Andre Chiefs

Melrose, MA- Veterans Tony Deshler and Juan Portes hit back to back solo homers in the top of the eighth inning when the Chiefs came off the mat, and rode a gritty pitching effort from Micthell Clegg, to knock off the Reading Bulldogs 5-2 at Morelli Field on Monday night.

With the win, the Chiefs go up two games to none in the best of five semi-final series and head home with Game Three scheduled for Maplewood Park at Malden Catholic on Tuesday night at 8:00 PM.

The Chiefs handed the Bulldogs a 1-0 lead in the bottom of the first inning. Clegg got Hank Oringer to bounce to Steve Gambale at second to open the game before E.J. Martinez singled to right. Zac Talis flew to Ryan Sonberg in right for the second out but the inning stayed alive when Gambale threw low to first on Steve Busby's grounder. That error proved costly when Mike Taylor's single drove in Martinez with the uneraned run.

Reading starter Cody Hall and Clegg both tossed a zero in the second inning.

The Bulldogs served up a little benevolence themselves in the top of the third and returned the favor when the Chiefs tied things up with an unearned run of their own. Nate Witkowski led off and his infield pop-up was dropped by Talis at first base. Serino pushed Witkowski to second with a fielder's choice and he scored on a Deshler gap shot double to right-center. Hall kept the game even at 1-1 when he got Portes to ground out, and Billy Mottram on a fly ball, that ended the inning.

Clegg breezed through the Reading third and the Chiefs couldn't cash in on a scoring chance in the top of the fourth. Jordan Pallazola put the Chiefs in business when he drilled a Hall pitch into the right-centerfield gap for a lead off double. Sonberg was next, and following two missed sacrifice bunt attempts, struck out swinging for the first out. Gambale was next up and he laced a liner right at Mike DeDonato at second. DeDonato made the grab and beat Pallazola back to bag to complete a bang-bang unassisted doubleplay.

Kyle Devin put the Bulldogs in front at 2-1 in the bottom of the fourth when he drilled a one out solo homer to straight-away rightfield.

Things moved along at Usain Bolt like speed when Clegg and Hall retired the next nine batters in order, on a total of 23 pitches, as the game quickly progressed to the bottom of the sixth. The Bulldogs appeared ready to add to thier 2-1 lead and possibly put the game away. Things started peacefully enough for Clegg when he got Talis to fly to Serino in center for the first out. Busby then surprised everyone in the yard when he placed a perfect bunt single down the third base line. Chris Bosco game on to run for Busby and singles from Taylor and Devin loaded the bases with one out. DeDonato was next, and with the Chiefs' corners drawn in, he hit a one-hopper to Portes at third who fired to Pallazola to force Bosco out at the plate. With the bases still loaded, Clegg came up large when he got Darren Hartwell on a liner to Deshler in left to end the threat and keep it a 2-1 ballgame.

It was last call for the Chiefs in the top of the seventh and Pallazola served notice that they wouldn't go quietly when he lined a Hall pitch just inside the third base bag to lead off the inning. Mike Barbati pinch-hit for Sonberg and he dropped a perfect sacrifice bunt down the first base line that moved the Chiefs' catcher to second. The Chiefs then caught a huge break when Martinez apparently lost the handle on Gambale's grounder to shortstop and threw the ball high to first, and out of play, allowing Pallazola to score the tying run and put Gambale at second. The Chiefs missed an opportunity to pull in front when Hall denied them by striking out Mike Andre and then getting Witkowski on a soft liner to Hayes in left.

The Bulldogs mounted another major scoring threat when they looked for the game winner in the bottom of the seventh. Barbati, who was making his first outfield appearance in nearly a decade after hitting for Sonberg, made the save of the game when he held Hayes to a single after running down his liner leading off the inning. Oringer then moved Hayes to second with a bunt, and Martinez singled, to put runners on the corners with one out. Clegg pulled off his second Houdini like escape in as many innings when he struck out Talis, then pinch-hitter Jordan Roper, to keep the Chiefs alive and move the game to extra innings.

Serino was first up for the Chiefs in the top of the eighth and he laced a liner right at Talis for the first out. Deshler followed and the former Brandeis star turned on a Hall fastball and sent it high and deep into the night and over the left-field fence to give the Chiefs their first lead of the game at 3-2. Portes was next and the lead quickly went to 4-2 when he lined a shot over the left-centerfield fence. The Chiefs weren't done when Mottram then singled, moved to second on a wild pitch, and scored the fifth run on Pallazola's third hit of the night. A Barbati single, followed by a walk to Gambale by reliever Zac Levine, loaded the bases with one out as the Chiefs tried to blow the game open. Levine stayed tough and kept the Bulldogs within striking distance when he got pinch-hitter Peter Copa to hit into a 4-6-3 doubleplay.  

Clegg got Taylor on a groundout for the first out of the eighth before a Devin single gave the Bulldogs a baserunner. Clegg ended things when he got both DeDonato and Hartwell on grounders to Gambale.

Clegg struck out five, allowed nine hits, and one earned run. The left-hander needed just 89 pitches over his eight innings. 
Ian Roberts, Anthony Zeolie, & Steve Hartwell for Intercity League Baseball
Boxscore at www.intercityleaguebaseball.com

Malden, MA- Welcome back Jared.

In a welcome sight for Chiefs' fans, Jared Freni reclaimed his customary spot in the rotation and in the process pitched his mates to a 3-1 win and a 1-0 lead in the best of five series with the Reading Bulldogs on Sunday evening at sweltering Maplewood Park.

Freni was dominant, going five innings plus in the humidity, striking out ten, and allowing just four hits in his first start since June 27th. He had relief help from Tim Dunphy in the sixth, and closer Anthony Sullivan in the seventh, as the Chiefs' trio combined to strike out a dozen batters.

Hank Oringer lead off the game with a single to right but Freni left him at first by striking out Mike DeDonato, getting Kyle Devin on a pop-up, and then ending the inning with a strikeout of Zac Talis.

The Chiefs took a 1-0 lead in the bottom of the first when Tony Serino beat out an infield hopper, went to second on an errant pickoff attempt, moved to third on a passed ball, and scored on a Juan Portes double to right. Portes was stranded when Bulldogs' starter Jack Burke got both Jordan Pallazola and Ryan Sonberg to ground out.

After setting down the Bulldogs' first two batters of the second on strikes, consecutive singles from veteran Steve Busby and Darren Hartwell gave Reading two runners on with two outs. Freni retired the side when Johnny Hayes bounced out to Steve Gambale at second base.

The Chiefs caught a couple of big breaks in their half of the second to take a 2-0 lead. Burke struck out Sonberg to open the inning but the third strike went to the backstop allowing him to reach first. Burke then got Gambale swinging for the first out before a Mike Andre grounder to the right side pushed Sonberg to third. Sonberg scored the unearned run when Nate Witkowski's grounder to short was bobbled.

Freni had his strongest inning of the night in the Reading third when he struck out the top of the Bulldogs' order in succession.

Burke was almost as strong in the bottom of the inning striking out two batters, around a Billy Mottram single, and a Portes' lineout to right.

Freni made a nice play to throw out Talis to begin the top of the fourth before walking Mike Taylor. He kept the visitors off the scoreboard when he struck out E.J. Martinez and then retired Busby on groundout to Witkowski.

The Chiefs picked up their third run, and upped their lead to 3-0, in the bottom of the fourth. Sonberg led off with a single to left-center, moved to second on a Gambale infield out to third, and scored on Andre's RBI single to left. The Chiefs appeared poised to add to their lead when Witkowski singled to right and the ball got away from Busby for an error. The right-fielder recovered in time to throw Witkowski out at second after he took a wide turn. Burke kept it a one run game when he retired Serino on a grounder to DeDonato at second.

After striking out the first two Bulldogs he faced to open the fifth, Freni appeared to tire a bit when he walked Oringer, and then gave up a two out single to DeDonato. The lead stayed at 3-0 when Freni got Devin on a liner to Sonberg in right to end the inning.

Burke retired Tony Deshler to start the bottom of the fifth on a sweet pick and throw to first by Oringer at third base. Portes was next up and singled to give the Chiefs a one out baserunner before Burke got Mottram to bounce into a 4-6-3 doubleplay that sent the game to the sixth.

Freni walked Talis to begin the sixth and Chiefs' Manager Chuck Andre, after 85 pitches, opted to bring in Dunphy to face the left-handed hitting Taylor. The veteran southpaw retired Taylor on a pop-up before Talis moved to second on a passed ball. Martinez was next and he delivered Talis with a single to short right that made it a 3-1 game. Dunphy then retired Hayes and Hartwell on infield grounders to end the inning.

The Chiefs missed a golden opportunity to add to their lead in the bottom of the sixth against reliever Colby Morris. Pallazola got things started a with a gap-shot double to left-center but Morris kept it a two run game by retiring Sonberg, Gambale, and Andre, on infield grounders.

The Chiefs turned the game over to Sullivan in the seventh. The fireballing right-hander got Hayes on a chopper to Gambale for the first out, before walking Oringer. With both representing the tying run, Sullivan struck out DeDonato, and then Devin, in succession, to record the save and secure the win.

Burke pitched well in taking the loss. The righty gave up two earned runs, struck out five, and didn't walk a batter.

Chiefs Chatter....Game Two of the series will be played at Morelli Field in Melrose on Monday at 8:00 PM.....For Freni, it was his 60th career win in a Chiefs uniform. The multi-time ICL Pitcher of the Year, Legaue MVP, and Playoff MVP, raised his post season record to a sparkling 15-2.....Andre recorded his 54th career playoff hit and 28th career playoff RBI, while for Portes it was post season hits 30 and 31, to go along with 20 playoff RBI's. The pair have combined for five playoff homers (Andre 3, Portes 2).....Mike Burgoyne, who suffered an ankle injury on July 26th, and Peter Copa, who appeared to have sustained a leg injury in the pre-game warmup, were both in uniform but did not play.....In the other semi-final series opener, the Watertown Reds beat the Lexington Blue Sox 4-1 at Victory Field.....
Courtesy Ian Roberts & Steve Hartwell for ICL Baseball.
Box Score at www.intercityleaguebaseball.com

Chris Butler drove home Scott Serales with the winning run when the Wakefield Merchants edged the Chiefs 3-2 in eight innings on Thursday night. It was the final game of the regular season for both teams. 

John Russolillo (3-2) went the distance for the Merchants and gave up just five hits. Jared Freni (1.0 innings), Tim Dunphy (3.0 innings) and Mike DiCato (3.1 innings) all worked on the mound for the Chiefs. 

Searles had three hits for the Merchants. Billy Mottram had a couple of hits and a sacrifice fly, and Mike Andre reached base three times for the Chiefs.

The Merchants improved to 8-18-2 while the Chiefs finish at 20-7-1.

Lexington, MA- Tony Deshler drilled a two out, two RBI, double to left-center in the top of the seventh inning to give the Chiefs a histrionic come from behind 4-3 win over the Blue Sox on Tuesday night. In the process, the Chiefs clinched themselves the 2016 Intercity League Pennant. For the Chiefs, it was their third regular season pennant in the last four years, the ninth for Manager Chuck Andre, and the 24th for the franchise.

This one had all the usual twists and turns of the legandary Blue Sox-Chiefs rivalry, and then some, with major playoff implications on the line for both of the ICL's heavyweights.

The Chiefs went up 2-0, saw the Sox score twice to take a 3-2 lead in the bottom of the sixth, were down to thier last strike in the top of the seventh, before securing the regular season crown with Lexington leaving the tying and winning runs on base in the bottom of the seventh.

After both Chiefs' starter Sam Kasten and Sox starter Rob DiFranco worked a scoreless first inning, the Chiefs loaded the bases with nobody out in the top of the second but had to settle for just one run. Peter Copa drew a leadoff walk, Jordan Pallazola reached on a dribble single in front of the mound, and Ryan Sonberg worked a ten pitch at bat before reaching on a fielder's choice deep into the shortstop hole with Pallazola beating the throw to second. DiFranco got the big first out of the inning when he struck out Billy Mottram swinging on a 2-2 pitch. Steve Gambale was next and he dropped a blopper into short right-center that Taylor Ferguson got a glove on but couldn't make the catch. Copa scored from third on the play and Sonberg was forced out at second after having to hold up on an unusual 8-6 fielder's choice. DiFranco escaped the inning with just the one run when he got Nate Witkowski to ground to Justin Silvestro at second.

Kasten sailed through the bottom of the second when he retired the side in order with a strikeout.

Alsis Herrera came on to start the Chiefs' third and got the first two outs of the inning before Juan Portes sent a 2-2 offering deep over the left-centerfield fence to give the Chiefs a 2-0 lead.

The Blue Sox used two Chiefs' errors and cut the lead in half in the bottom of the third. Kasten struck out Alex Voitik to open the inning before Dorian Rojas found himself standing at second when Deshler dropped his long fly ball to the warning track in right. Kasten retired Dave Ahearn on a pop-up, before Jeff Vigurs reached on an infield single to shortstop with Rojas scoring when Witkowski's throw was high to first. The inning ended when Pallazola threw out Vigurs trying to steal third.

A Sonberg one out single was all the Chiefs could generate from Herrera, who struck out two batters, in the top of the fourth.

The Blue Sox got a two out opposite field double from Julian Alvarez in the bottom of the fourth before Ferguson was hit by a pitch. Kasten pitched out of it when he got Silvestro on a two-hopper to Gambale at second to retire the side.

Herrera and Kasten both got the respective sides in order in a quiet fifth inning.

Portes started the Chiefs' sixth with a line double down the leftfield line. Herrera stranded Portes at second when he struck out Copa, got Pallazola on a groundout, and then set down Sonberg swinging, on a high change up, to end the inning.

The Blue Sox pulled even and then went ahead in the bottom of the sixth. Vigurs led off and lined a single to left. Tom Russo then popped up a bunt attempt in front of the mound that Kasten almost caught on the fly before throwing Vigurs out at second. Kasten hit Ross Curley with a 3-2 pitch to move Russo to second representing the tying run. Chiefs' Manager Chuck Andre opted to bring Anthony Sullivan to face Alvarez and the closer got him to fly to Deshler in right for the second out. Ferguson was next and grounded a single to left, just out of the reach of Mottram, that scored Russo and tied things up at 2-2. Veteran Dan Graham, who was pinch-hitting for Silvestro, and Voitik, then drew successive full count walks, that forced in Curley, to put the Blue Sox up 3-2. Rojas was next and Gambale turned in what proved to be the defensive play of the night when he made a nice grab of a Rojas tweener in short rightfield that saved at least two runs.

Herrera appeared well in control when he caught Mottram looking at a third strike for the first out of the seventh. Gambale gave the Chiefs some life when he lined a single to center and Mike Barbati came on to pinch-run. Herrera had the Chiefs down to their last out after he struck out Witkowski swinging for the second out of the inning. The Chiefs were then down to their last strike when Serino fell behind in the count 0-2 before Herrera threw four straight balls to walk him. That was the night for Herrera as righty Chris Law came out of the Lexington bullpen to replace him. Enter Deshler, who drilled the second pitch he saw into the left-centerfield gap, scoring Barbati, and then Serino, all the way from first, to put the Chiefs back up 4-3. Law intentionally walked Portes, and then walked Copa, to load the bases. Jeff Blount, the third Lexington pitcher of the inning, came on to face Pallazola and kept it a one run game when he got the Chiefs' catcher on a looper to second.

Sullivan struck out Frank Frias on a blistering 1-2 fastball for the first out of the seventh. Lexington refused to go quietly and began its own one out comeback attempt when pinch-hitter Josh Hassell lined the first pitch he saw from Sullivan to right. When Russo followed with another single to right, the Blue Sox had the tying and winning runs on base with one out. Curley was next up and the veteran put a charge into a 1-0 pitch that Deshler was able to run down in right for the second out. Sullivan then ended things, and gave the Chiefs the win and the pennant clincher, when he got Alvarez on a slow roller to Barbati at second.

Sullivan went 1.2 innings to get his first ICL win. Kasten allowed just two earned runs and four hits while taking a no decison in 5.1 innings. Herrera fell to 1-1 while taking the loss.

The Chiefs conclude the regular season on Thursday with a make-up game against the Wakefield Merchants at Maplewood at 8:00 PM.

More on Tuesday's pennant clinching win soon

Malden, MA- Southpaw Mitchell Clegg was dominant from start to finish, taking a perfect game into the sixth and allowing just one hit, when the Chiefs shutout the Watertown Reds 4-0 at Maplewood on Monday night. Clegg faced the minimum 21 batters on the night as both of the Reds' two baserunners were erased on inning ending doubleplays.

Clegg and fellow lefty Aric Dama, who was nearly as good for four innings, hooked up in a sparkling pitcher's duel until the Chiefs broke through and scored a couple of runs in the fifth inning.

While Clegg was mowing down the Reds, the Chiefs couldn't take adavatage of a pretty decent scoring chance in the bottom of the second. Ryan Sonberg drew a one out walk and Billy Mottram moved him to third with a ground rule double down the leftfield line. Dama got tough and registered two inning ending strikeouts to keep the scoreboard at all zeros.

The game stayed scoreless for the first four and a half innings before the Chiefs went the small ball route and finally moved in front in the bottom of the fifth. Gambale got things started with a line single to center. Witkowski then dropped a sacrifice bunt, and when Gambale beat third baseman Justin Forman's throw to second, the Chiefs were in business with two on and no outs. Tony Serino followed and placed a perfect bunt between the mound and third that went for a single to load the bases. Dama stayed tough and got the first out when Tony Deshler grounded to shortstop Will Brennan who fired home to force Mottram for the first out. The Chiefs then caught a break when Dama threw a wild 2-0 pitch to the backstop, with Juan Portes at the plate, that allowed Witkowski to slide across with the first run. Portes was then intentionally walked to re-load the bases before Dama hit Peter Copa with a pitch to force in Serino to make it 2-0. Dama was lifted and gave way to Chris Hendrix who kept it a two run game by recording two more inning ending strikeouts.

Clegg gave up his only hit when Jon Barber led off the top of the sixth with an opposite field pop-up down the rightfield line that Copa got a glove on, in an over the shoulder effort, but couldn't reel in. Steve Tramontozzi then lined to Serino in center for the first out before Matt Consiglio grounded into a 6-4-3 doubleplay that retired the side.

The Chiefs gave Clegg a little breathing room in the bottom of the sixth. Mottram led off with a single off Consiglio's glove at second. With Mottram running on the pitch, Gambale hit a high chopper over Forman's head at third to put runners on the corners. Hendrix then hit Witkowski with a pitch that loaded the bases. After a strikeout, Tony Deshler singled to score Mottram to make it 3-0. Portes followed with a line single to left to increase the lead to 4-0 with Tramontozzi firing home to throw out Witkowski at the plate for the second out of the inning. Hendrix sent the game to the seventh when he retired Copa on a liner to left.

The Reds got their second baserunner of the night when Clegg walked Kyle LaVigne to open the seventh. Mac Jacobson then bounced to Witkowski, forcing LaVigne at second, for the first out. With Sean Callahan-Montague representing the Reds' twenty-first batter of the night, the Chiefs turned their second straight 6-4-3 inning ending doubleplay that sealed the win.

Clegg, now 5-3, threw 93 pitches and struck out four. Dama took the loss and fell to 5-2. He allowed two runs and four hits in 4.1 innings, struck out three, and walked four. Hendrix worked 1.2 innings, was charged with two runs, and also allowed four hits.

Chiefs Chatter.....Clegg threw a no-hitter against the Reds on July 29, 2015 at Victory Field.....The 19-6-1 Chiefs travel to Lexington High to meet the Blue Sox on Tuesday at 8:00 PM.....Sunday's game that was rained out in Wakefield will be made up on Thursday night at Maplewood at 8:00 PM...... Courtesy of Steve Hartwell