Andre Chiefs

Lexington, MA- The Chiefs lost their regular season final to the Blue Sox 4-3 on Sunday night. The Chiefs will now begin defense of their 2014 ICL championship as the number three seed in the upcoming playoffs which are scheduled to begin on Tuesday. The Chiefs will host the Arlington Trojans in their first game of the post season.

Righty Mike DiCato (4-2) allowed only five hits and three earned runs but took the loss. Both of the batters he hit with a pitch scored, and a third runner scored after drawing one of the four walks he issued. The Blue used five pitchers in the game.

The Chiefs outhit the Blue Sox 10-5 in the game but left 10 on base as well as having two runners thrown out attempting to steal third.

The Blue Sox took a 2-0 lead in the bottom of the first inning on a hit batsman, a walk, and singles from Dan Graham and Dorian Rojas.

The Chiefs chopped the lead to 2-1 in the top of the second inning on two doubles.

The Blue Sox lead advantage increased to 4-1 in the bottom of the second. Another hit batsman, singles from Kyle Adie and Ross Curley, a sacrifice fly by Steve Gath, and an infield throwing error, accounted for what proved to be the winning runs.

The Chiefs cut the lead to 4-3 in the top of the seventh on three singles and a double. The Chiefs couldn’t get the equalizer when the game ended on a strike out- thrown out stealing double play.

Malden, MA- Tim Dunphy threw five innings of two hit ball when the Chiefs shutout the Somerville Thunder 9-0 at Maplewood on Friday night.

With the win, the defending ICL champs move to 21-8 on the season and will play their final regular season game in Lexington on Sunday night at 8:00 PM. The Chiefs need a win in that game to secure a first game playoff bye. The Watertown Reds have concluded their season at 22-8 but the Chiefs would get the nod in a tie-breaker, having beaten the Reds in three out of their four meetings this year.

The Chiefs got a run in the bottom of the first inning when Tony Serino walked, stole second, and scored on Juan Portes’ RBI single.

The lead swelled to 7-0 in the bottom of the second as the Chiefs scored a half dozen runs, all with two outs. Thunder starter Mike Ganci walked both Mike Andre and Mike Burgoyne to start the inning. Ganci looked like he was on his way to escape the frame when he caught Danny DiMare looking at strike three, then retired Nick Leva on liner to third. Serino was next and he dropped a bunt down the third base line to load the bases. Billy Mottram then drew Ganci’s third walk of the inning, forcing home Andre to make it 2-0. Portes then drilled a Ganci pitch off the fence in left-center, scoring Burgoyne and Serino on the double to make it a 4-0 game. When Mike Gedman followed with another gap double, the Chiefs' lead went to 6-0. Ryan Sonberg then drove home Gedman with the seventh run with an RBI single.

The final two runs came in the bottom of the third when Burgoyne doubled to right-center, DiMare walked, and Leva was hit by a Ganci pitch to load the bases. After Serino flew to left for the first out, the Thunder threw away a potential doubleplay grounder off the bat of Mottram, allowing both Burgoyne and DiMare to score and increasing the lead to 9-0.

Dunphy allowed just a third single to Paul Pollano and fourth inning double to Jake Cintolo. The veteran lefty struck out five and improved his record to 5-1 on the season. It was the 35th victory for Dunphy in a Chiefs' uniform.

Evan Walsh worked a scoreless sixth for the Chiefs. Matt DiCato worked the seventh inning, striking out the Thunder side.

Ganci (0-3) took the loss for Somerville. Pollano worked the fifth and sixth innings for the Thunder keeping the Chiefs off the scoreboard.

The Intercity League’s playoffs are expected to begin next Tuesday.

Malden, MA- Mike Andre drove in the tying run with a pinch-hit single, and Juan Portes delivered the game winner with a with a long sacrifice fly, when the Chiefs rallied for three seventh inning runs to walk off with a clutch 4-3 win over the Watertown Reds on Wednesday night at Maplewood.

With the come from behind victory, the Chiefs keep their hopes for a playoff bye alive. They would need to win their final two regular season games; Friday vs Somerville at Maplewood at 8:15 PM and then on Sunday in Lexington at 8:00 PM.

The Chiefs gave starter Mike Gedman a 1-0 lead in the top of the first. Tony Serino led off the inning with a single up the middle off Jhonneris Mendez. Serino stole second, moved to third on a passed ball, and scored on Portes’ infield grounder to short.

Gedman cruised through the first four innings, allowing just two singles. Mendez did the same until the bottom of the fourth, when the Chiefs threatened but ran themselves out of the inning. Peter Copa singled with one out. After Mendez caught Ryan Sonberg looking at a third strike, Mike Barbati singled off the pitching rubber, with the ball deflecting toward second base. Copa was then thrown out when he tried to advance to third on play.

Ryan Pocock tied the game at 1-1 leading off the fifth when he homered deep over the centerfield fence. The Reds looked to go in front when Steve Tramontozzi followed with a single. Gedman struck out Kevin Kelley for the first out, and then got Liam O’Connor to fly to Serino in center for out number two. Will Brennan followed with a single and both he and Tramontozzi moved into scoring position on a wild pitch. Gedman kept it a 1-1 game when Dan Chaisson hit a screaming liner right at Billy Mottram at shortstop.

Mendez retired the Chiefs’ side in order in the bottom of the fifth and the Reds took a 3-1 lead in the top of the sixth inning. Steve Rogers grounded out to start the inning but trouble began when Pete Burgio followed with a double into the leftfield corner. Justin Forman then reached on an infield single behind the mound to put runners on the corners with one out. Pocock grounded out to Portes at third for the second out, with Forman moving to second on the play. Tramontozzi was next and he gave Watertown a two run cushion with a line single to left, scoring both Burgio and Forman. Gedman rebounded and struck out Kelley to retire the side.

Now pitching with a 3-1 lead, Mendez struck out both Mottram and Portes in succession for the first two outs in the bottom of the sixth. Gedman then singled but it stayed a two run game when Mendez struck out Copa swinging to end the inning.

Mitchell Clegg came on in relief of Gedman to start the seventh and he set down the Reds’ side in order on two fly balls and an infield grounder.

Down three runs, the Chiefs’ comeback began when Sonberg singled deep into the shortstop hole to open the seventh. Mike Barbati was next and he worked a 3-1 walk. Mike Burgoyne followed and dropped a perfect sacrifice bunt. Chaisson came from behind the plate to field the ball but threw low to first for an error. When the ball skipped toward the fence in short right, Sonberg came across the plate to make it 3-2, with Barbati moving to third. Andre then came off the bench to pinch-hit for Nick Leva. The veteran lefty delivered a sharp RBI single to right, that scored Barbati, as Burgoyne went sliding into third on the play. With still nobody out, and Burgoyne representing the winning run ninety feet away, the Reds decided to intentionally walk Serino to load the bases. Mendez went to a full count on Mottram, before he got him on infield fly rule pop up to third base for the first out. Portes was next and he completed the comeback when he lofted a sacrifice fly to right, easily scoring Burgoyne with the game winner.

Gedman went six innings without a decision. The big southpaw gave up three runs, eight hits, struck out five, and didn’t walk anyone. Clegg, now 3-1, picked up the win with his seventh inning relief effort.

Mendez fell to 4-3 with the loss. He struck 11 batters, walked four, and gave up seven hits.

With the win, the Chiefs gave themselves their fourth straight 20 win season. It was also the 12th time they have hit the ICL’s coveted 20 win regular season plateau in the last 22 seasons.
Bruce Tillman - www.intercityleaguebaseball.com

Malden, MA- Jared Freni spun a four-hitter when the Chiefs knocked off the Wakefield Merchants 4-2 on Monday night at Maplewood Park.

The Chiefs came back twice from one run deficits to record their 19th win of the season.

The Merchants got an unearned run in the top of the first inning when Joe Breen doubled home Bobby Losanno, who had reached on a leadoff infield error.

The Chiefs tied the game up in the bottom of the second. Peter Copa led off the inning with his third home run of the season to straightway center off Kevin Flight. The Chiefs threatened for more when Mike Andre singled and Adam Lucey doubled around a strikeout of Mike Barbati. Flight kept it a 1-1 game when he got Nick Leva on a grounder to third and then Tony Serino on a fly to left to retire the side.

The Merchants came right back to take their second lead of the game at 2-1 in the top of the third. Scott Searles got things going when he led off with double to right-center. Freni then struck out Breen, and retired Nick Napoli on a fly to left, for the first two outs of the inning. Mike Manoogian then drilled a single to left, scoring Searles, but was thrown out at second when the throw to the plate was cutoff.

Juan Portes singled in the bottom of the third with one out but Flight stepped off the rubber on a steal attempt and he was tagged out after a rundown. Mike Gedman then flew to Napoli in left to end the inning.

Freni appeared to get stronger in the top of the fourth when he retired the side on two K’s and an infield grounder.

The Chiefs went in front in the bottom of the inning. After Copa popped up, Andre tripled to left. Barbati was next and he hit a long fly to deep right that was dropped on the warning track by Lou Tarrantino, scoring Andre, to tie the game at two. Barbati was credited with a sacrifice fly and an RBI, while Tarantino was charged with a two base error on play. With Barbati at second, Leva delivered him with the go ahead run with a single up the middle that gave the Chiefs the lead at 3-2.

Freni recorded two more strikeouts and then got an infield grounder in a 1-2-3 top of the fifth. Gedman drew a walk and Copa singled with two outs in the bottom of the inning. Breen then turned in the defensive gem of the night when he made a leaping grab of an Andre liner that was labeled for the right-field corner.

Picking up his velocity, Freni looked impressive in the top of the sixth when he struck out the heart of the Wakefield order on 14 pitches.

The Chiefs picked up an insurance run in the bottom of the sixth. Barbati led off with a single to right-center and Lucey sacrificed him to second. After Flight retired Leva on an infield popup, a Serino single drove in Barbati with the fourth run.

In the top of the seventh, Freni retired Jon Davison and Joe Barry on infield grounders to start the inning. He then made things a bit interesting when he issued walks to B.J. Neil and Tarantino in succession. But the Chiefs’ ace ended the evening when Losanno grounded out to Barbati at second base.

Freni, now 5-1, struck out nine and walked three.

Flight (0-1), went six innings, struck out four, walked two, and surrendered nine hits.

The Chiefs improved to 19-8 on the season while Merchants dropped to 10-17-1.

On Tuesday night the Chiefs travel to Lexington High to meet the Blue Sox at 8:00 PM.
Bruce Tillman/www.intercityleaguebaseball.com

Watertown, MA- Mitchell Clegg threw a no-hitter and his teammates uncorked a three home run, eleven hit attack, when the Chiefs broke out of a three game sleepwalk with a solid 6-0 road win over the Reds at Victory Field on Wednesday night.

Clegg, who was making his first start since June 10 when he strained an oblique, was impressive. The former Washington Nationals draftee struck out seven batters and needed 99 pitches to complete the first no-hitter of his Intercity League career.

Juan Portes gave Clegg all of the runs he would need when he drilled a solo first inning homer to left-center with two outs off Reds’ starter Jhonneris Mendez.

After Clegg struck out Kyle LaVigne in the bottom of the first, he walked Mac Jacobson before getting both Dan Chaisson and Ryan Pocock to fly out.

The Chiefs made it a 2-0 game in the top of the second when Peter Copa singled, Billy Mottram walked, and Mike Barbati singled to right-center to load the bases. When Mendez walked Tony Serino with the bases full, the Chiefs’ had their second run. Mendez kept it 2-0 when Mike Burgoyne grounded out to end the inning.

Steve Rogers drew a leadoff walk in the Reds’ second but was thrown out stealing by Nick Leva. Clegg then got two infield grounders to move the game to the third inning.

Portes drew a walk to open the Chiefs’ third before Johnny Welch doubled the lead to 4-0 with a bomb two run homer to straightaway centerfield. Not be outdone, Mike Gedman drilled the next pitch to right, resulting in back to back homers and a 5-0 Chiefs’ lead.

Clegg cruised through his best inning of the night when he struck out the side in order in the bottom of the third.

The Chiefs added another run in the top of the fourth on a Serino single, a walk to Portes, and a Welch RBI ground rule double to left-center.

The Reds had their best scoring chance in the bottom of the fourth on a walk and a hit batsman, but Clegg ended the chance when he retired Pete Burgio on fly to Gedman in left.

Copa and Mottram led off the Chiefs’ fifth with back to back singles. The Chiefs couldn’t add to their lead when reliever J.J. Branch got Barbati to lineout to second and Leva bounced into an inning ending doubleplay.

Clegg retired the side in order in the bottom of the fifth.

Portes gave the Chiefs another scoring chance with a two out double in the top of the sixth. He was stranded at second when LaVigne ran down Welch’s warning track liner in center.

It was another three up, three down, inning for Clegg in the bottom of the sixth.

The Chiefs couldn’t cash in on another double, this time by Copa, with one out in the seventh, when Chris Hendrix got Mottram and Barbati to both groundout.

The Reds had their best two chances to break up Clegg’s no-hitter in the bottom of the seventh. Serino made a warning track grab of a Pocock drive to center for the first out. Rogers was next and bounced back to Clegg for out number two. Burgio followed and he hit a hard grounder that skipped under Welch’s glove at third that the Reds’ official scorer ruled was an error. Clegg then completed the gem when he got Justin Forman to ground to Portes to end the game.

Clegg 2-1, had made four relief appearances since he returned from disabled list on July 10 tuning up for Wednesday’s start. The big lefty has now allowed just five hits, and struck out 20, in just 18 innings of work. With the no-hit effort he lowered his ERA to a team best 0.39.

It was the Chiefs' second no-hiiter of the season. Jared Freni threw an opening night no-no against Reading at Endicott College back on June 2.

MITCHELL CLEGG’S NO-HITTER INNING BY INNING:

1st Inning- LaVigne struck out swinging, Jacobson walked, Chaisson flew to RF, Pocock flew to CF
2nd Inning- Rogers walked and was thrown out stealing, Burgio grounded to SS, Forman grounded to 3B
3rd Inning- Brennan, Morganelli, and LaVigne all struck out swinging.
4th Inning- Jacobson struck out swinging, Chaisson walked, Pocock was HBP, Rogers struck out swinging, Burgio lined to LF.
5th Inning- Forman flew to RF, Brennan grounded to SS, Morganelli grounded to 2B.
6th Inning- LaVigne grounded back to P, Jacobson flew to LF, Chaisson struck out looking.
7th Inning- Pocock flew to CF, Rogers grounded back to P, Burgio reached on an error by 3B, Forman grounded out SS to 2B.

CHIEFS RECENT NO-HITTERS

July 29, 2015- Mitchell Clegg vs Watertown Reds at Victory Field (Win 6-0)
June 2, 2015-  Jared Freni vs Reading Bulldogs at Endicott College (Win 3-0)
June 12, 2013- Jared Freni vs Watertown Reds at Victory Field (Win 2-0)
June 30, 2011- Rob Machado vs Reading Bulldogs at Tufts University (Win 4-0)
July 9, 2011- Mike DiCato vs Mooney Dental Tanners at Tufts University (Win 9-0)
June 14, 2007- Keith Forbes vs Wakefield Merchants at Walsh Field (Win 2-0)