News and Announcements
Lefty Mike Gedman made his first start of the season and certainly gave the Chiefs every opportunity to come away with a win. Gedman retired the first eight batters of the game, four via strikeout.
The Chiefs took a 2-0 lead in the bottom of the second. Juan Portes singled with one out and scored when Leivi Ventura cracked his fourth homer of the season to straight-away center off Reading starter Jack Burke.
After retiring the aforementioned first eight in a row, the Bulldogs got their first two baserunners on against Gedman in the top of the third. Johnny Hayes reached on a two out error by Johnny Welch at third, and Darren Hartwell singled, before Gedman got Tyler Cedeno on an infield grounder.
Burke got Tony Serino, Matt Nuzzo and Ben Waldrip on consecutive infield grounders in the bottom of the third and the Bulldogs cut the lead to 2-1 in the top of the fourth. Jeff Roy led off and legged out an infield single, moved to second on a walk to Zac Talis, stole third, and scored on Chris Bosco’s sacrifice fly to center. Gedman and the Chiefs stayed in the lead when they turned a Nuzzo to Nate Witkowski to Peter Copa doubleplay to end the inning.
Welch quickly gave the Chiefs their second two run lead of the night at 3-1 when he led off the bottom of the fourth with his fourth homer of the year to left.
The Bulldogs did all of their damage with one out in the top off fifth. After Gedman got Joey Hodapp to ground out, Shane Nowak dropped a single into right. Veteran Johnny Hayes then delivered the Bulldogs’ loudest hit of the night when he laced a double into the left-center field gap that sent Nowak to third. Hartwell was then hit by a Gedman pitch that loaded the bases. Cedeno reached on an infield single into the shortstop hole that scored Nowak to make it a 3-2 game. Roy followed and he hit a grounder to Nuzzo, who flipped to Witkowski for the second out, with Hayes scoring to make it 3-3. Talis was next and he hit a tough high chopper to Welch at third but his throw pulled Copa off the bag for an error with Hartwell scoring the go ahead run on the play. Gedman kept it a one run game when he got Bosco on a fly to Serino in center.
The Chiefs got a one out single from Shane Stande in the bottom of the fifth but couldn’t draw even when Burke got Serino on a sharp liner to left and then struck out Nuzzo.
Tim Dunphy came out of the Chiefs’ bullpen and got the bottom third of the Bulldogs’ order in succession in the top of the sixth.
The Bulldogs turned the game over to Eckerd College lefty Cam Lanzilli in the bottom of the sixth. The Stoneham MA product didn't disappoint when he got Waldrip on a grounder to third, Welch on a chopper in front of the plate, and Portes on a screeching liner to second to retire the side.
Dunphy allowed a one out single to Hartwell in the top of the seventh before getting both Cedeno and Roy on comebackers to the mound to send the game to the bottom of the seventh.
Lanzilli never let the Chiefs off the canvas in their final at bat as he struck out Ventura, got Copa on a grounder to Hayes at third, and then sealed the win by getting Witkowski on fly to right.
Burke (3-0) got the win. He went five innings and allowed six hits and struck out four. Lanzilli retired all six batters he faced and chalked up the save.
Gedman (0-1) allowed just five hits, two of the infield variety, three earned runs, and struck out four. Dunphy gave up just one hit and struck out a batter in his two innings of relief.
Chiefs Chatter….The now 9-11 Chiefs are off until Monday when they host the 12-5 Lexington Blue Sox at Maplewood at 8:00 PM….On Tuesday the Chiefs begin a four game road trip against Malden Maddogs at Maplewood. On Wednesday they travel to Melrose at 7:45 PM before heading to Bentley University on Thursday at 6:00 PM to meet the Watertown Reds and conclude the trip with a 3:00 PM date with the Wakefield Merchants at Walsh Field on Sunday, July29...
Statistics courtesy of Anthony Zeolie
![image](https://photos-images.active.com/file/1/381/3816411/original/f4da4376-1a4c-4e17-b5ec-b443badb51dd.jpeg)
Merchants Rally to Take 4-2 Win at Maplewood
The Chiefs wasted another outstanding effort from southpaw Evan Walsh, who despite pitching brilliantly this summer, fell to 2-3 on the season.
The Chiefs took a 1-0 lead in the bottom of the second when Ben Waldrip led off with a double off the fence in right-center, went to third on a Kyle Dembrowski single to left, and scored on a sacrifice fly from Danny DiMare.
The lead went to 2-0 in the bottom of the third against Merchant starter Alex Erwin. Tony Serino drew a one out walk, moved to third on a Nate Witkowski single to right, and scored on Juan Portes’ sacrifice fly to center.
Walsh meanwhile was cruising along with a three-hit shutout until the Merchants took the lead in the top of the sixth. Ryan Collins got things started with a single to center and went to second when Serino bobbled the ball for an error. Walsh then hit Anthony Cecere with a 1-2 pitch. Paul McGunigle moved both runners up with a sacrifice bunt before Chris Butler’s opposite field double to left tied the game at 2-2. Jared Freni replaced Walsh and Butler stole third. With the Chiefs’ infield drawn in, veteran Scott Searles hit a ground single to center, just out of the reach of the diving Witkowski, to score Butler with the go ahead run.
Brandon Bartlett relieved Erwin in the bottom of the sixth and got a big strikeout of Dembrowski with two men aboard to end the inning.
The Merchants added a run in the seventh to account for the 4-2 final. Erwin (1-0) got the win while Bartlett picked up his first save.
Chiefs Chatter….With the loss the Chiefs fall back under .500 at 9-10…..Next up are the Watertown Reds at Bentley University on Tuesday in an early 6:00 PM start….On Wednesday the Chiefs host the Reading Bulldogs at Maplewood at 8:00 PM…..
Witkowski, Nuzzo, Ventura, Waldrip & Dunphy to Play for ICL All-Stars
Boston, MA- Five Chiefs have been named to the ICL all-star team and will play in Saturday's 7th annual Eastern Mass Classic on Saturday afternoon.
Nate Witkowski, Matt Nuzzo, Leivi Ventura, Ben Waldrip and Tim Dunphy will represent the Chiefs when the ICL takes on the Yawkey League. Johnny Welch was also named to the squad but was unable to play.
The game will be played at Monan Park on the campus of UMass-Boston on Saturday at 2:00 PM. The winner of the ICL-Yawkey League game will play the winner of the Cranberry League vs Boston Park League game at 5:00 PM.
The games will be broadcast live by Sam Feeley of Local Sports Productions. Click on at 10:55 AM to watch. http://www.localsportsproductions.com/live
Saturday's EMass Classic Schedule:
Game 1-Cranberry League vs Boston Park League at 11:00 AM
Game 2-Intercity League vs Yawkey League at 2:00 PM
Game 3- Winner Game 1 vs Winner Game 2 at 5:00 PM
![image](https://photos-images.active.com/file/1/381/3816411/original/4d68395e-5d6a-49c2-8903-92fcfc1d45e8.jpg)
Alibrandis Take Another Extra Inning Win Over Chiefs 8-6
The Chiefs jumped out to a 1-0 lead in the bottom of the first on doubles from Ben Waldrip and Johnny Welch. The lead went to 2-0 against Sean Sullivan in the bottom of the third on a Erick Ramirez double, a Waldrip basehit, and Welch’s long single off the top of the fence in left.
Meanwhile starter Tim Dunphy was cruising along through the first three frames. Alibrandis scored an unearned run in the top of the fourth on a Bobby Barrett single, a stolen base, and an infield error to cut the lead to 2-1.
Alibrandis took a 3-2 lead after two were out in the top of the fifth. Consecutive infield hits from Juan Parra and Mike Maguire, followed by a Barrett single to left, then a Dave Lightbody single to right, put the visitors in front.
The lead went to 4-2 in the top of the sixth. Consecutive singles from Gordie Gronkowski, Matt Hendriksen, and Mark Addesa loaded the bases with nobody out. Dunphy and the Chiefs traded two outs for a run when Anthony Perry bounced into a 6-4-3 doubleplay.
Welch cut the lead to 4-3 with a one out solo homer in the bottom of the sixth.
Maguire led off the top of the seventh with a sinking liner to right that the diving Ramirez let get past him for a triple. A Barrett single, and a Hendriksen two out line hugging double off reliever David Kerns, jumped the lead to 6-3 heading to the bottom of the seventh.
The Chiefs came back and tied things up in the bottom of the seventh. Danny DiMare led off and beat out a bunt single. Reliever Lew Jensen walked Shane Stande and then hit Ramirez with a pitch to load the bases. Matt Nuzzo popped up for the first out before Waldrip cut the lead to 6-4 with a single to center. James Cramphin spelled Jensen to face Welch he and hit a high pop up behind third base that fell for single to make it a 6-5 game. Leivi Ventura’s sacrifice fly to center then plated Ramirez with the tying run. The Chiefs had a chance to win it but Cramphin got Aaron Williams, who had come on to pinch run for Peter Copa in the top of the sixth, to ground out to shortstop.
A bunt from Perry, a single from Parra, a walk, and then sacrifice flies from Barrett and Lightbody gave Alibrandis the lead right back at 8-6 in the top of the eighth.
Cramphin got the lower third of the Chiefs' lineup in order in the bottom of the eighth to seal the win.
Chiefs Chatter…With the loss the Chiefs fall back to .500 on the season at 9-9…..They are off until Monday when they will host the Wakefield Merchants at Maplewood at 8:00 PM…..Welch went 4-4 and raised his average to .481…..
![image](https://photos-images.active.com/file/1/381/3816411/original/9d961f9c-d5c0-48e2-8cb1-bead7277a5ec.jpg)
Chiefs Rout Royals Behind Walsh Pitching 15-0
Walsh (2-2) allowed just two infield singles, one to Soren Hanson in the second and the other to Ryan Hood in the third.
It was a wire to wire offensive assault by the Chiefs’ batters led by Matt Nuzzo who had a three run homer, three hits, and five RBI’s. Johnny Welch wasn’t far behind with a bomb two run homer, three hits, and three RBI’s. Leivi Ventura chipped in with his third home run of the season and a couple of RBI’s. Tony Serino (2 hits, RBI), Ben Waldrip (2 hits, RBI) both had multiple hit games for the Chiefs.
Walsh (2-2) worked the first six innings before giving way to former Medford High ace Jack Fargo who looked sharp in his ICL debut. The UMass-Boston bound righty struck out two batters and didn’t allow a hit in the bottom of the seventh. Walsh and Fargo combined for a season high 15 strikeouts.
Former Seattle Mariners product Paul Covelle (2-1) went the first four innings and took the loss.
Chiefs Chatter…. The Chiefs are back in action on Wednesday night when they host Alibrandis at Maplewood starting at 8:00 PM…..
![image](https://photos-images.active.com/file/1/381/3816411/original/a5e2536a-e9ac-4bcf-8327-c2bbaf41ecf4.jpg)
![image](https://photos-images.active.com/file/1/381/3816411/original/eeac8dca-2ede-422b-ac66-1b8a091c0a8f.jpg)