Andre Chiefs

Medford, MA- Right-hander Jared Freni spun a complete game three-hitter and third baseman Mike Andre hit a three run homer as the Chiefs shutout the Lexington Blue Sox 4-0 at Tufts University on Tuesday night. It was the Chiefs sixth win in their last seven games.

With the Chiefs win, one of the most remarkable streaks in the 61 year history of the Intercity League came to an end. Blue Sox righty Matt Karis suffered his first career ICL loss in an amazing 23 decisions. Karis has been nothing short of spectacular since 2009, posting a remarkable 21-0-1 record entering Tuesday’s contest. Along the way, the Southboro native has been named the ICL’s Outstanding Pitcher twice (2009 & 2010) as well as being tabbed Rookie Pitcher of the Year in 2009.

Freni and Karis showed why they are considered two of the ICL’s best hurlers as they both faced the minimum number of batters over the first three innings. The only base-runner allowed by either pitcher over the first three frames was when the Chiefs Tony Deshler led off the bottom of the first with an infield single. Deshler was promptly erased when Karis got Vinny Pennell to bounce into a double play.

The Blue Sox got their first base runner of the evening when reigning league MVP Pete Frates led off the top of the fourth with a single. Freni got the red hot Justin Wright to pop to Andre for the first out before Frates stole second. Frates was stranded there after Graham struck out and Steve Gath grounded to Deshler at short.

The Chiefs finally broke through against Karis in the bottom of the fourth inning. Karis struck out Deshler swinging leading off the inning. Pennell then got things going when he lined a one out double off the base of the fence in right. Justin Crisafulli followed and drew a walk. Mike Andre was next and he delivered a three run homer to right-center giving Freni and the Chiefs a 3-0 lead.

The Blue Sox got another runner to second base with one out the top of the fifth when Matt McEvoy reached on a Deshler throwing error that skipped by Chiefs first baseman Rick Vail. That’s as far as McEvoy got as Freni reached back and struck out Tom Haugh and Chaz Agrillo in succession to end the inning.

The Chiefs made it 4-0 in the bottom of the fifth when Mike Barbati doubled into the left field corner and came around to score on Jesse Bruinsma’s RBI single to center. For Bruinsma, it was his first action in almost three weeks as he continues to recover from a hamstring injury.

Wright’s one out line single to left-center is all the Blue Sox could gather against Freni in the top of the sixth.

Lexington’s Jimmy Borden came on in relief of Karis to start the sixth and looked impressive, striking out the Chiefs side in order.

In the seventh, Freni got Gath to foul out to Vail at first base, before catcher Jeff Vigurs singled up the middle. After McEvoy struck out swinging, Freni got Haugh to pop out to Andre to end the game.

With the win Freni goes to 3-0 on the season while Karis falls to 2-1.

The Blue Sox and Chiefs have Wednesday off and both return to action on Thursday. The Sox and Reds hook up in Lexington at 8:00 PM while the Chiefs host the Arlington Trojans at Tufts University at 6:00 PM.    

Medford, MA- Chiefs right-hander Rob Machado threw a no-hitter on Thursday evening as the Chiefs blanked the Reading Bulldogs 4-0 at Tufts University.

Machado used an overpowering fastball combined with sharp slider to strike out nine Bulldogs, including the side in order in both the fifth and seventh innings. The former Malden Catholic and UMass-Amherst standout threw 103 pitches over the seven inning route.

The Chiefs were forced to go with a patchwork lineup and it paid dividends on this night. No less than four starters from Wednesday’s game, Nick Leva, Mike Baillargeon, Vinny Pennell & Justin Crisafulli, were out of the starting line-up.

Machado retired the Reading side in order in the top of the first and the Chiefs gave him all the runs he would need in their first at bat. Tony Deshler was hit by a Colin McGinn pitch and he went to second on Dave Scioli’s fielder’s choice. Peter Copa then singled up the middle scoring Deshler to give the Chiefs a quick 1-0 lead.

It stayed a one run game until catcher Chad Conner (pictuerd right) drilled a bomb shot solo homer to left leading off the bottom of the fourth inning. Conner was making his first appearance for the Chiefs since 2007 replacing the injured Leva behind the plate.

Machado stayed dominant and his mates finally gave him some breathing room in the bottom of the sixth when they opened the lead to 4-0. Conner, who was 2 for 3 in his return, got things started with a double to center. Mike DiCato drove Conner home and switched places with him at second when he drilled a double of his own into the left field corner. Torrid Mike Barbati, who is 7 for his last 10 and has raised his average to .367, then singled sending DiCato to third. McGinn then got Matt Bolseki swinging for the inning’s first out before Crisafulli, nursing a hamstring injury, came off the bench to pinch hit for Paul Yanakopulos and brought DiCato home with a sacrifice fly to center.

In impressive fashion, Machado was to leave no doubts, striking out the side swinging in the seventh to finalize the no-hitter.

Thursday’s gem was not the first time has Machado flirted in no-hit territory. He was one strike away from the accomplishment back on August 9, 2009. Machado’s bid went by the boards when Lexington rookie pinch-hitter Chris Shaw broke it up on a two out, two strike, opposite field single to left in a 3-0 Chiefs win.

It was the Chiefs first no-hitter since Keith Forbes turned the trick against the Wakefield Merchants at Walsh Field on June 13, 2007. Prior to Forbes, the last Chiefs masterpiece was provided by former Boston Red Sox hurler Mike Carista in a July 14, 1995, win over the Cremone A’s at Morelli Field in Melrose.

In an interesting footnote, Machado’s no-hitter was the first ever for a Chiefs pitcher at Tufts University’s Huskins Field. The team moved there from Playstead Park in 1989. The team’s last two no-hitters were pitched on the road.

Rob Machado’s No-Hitter Inning by Inning
First Inning: Cataldo struck out swinging, B. Flutie popped up, Manzi struck out swinging.
Second Inning: Fischer was HBP, Buitkus grounded to Andre at 3B, Gagnon grounded to Andre at 3B, Hartwell flew to Deshler in CF.
Third Inning: Hasley walked, Russo grounded to Andre at 3B, Cataldo struck out swinging, B. Flutie walked, Manzi grounded out to Scioli at SS.
Fourth Inning: Fischer grounded to Scioli at SS, Buitkus grounded to Andre at 3B, Gagnon flew to Deshler in CF
Fifth Inning: Hartwell struck out swinging, Halsey struck out swinging, Russo struck out swinging.
Sixth Inning: Cataldo grounded to Barbati at 2B, B. Flutie walked, Manzi flew to Deshler in CF, Fischer walked, Buitkus grounded back to Machado
Seventh Inning: Gagnon struck out swinging, Hartwell struck out swinging, Halsey struck out swinging.

Medford, MA- Some major league escapes by Kevin Hayes, along with some marginal Chiefs fielding and base running, added up to a 4-3 loss to the Americans on Wednesday night at Tufts University.

Hayes, the former Worcester State all-star, pitched out of some big time trouble despite allowing eleven hits. The side winding righty-was tough when he had to be, stranding seven Chiefs base runners and striking out eight.

Chiefs veteran Mike DiCato deserved a better fate, allowing just two earned runs on five hits while striking out six.

The Americans jumped out to a quick 1-0 lead in the first inning when Joe Nixon singled, stole second, and came around to score on a two out outfield error.

The Chiefs tied the game at 1-1 in the bottom of the third on a Mike Barbati single and a Vinny Pennell RBI double.

The Americans took the lead right back in the lead in the top of the fourth. Medford used singles from Dan Gilchrist and James McConnville, a stolen base, another outfield error, and a wild pitch, to pick up two runs and take a 3-1 lead.

The Chiefs came up with a couple of runs to tie the game up in the home half of the fourth.  Hayes came up with some big time pitching to keep it tied, as the Chiefs threatened for much more. Singles by Copa, Crisafulli, Deshler and Barbati (RBI) and a hit batsman (Nick Leva) drew the Chiefs even at three. With the bases loaded and one out, Hayes got out of the jam when he got Pennell swinging and Mike Baillargeon on an infield grounder.

Bryant University’s Mike DelPonte’s long fifth inning RBI double gave the Americans the lead back at 4-3 in the top of the fifth.

The Chiefs had one last chance in the bottom of the seventh. Hayes got two quick outs (Pennell & Baillargeon on fly-outs) before Mike Andre singled to left. Paul Yanakopulos came on to pinch run and went to second on wild pitch. Hayes came up big one more time when he got the red hot Copa to flyout to Dave Ahern down the right field to end the game.

After the Chiefs tied the game in the fourth, Hayes retired eleven of the last thirteen batters he faced, allowing only two singles to Mike Andre.

The Chiefs are right back in action on Thursday when they host the Reading Bulldogs at Tufts at 6:00 PM. The Americans are off until next Wednesday when they host the Watertown Reds.

Lexington, MA- Keith Forbes threw four innings of one-hit ball and his mates unleashed a 16 hit attack as the Chiefs won their fourth straight, 14-1 over the Watertown Reds in Lexington on Monday night.

For Forbes, the former San Diego Padres right-hander, it was his first win in a Chiefs uniform since August 9, 2008. The right-hander served as the Chiefs ace in both 2007 & 2008 before missing all of the last two seasons.

The Chiefs staked Forbes to a quick 3-0 lead in the first inning. Vinny Pennell drew a walk and Mike Baillargeon singled. Mike Andre then flew out to the warning track in center allowing Pennell to tag and go to third. Peter Copa’s double found the left-center field gap scoring both Pennell and Baillargeon for a 2-0 lead. Justin Crisafulli’s single plated Copa and the Chiefs went up 3-zip.

Forbes set the Reds down in order in the bottom of the first which included a nice running catch by Pennell in left on a Sam Sager sinking liner.

A one out walk to Nick Leva and a Pennell double put two runners in scoring position in the Chiefs second inning. They came up empty against Reds starter Mike Antonellis when Leva was thrown out at the plate, attempting to score on Baillargeon’s fly out to right, for an inning ending double play.

A Justin Forman two out single was all the Reds could muster against Forbes in the bottom of the second and Antonellis stranded two Chiefs runners (Copa walk, Crisafulli double) to keep it a 3-0 game heading into the home half of the third.

It stayed that way until the Chiefs added three more runs in the fourth on a Mike Barbati double, walks to Pennell and Andre, an infield error, and sacrifice flies from Baillargeon and Crisafulli.

Forbes struck out a couple in the bottom of the fourth and the Chiefs made it 7-0 in the top of the fifth on a Barbati single, a Leva double, and a sacrifice fly from Pennell.

Veteran southpaw Tim Dunphy came on in relief of Forbes to start the fifth. The Reds got their only run of the night and cut the lead to 7-1 on singles from Jay Olson and Steve Panza sandwiched around a fielder’s choice.

The Chiefs added three more runs in the sixth on singles from Andre and Barbati and doubles by Tony Deshler, Matt Boleski and Leva.

Dunphy worked a scoreless sixth and the Chiefs picked up a four spot in the top of the seventh on Baillargeon, Copa and Deshler singles, a walk to rookie Andy Cavanaugh, and a Barbati sacrifice fly to right.

Tufts University right-hander Jake Crawford spelled Dunphy to begin the seventh and kept the Reds off the scoreboard after allowing a leadoff single to Olson.

The Chiefs are off on Tuesday and begin a two game homestand on Wednesday when they host the Americans at Tufts University starting at 6:00 PM

Medford, MA- Jared Freni tossed a complete game one-hitter and his former UMass-Amherst and Malden Catholic teammate Peter Copa had three singles and a first inning RBI to lead the Chiefs to a 2-0 win over the Watertown Reds at Huskins Field, on the campus of Tufts University, on Sunday afternoon.

For Freni, it was his second quality start and second win in the last six days. Last Monday, he picked up the victory for the Chiefs, going five innings, in a 6-1 win over the Testa Corp. Bombers.

Freni and Reds ace Brian Casey, who was the co-ICL Pitcher of the Year in 2010 with 9-2 record, dueled from the outset.

The Chiefs got what proved to the game winner in the home half of the first inning. Leadoff man Mike Maguire drew the only walk that Casey would allow and stole second. After Casey got both Tony Deshler and Mike Andre to fly out, Copa delivered Maguire from second with a ground single to left.

Casey and Freni took charge from there as both teams went in order until the top of the fourth inning. Sam Sager led off for the Reds and reached on an infield error. Steve Panza followed and delivered a clean sinking single to left to give the Reds their biggest threat of the day with two on and nobody out. Freni escaped the jam when he struck out Ryan Nicholas and catcher Dan Chaisson in succession and then got veteran Steve Busby on an infield grounder to Mike Barbati, who had five assists, to end the inning.

The Chiefs responded and doubled their lead to 2-0 in the bottom of the fourth. After Andre flew out, Copa reached on an infield single between the mound and shortstop. Justin Crisafulli then lofted a fly to short left, just out of the reach of the diving Jay Olson, that went for a single and sent Copa to second. Matt Boleski then went the opposite field route and lofted a single just inside the left-field line scoring Copa. Casey escaped further damage when he got Paul Yanakopulos on a ground out and Barbati swinging to keep it a 2-0 game.

Freni set down the Reds in order in the fifth and sixth innings, courtesy of some nice infield defense and two K’s.

The Chiefs threatened again, but could not score, in the sixth on singles by Copa and Crisafulli. Casey stranded them both by getting Boleski to ground out and Yanakopulos to fly to center.

Freni finished strong and got the Reds in order for the third straight time in the top of the seventh (Nicholas pop-up, Chaisson strikeout, Busby groundout) to preserve the shutout and pick up the Chiefs third win in a row.

Freni struck out nine and did not issue a walk. Casey, now 2-2,  scattered six hits and struck out a couple.

The Reds and Chiefs will do battle again on Monday night at Lexington High School starting at 8:00 PM. The game is being played in Lexington while the Reds normal home field in Watertown (Victory Field) is undergoing a facelift.