Andre’s RBI infield grounder then brought Portes across with the third run. Hal Landers was next and he was hit by a Boyle pitch. With runners on the corners, Landers stole second and when catcher Zac Talis’ throw skipped away, Baillargeon trotted home with the fourth run of the inning.

The Bulldogs answered with their only run of the night in the top of the fifth inning on consecutive hits from Nick Conti, Trevor Manzi and Talis.

Kevin Church came on in the bottom of the fifth for the Bulldogs and kept the Chiefs off the scoreboard. Freni enjoyed a 1-2-3 inning in the sixth and the Chiefs put it out of reach when they scored four more times in the bottom of the inning.

After Andre flew out to right, Landers singled and stole second. Paul Yankopulos then delivered Landers with a double into the leftfield corner making it a 5-1 game. Mike Barbati then made it 6-1 with a single to center that scored Yanakopulos and went to second on the throw home. Jeff Bercume then hit a long fly to right that was dropped on the warning track for a three base error that scored Barbati. Deshler followed and drove home Bercume with Chiefs eighth run of the night.

Freni (6-1-1) allowed six hits and struck out eleven before giving way to Rob Machado with one out in the seventh. Machado gave up a hit and also recorded a strikeout.

With the win, the Chiefs move to 16-6-2 on the season while the Bulldogs fall to 10-13-1.

The Chiefs are off until Saturday when they host the Lexington Blue Sox at Tufts University in Medford in a 2:00 PM start.