Andre Chiefs

Watertown, MA-The Chiefs used a trifecta of southpaw pitchers, and got a couple of clutch two out two RBI singles from Peter Copa and Matt Nuzzo, to take a 6-3 win over the Reds at Watertown’s Victory Field on Thursday night. 

The Chiefs took a 2-0 lead in the bottom of the first inning. Copa delivered a two out opposite field single down the right field line scoring Tony Serino, who had led off with a single, and Nate Witkowski who reached on an error.

The Reds cut the lead to 2-1 in the bottom of the first off Chiefs’ starter Mitchell Clegg when Will Brennan hit his second homer of the season to right.

Reds’ starter Mike Welch got the Chiefs in order in the top of the second but had to leave the game after landing awkwardly while covering first on Serino’s inning ending groundout.

Clegg retired the side with two strikeouts in the bottom of the second and reliever Dante Padovani set the Chiefs down in order in the top of the third.

Chiefs’ leftfielder Tony Deshler made a nice diving catch of a sinking liner off the bat of Casey Santos-Ocampo leading off the Watertown third before Clegg retired both Kyle LaVigne and Logan Gillis on infield grounders to end the inning.

The Chiefs made a 4-1 affair in the top of the fourth. Catcher Jordan Pallazola led off with a single off the glove of Reds’ third baseman Dan Chaisson and Copa drew a walk. Mike Andre then moved both runners up with a sacrifice bunt. Padovani then struck out Deshler swinging for the second out before the Chiefs caught a break when Brennan bobbled Mike Burgoyne’s chopper to shortstop that allowed him to reach first with Pallazola scoring the Chiefs’ third run on the play. Padovani then walked both Serino and Witkowski in succession to force in Copa for a 4-1 lead. The Reds escaped more damage when Padovani got Nuzzo on a fly to centerfield that ended the inning with the bases loaded.

Veteran Tim Dunphy spelled Clegg to begin the bottom of fourth. The left-hander got the first two batters on groundouts, allowed a single to Justin Forman. before striking out Austin Farry to end the inning.

It was the Dan Chaisson defensive show at the hot corner in the top of the fifth. The Reds’ veteran third baseman made three consecutive nice plays on grounders from Johnny Welch, Pallazola, and Copa to retire the side.

The Chiefs padded their lead with a couple of runs in the top of the sixth. Andre got things started with single to center and Deshler followed with a hit to right. Following a Mike Burgoyne sacrifice bunt, Serino drew a walk to load the bases. Padovani got Witkowski to pop up for the second out before Nuzzo delivered his two RBI single to right-center that jumped the lead to 6-1. 

Former Suffolk University and Boston Park League standout Josh Desai made his ICL debut for the Chiefs in the bottom of the sixth and recorded two strikeouts.

The Chiefs went quietly in the top of the seventh.

The Reds made things a bit interesting against Desai in the bottom of the inning when they picked up a couple of runs on singles from Mike Samko and Corliss, a hit batsman, a walk, and a throwing error which trimmed the lead to 6-3 with just one out. Desai quickly restored order and got both LaVigne and Gillis on infield grounders to end the game.

Dunphy (1-0) was credited with the win while Welch (0-1) took the loss.
BOXSCORE AT www.intercityleaguebaseball.com

Chiefs Chatter….. Nuzzo has four RBI’s in the first two games….For Dunphy, it was his 40th career win in a Chiefs’ uniform. The former Brandeis star trails only Dave Marsters (99), Jared Freni (61) and Ari Koufos (49) on the Chiefs’ all-time career list. The Cambridge, MA native has appeared in 85 games and has thrown 417 innings so far in his Chiefs’ career. He has a 40-16 record with the club since making his Chiefs’ debut in 2010….Desai pitched the Worcester Bravehearts to the 2014 Futures League championship. He went on to pitch in the Boston Park League and was named the top pitcher on that circuit in 2015 when he went 8-2 for ADSL. Over his BPL career, Desai recorded 180 strikeouts in just 128.1 innings or an average of 9.8 K’s per every seven innings thrown……Catcher Shane Stande made his first appearance for the Chiefs behind the plate in the bottom of the seventh. Stande spent five seasons as the starting catcher for the Palmer Club of the BPL where he was part of both the 2014 and 2015 championships.....Reds’ starter Mike Welch is veteran of nine professional seasons. He was a third-round pick of the New York Mets. He spent several seasons at the Triple A level before appearing in 10 games for the Philadelphia Phillies…..The 1-1 Chiefs are off until Monday when they host the Melrose Americans at Maplewood at 8:15 PM. On Tuesday, they travel to Somerville to face the Royals at Trum Field before playing the Americans for the second time in three nights, this time at Morelli Field in Melrose at 7:30 PM on Wednesday…..
-Ian Roberts for www.intercityleaguebaseball.com

Malden, MA-The Chiefs handed the Reading Bulldogs a 2-0 first inning lead, then squandered a 4-2 fourth inning advantage, on the way to a sloppy 5-4 opening night loss on Wednesday night at Maplewood.

The Chiefs’ pitching staff allowed only five hits, two of the infield variety, and struck out ten Reading batters. But hit batsmen, walks, wild pitches and passed balls, added up to it not being enough on this night. A big fifth inning Kevin Marciano RBI single, to go along with some lights out relief pitching from Wayne Lundgren and Max Mardany, gave the Bulldogs the win. 

The Chiefs’ defense abandoned starter Jared Freni in the top of the first inning. The visitors took advantage of two Chiefs’ errors to take a 2-0 lead without the benefit of a hit. The inning started harmlessly enough when Freni struck out leadoff man Nick Berno. Rosario Missiti was next and he reached when Johnny Welch threw high to first after fielding his infield grounder. Freni then hit Marciano with a pitch and both runners moved up on a passed ball. Veteran J.P. Songin followed and hit a one-hopper to Welch at third who fired home and looked to have Missiti at the plate but his throw was dropped by catcher Jordan Pallazola, for an error, and a 1-0 Reading lead. Mike DeDonato followed and hit what appeared to be an inning ending doubleplay ball to Welch, who threw to second baseman Matt Nuzzo for the second out of the inning. Nuzzo’s throw to first sailed high and into the Reading bench, allowing Marciano to score the second run of the inning.

It stayed a 2-0 Reading lead until the Chiefs scored three times, with two outs, in the bottom of the third off Reading starter Colby Morris. Mike Burgoyne drew a two out walk and stole second. Tony Serino delivered him with a gap shot double to left center that cut the lead to 2-1. Tony Deshler drew another walk and Nuzzo gave the Chiefs a 3-2 lead with a two RBI missile double off the fence in left.

Freni settled in nicely and got the Bulldogs in order in the top of the fourth.

The Chiefs’ lead went to 4-2 in the bottom of the inning when Mike Andre lined an RBI single to left, scoring Pallazola who led off the inning with a double.

Freni, who was on an apparent pitch count, walked Chris Bosco to open the fifth. Bosco stole second and moved to third on a passed ball, before Freni K’d Mike Taylor for the first out. Darren Hartwell then reached on an infield single that scored Bosco and chopped the lead to 4-3. Freni walked Berno and southpaw Joe Saia came out of the bullpen and promptly walked Missiti to push Hartwell to second with the tying run. Both runners moved up on another passed ball and Hartwell scored the equalizer on a wild pitch. With Chiefs’ infield drawn in, Marciano delivered the night’s biggest hit, an RBI single to right that put Reading in front 5-4. Saia then got both Songin and DeDonato on infield grounders to keep it a one run game.

Wayne Lundgren, who picked up the win, worked a scoreless bottom of the fifth, despite surrendering a leadoff single to Serino, and Saia did the same to the Bulldogs in the top of the sixth.

Max Mardany, the former Westford and Northern Essex standout, took over in the bottom of the sixth and kept it 5-4 heading for the seventh.

Former Boston College star Andrew Chin came out of the Chiefs' bullpen and looked impressive in his ICL debut, striking out the first two Reading batters he faced in the top of the seventh.

The Chiefs had a chance in the bottom of the seventh when Serino reached base for the fourth consecutive time on a one out walk. Mardany closed the door when he struck out Deshler swinging, and then Nuzzo looking, to end the game.

BOXSCORE at: www.IntercityLeagueBaseball.com 

Chiefs Chatter….Lundgren spent 14 seasons in the professional ranks. The 35-year-old first appeared as an 18-year-old rookie in the Red Sox organization in 2000. He spent from 2000-2006 with the Sox, St. Louis and Cincinnati, before a stint in the Can-Am League. The righty then played for Sydney in the Australian Professional League from 2010-2015. He has a career 56-49 record in 305 professional games…. Chin was a fifth-round draft pick of the Toronto Blue Jays out of BB&N before electing to attend BC. He eventually signed with the New York Yankees after being their 15th Round selection in 2014 MLB Draft. The lefty appeared for Team China in the 2017 World Baseball Classic….The Chiefs hit the road on Thursday when they travel to Victory Field in Watertown to meet the Reds at 7:45 PM….
-Ian Roberts for ICL Baseball
-Stephen Hartwell Photos
-Dave Galehouse Photos

With Monday's opening game rained out, the Chiefs will now begin their 2017 season when they host the Reading Bulldogs on Wednesday evening at Maplewood Park, on the campus of Malden Catholic, starting at 8:15 PM.

The team has won three of the last four ICL pennants, with the last two playoff championships coming in 2012 and 2014. Overall, the Chiefs franchise has won 19 league championships and 24 pennants.

Righty Jared Freni is expected to get the opening game nod on the mound. Freni, who has a career 61-11 record in the ICL, will make his sixth straight opening day start.

Following Wednesday's game, the Chiefs will head to Victory Field in Watertown to visit the Reds on Thursday at 7:45 PM.

To view the roster, click on "2017 Chiefs Roster" in top left panel. -Ian Roberts

Hometown: Newton, MA  College: Boston College   Professional: New York Yankees
CURRENTLY INACTIVE
Andrew began his Intercity League career in 2017 appearing in 10 games and posted an 0-2 record.....Pitched for the Boston College Eagles and was drafted by the New York Yankees in the 15th Round of the 2014 MLB draft......Played for two seasons in the Yankees organization and appeared in 21 games....Struck out 34 batters in 38 innings during his professional career with the Yankees.....Pitched for Team China in the 2017 World Baseball Classic then went 1-0 for Triois Rivieres of the Can-Am League earlier this season.....Ranked fourth all-time in career ERA at Boston College....Recorded wins over Clemson, with a complete game two-hitter, North Carolina & Maryland.....Struck out eight batters in 7.1 innings against #1 ranked Florida State.....Was first drafted in the fifth round by the Toronto Blue Jays in the 2011 MLB Draft after a stellar career at Buckingham, Browne & Nichols ... Three-time first team All-ISL player from 2008-10 and led the Knights to the Independent School League title as a sophomore and junior.....TPX Second-Team Preseason High School All-American when BB&N went a perfect 20-0 in 2010 ... Was 7-0 with a 0.69 ERA as a junior..... Also pitched in the Cape Cod League for the Chatham Anglers.....Andrew is the youngest of Carol and Vern Chin's three children and lives in Newton, MA....