Andre Chiefs

Arlington, MA- The Chiefs used a five run top of the sixth inning to overcome a 3-1 lead and then held on to beat the Trojans 6-4 on Friday night at Summer Street Field.

Arlington took a quick 2-0 lead in the bottom of the first inning off rookie right-hander Anthony DeSouza on singles from Kyle Bourdaris, Kyle Hood, and Ben Johnston, along with a double from Morgan Brown.

The Chiefs got their first two men on in the top of the second when Peter Copa drew the first of his three walks and Mike Andre lined a single to right. Arlington starter John Smokovich pitched out of the jam by striking out Danny DiMare and Mike Barbati and getting Nate Witkowski on an infield grounder.

DeSouza settled in nicely and got the side in order in the bottom of the second.

The Chiefs cut the lead in half to 2-1 in the top of the third when Jordan Pallazola singled home Mike Burgoyne who had walked and stole second.

It stayed 2-1 until the Trojans picked up their third run in the bottom of the fourth on an Eddie McDonald RBI single to left.

Richie Cardillo came out of the bullpen and got the Chiefs 1-2-3 in the top of the fifth.

DeSouza gave way to veteran Mike DiCato to begin the Arlington fifth inning and the right-hander got the Trojans' side in order.

Cardillo pitched himself into an immediate jam in the Chiefs' sixth when he walked Copa and then hit both Andre and DiMare in succession to load the bases. Barbati followed and made it a 3-2 game with single to center. Witkowski was next and he put the Chiefs in front 4-3 with a single to left-center, scoring Andre and DiMare. Tony Deshler, in his return to the lineup, sacrificed Witkowski and Barbati to second and third. With the infield drawn in, Brown made a nice play at shortstop to freeze the runners and throw Tony Serino out at first for the second out of the inning. Burgoyne then walked, with ball four being a wild pitch that allowed Barbati to slide home to make it 5-3. Two more walks from Dan Shaw, issued to Pallazola and Copa, accounted for the sixth run.

Arlington chopped a run off the lead to close to 6-4 in the bottom of the sixth on an RBI double from Ryan Spagnoli.

The Chiefs couldn't add to their lead in top of the seventh, despite a Barbati one out double down the rightfield line.

After DiCato got Bourdaris to pop up for the first out in the Trojans' seventh, things started to get interesting when Dave Cunningham reached on an error by Witkowski and Brown reached on a swinging bunt between third and the mound. DiCato then walked Kyle Hood on a full count to load the bases. That was as far as the attempted comeback progressed as DiCato struck out Johnston and Spagnoli to end the game.

DiCato, (2-1) got the win with three innings of work. He allowed one run, gave up three hits, and struck four. DeSouza allowed two earned runs, five hits, and also struck out four. Cardillo (0-2) was tagged with the loss.

Chiefs Chatter....The Chiefs took advantage of seven walks and three hit batsmen in the game....On Monday, the 11-4-1 Chiefs will host the Melrose Americans at Maplewood in an 8:15 PM start...

Watertown, MA- Righty Matt Horan shutdown the offense on two hits when the Watertown Reds blanked the Chiefs 3-0 on Wednesday night at steamy Victory Field.

Horan and Chiefs' starter Mitchell Clegg hooked up in pretty decent pitcher's duel over the first three and one half innings. Clegg faced the minimum nine batters, allowing only a leadoff single to Jon Barber in the bottom of third who was cut down trying to steal second by catcher Jordan Pallazola. Horan was equally as tough, permitting only a single up the middle by Tony Serino with one out in the fourth.

The Reds broke through with the only run Horan would need on this night in the bottom of the fourth. Kyle LaVigne got things started with a single to center but Clegg picked him off for the first out. Liam O'Connor followed with an infield single that was allowed to roll and stayed fair between third and the plate. Sean Callahan-Montague was hit with a pitch and Clegg struck out cleanup man Dan Chaisson swinging for the second out. Justin Forman followed and drove O'Connor home, on a close play at the plate, with a single to center for a 1-0 lead. Clegg caught Mac Jacobson looking at a third strike to end the inning.

Mike Barbati reached on an infield single with two outs in the top of the fifth but third baseman Mike Samko recorded his third assist of the inning off the bat of Serino to retire the side.

Watertown opened up some breathing room in the bottom of the fifth when they scored two more runs. Samko doubled to right-center with one out and scored, on another close play at the plate, when LaVigne singled to center. LaVigne never stopped running when Barbati's throw pulled Peter Copa off the bag at first on an O'Connor grounder and slid safely across the plate on the third close scoring play of the game for a 3-0 lead.

Mike Burgoyne reached on a Jacobson error to open the sixth but Horan struck out Danny DiMare, got Copa on a grounder to Samko, and then retired Pallazola on a deep fly to LaVigne in center.

Mike DiCato spelled Clegg for the Chiefs in the bottom of the sixth and worked a quick 1-2-3 inning.

Horan kept the shutout intact in the top of the seventh when Mike Andre lined sharply to right, Ryan Sonberg popped up, and Nate Witkowski grounded to Jacobson to end the game.

Horan (1-1) struck out six, walked two and hit a batter. He avenged a 6-4 defeat to the Chiefs on June 27 when he was tagged with the loss. Clegg (2-2) went six innings, gave up six hits, struck out four and also hit a batter.

Chiefs Chatter....The Chiefs are off on Thursday and stay on the road and travel to Summer Street Field in Arlington on Friday at 7:00 PM for a date with the Trojans.....With the loss the Chiefs fall to 10-4-1 on the season while the Reds improved to 9-4-2.....The Chiefs welcomed back Tony Deshler who was in uniform for the first time since the 2013 season. Deshler has been an assistant coach at Elmira College for the last two seasons. He was with the team for four seasons from 2010-2013 and was a major factor in the 2012 championship.....

Medford, MA- South Medford native Mike Pagliarulo, who spent eleven seasons as a third baseman in the majors, has joined the Chiefs' Coaching Staff. 

Pagliarulo spent six seasons (1984-1989) with the New York Yankees before moving on to the National League with the San Diego Padres in 1990. He returned to the American League where he played a big role in the Minnesota Twins' World Series Championship in 1991. After two more seasons in Minnesota, Pags concluded his MLB career with the Baltimore Orioles and finally the Texas Rangers in 1995.

"Having Mike on our staff has been a tremendous boost for the franchise, said Chuck Andre, who recently won his 600th career game. "The players respond so well to Pags, they listen to his insight, respect his experience, and just love having him in the dugout", he added. "Mike takes the time to film their swings, works individually with the hitters, and has helped the infielders with positioning and situational baseball. We are so pleased to have him and his influence as part of our staff." 

Pagliarulo recorded 134 home runs and knocked in 515 runs in 1,246 MLB games. He was a 6th round draft pick of the Yankees in 1981 after playing his college ball at the University of Miami.

Pagliarulo's family roots in the Chiefs' franchise runs deep. His dad, the late Charlie Pagliarulo, was a star infielder for the Chiefs in the 1950's before going on to play in the Chicago Cubs organization. His mother Margaret, who passed away in 2011, is the sister of legendary former Chiefs' Manager and ICL Hall of Famer Lenny Dempsey. His uncles Tim, Tom, and Jack Dempsey, also wore the Chiefs' colors in the 1960's.

Mike was a high school teammate of another member of the Chiefs' staff, John Veneziano, at Medford High in 1976 and 1977. He also played with Andre on the Chiefs and then skipper Joe O'Donnell in the late 1970's and early 1980's. Both Pagliarulo and Andre have been inducted into the Medford Mustangs Hall of Fame. Pagliarulo graduated from Medford High in 1978 where he starred in both baseball and soccer.  

Pagliarulo's hitting instruction appears to be paying immediate dividends for the Chiefs as they sit in first place and lead the league in hitting, with a lofty .320 average, as the Intercity League moves to the Fourth of July break.
B.T for www.intercityleaguebaseball.com 

Melrose, MA- The Framingham State duo of Dillon Corliss and Zack Kirby combined on a five-hitter when the Americans knocked off the Chiefs 4-1 at Morelli Field on Wednesday night. It was the final game for both squads before the ICL's annual Fourth of July break.

Corliss and Chiefs' starter Mitchell Clegg tossed scoreless ball over the first two frames before Mike Burgoyne gave the Chiefs a 1-0 lead with a two out solo homer to left in the top of the third.

Both pitchers breezed through the next couple of innings and it stayed 1-0 Chiefs until the Americans took the lead in their half of the fifth. Mike LaRovere led things off with a single. Clegg whiffed Mike Egito for the first out before Isaiah Berg launched a double into the left-centerfield gap. With runners on second and third and the Chiefs' infield drawn in, Clegg got Kevin Kelley to ground to Billy Mottram at third for the second out. Austin Masel was next and he produced the biggest hit of the night when he lined a two out, two RBI single to left, scoring both LaRovere and Berg for a 2-1 Americans' lead. Masel was tagged out trying to advance to second, when the throw home was cut, to end the inning.

Corliss retired the Chiefs' side in order in the top of the sixth.

The Americans opened their margin to 4-1 with two more runs, after two were out, in their half of the sixth. Zeke Berg got things going with a two out single off Peter Copa's glove at first. Berg then stole second and Tom Petry promptly delivered him with a single down the third base line. LaRovere followed with his second single of the game that sent Petry to third. With runners on the corners, Clegg appeared to have LaRovere picked off first but when Copa's throw to try and get him going to second went into leftfield, Petry scampered accross the plate with the fourth run.

Kirby came out of the bullpen in the top of the seventh, and despite a walk to Jordan Pallazola and a one out single by Ryan Sonberg, the former hard throwing Framingham State ace managed to strike out the side and seal the win.

Chiefs Chatter.....Corliss allowed four hits in six innings to get the win and evened up his season record at 1-1-1......Clegg (2-1) was charged with three earned runs, surrendered seven hits, and struck out a half dozen..... The 10-3-1 Chiefs are now off until Wednesday, July 6 when they will travel to Victory Field in Watertown to visit the Reds at 7:45 PM.....The now 5-7-1 Americans also won't return to ICL play until July 6, hosting the Reading Bulldogs at Morelli in a 7:30 PM start.....The updated and corrected ICL and Chiefs' first half statistics are now available online at www.intercityleaguebaseball.com....
Courtesy Jim Valante

Malden, MA- The Chiefs rode the lights out relief pitching of Muhlenberg rookie right-hander Sam Kasten, who spelled staff ace Jared Freni to start the third inning, to rally past the Watertown Reds 6-4 at Maplewood on Monday night.

Kasten dominated the Watertown hitters, cruising through five 1-2-3 innings. The Manchester NH product allowed only one baserunner, (a Justin Forman one out double in the fifth), and struck out 10 of the 15 batters he faced including the side in order in both the third and sixth innings.

The Reds jumped out to a quick 2-0 lead off Freni in the top of the first. Kyle LaVigne walked, Liam O' Connor reached on a Ryan Sonberg error, and Will Breenan scored them both with an opposite field double into the left-centerfield gap. In between another walk to Pete Burgio, Freni still managed to strike out the Watertown side.

The Chiefs tied the game up at 2-2 in the thier first at bat. Mike Burgoyne singled and Danny DiMare was hit by a Matt Horan pitch. Peter Copa then hit a wind blown single just inside the rightfield line to score Burgoyne. Jordan Pallazolla was next and he plated DiMare with an infield grounder.

The Reds regained the lead at 4-2 in the top of the second on singles from Mac Jacobson, O'Connor and Forman.

The hosts pulled within a run at 4-3 in the bottom of the second when Nate Witkowski was hit by a pitch, moved to second on a wild pitch, and scored on Tony Serino's RBI single to center.

Kasten came on to relieve Freni to open the third and quickly set the tenor for his performance on this night when he struck out Ryan Pocock, Burgio, and Mike Samko in order on 14 pitches.

Copa blooped a single to left to lead off the Chiefs' third and moved to second on a Pallazola groundout. Mike Andre then flew to left for the second out. Ryan Sonberg followed and singled to left and O'Connor let the ball skip by him, allowing Copa to score the tying run and sending Sonberg to second. Sonberg moved to third on a Horan wild ptch before Witkowski drove him home with a single for a 5-4 lead.

Kasten (infield grounder to short, fly to Serino, strikeout) and Horan, both got the respective sides in order in the fourth.

Forman's double to deep center put him in scoring postion in the top of the fifth before Kasten caught Pocock looking at strike three, on a full count breaking ball, to end the inning.

Andre doubled to right-center with two outs in the Chiefs' fifth but Horan got Sonberg to pop up to Jacobson at second.

Kasten had another overpowering inning in the top of the sixth striking out Burgio, Samko, and pinch-hitter Steve Tramontozzi in succession.

The Chiefs picked up an insurance run in the bottom of the sixth to take a 6-4 lead and appeared poised to add more off reliever Dante Padovani. Barbati reached on a one out single, Serino walked, and Burgoyne singled to load the bases. Barbati then came across to score when DiMare reached on an infield error. With the bases still loaded, Padovani kept the Reds in range when he got Copa to ht into a 1-2-3 doubleplay.

Kasten made quick work of the Reds in the top of the seventh getting both Jacobson and LaVigne on called third strikes before retiring O'Connor on a fly to Serino in center to seal the win.

Chiefs Chatter....For Kasten, it was his first ICL win. He had made four previous appearances out of the bullpen. He now leads the pitching staff with five appearances over the first 13 games. Kasten has struck out 20 batters in just 12.1 innings to go along with an impressive ERA of 1.14.....Steve Gambale will remain on DL for at least another week. The veteran infielder injured a finger on his throwing hand sliding into the plate against the Blue Sox last Wednesday.....DiMare saw his season long 12 game hitting streak snapped. The second year outfield from Medford,MA via St. Leo's of Florida, is off to a torrid start and is hitting an even .400 (18-45) with three triples, three doubles, and 15 RBI's.....The Chiefs are off on Tuesday and will visit the Americans at Morelli Field in Melrose on Wednesday at 7:30 PM in their last game before the ICL's annual Fourth of July break....
Courtesy of Steve Hartwell