Andre Chiefs

By Bruce Tillman
After spending the majority of the night at the Melrose-Wakefield Hospital, there is apparently some optimistic news regarding the injury to Chiefs’ cleanup man Johnny Welch. Welch was struck in the face by a fastball during the sixth inning of Monday’s game against the Reading Bulldogs at Maplewood.

Welch reportedly underwent several clinical tests and the results of a CAT Scan and x-rays on his cheek bone were negative.

“I was with Johnny and his dad at the hospital until early this morning”, said Chiefs’ manager Chuck Andre, who was reached by cell phone shortly after 2:00 AM. “Johnny remains upbeat and was actually texting some of his teammates despite being in quite a bit of pain”, said Andre.

Welch, a Medford native who spent the last several years playing pro ball, required numerous sutures (stitches) to stop the bleeding from a number of cuts inside his mouth.

“Johnny is going to be very sore and could have a few loose teeth in the morning”, added Andre, “but he’s a gamer and it was a very scary moment but the early prognosis seems positive so we are hopeful that he will be okay.”

Welch was realeased from the hospital early Tuesday and his status is day to day.

By Bruce Tillman
Malden, MA- Chiefs’ ace Jared Freni was his usual outstanding self on Monday night.

Reading righty Brian O’Neil was just a little better.

Other than a Juan Portes solo shot in the sixth inning, O’Neil was nearly untouchable. The former Bryant University standout allowed just four hits and struck out 13 when the Bulldogs broke into the win column with 2-1 win at Maplewood.

More bad news in the growing injury department for the Chiefs. It was a scary moment in the bottom of the sixth inning when Johnny Welch was hit with an O’Neil pitch in the mouth and had to leave the game.

The Bulldogs scored both of their runs in the top of the second inning. Mike Taylor led off with a single to right. Freni then struck out the next two batters in succession before Aaron Santos reached on a high hopper infield single behind the mound. Bill Cataldo drew a walk and Andrew Haser drilled a single to center scoring Taylor and Santos.

O’Neil cruised into the fourth before Mike Andre and Mike Barbati both singled with two outs. O’Neil ended the threat when he struck out Matt Boleski to end the inning.

The Chiefs got on the board when Juan Portes hit his first homer of the year to center leading off the sixth.  Welch was then hit with O’Neil’s next pitch and Adam Lucey came on to pinch run. O’Neil got Mike Gedman swinging and Andre to hit into a 6-4-3 double play to end the inning. 

Freni retired the Reading side in order in the top of the seventh. O’Neil did the same in the bottom of the inning when he struck out Barbati and pinch-hitter Cecillio Guante before getting Nick Leva to bounce out to end the game.

O’Neil struck out 13 batters and walked just one while raising his record to 1-1.

Freni, also 1-1, gave up just five hits and struck out eleven.

Welch was able to leave under his own power and was taken to the hospital where he was undergoing tests and x-rays.

Woburn, MA- Johnny Welch keyed a three run top of the seventh inning with a two RBI single and Jared Freni threw 2.2 innings of no-hit, no-run ball, in relief of starter Mike DiCato, when the Chiefs beat the Mooney Tanners 4-1 at Ferullo Field on Wednesday night.

The Chiefs took a 1-0 lead in the top of the second. Mike Andre got things started when he lined a single to right-center. Nate Witkowski then drew a walk. Everyone was safe when Woburn southpaw Dave Maestri bobbled Mike Barbati’s sacrifice bunt. With the bases loaded, Matt Boleski hit a RBI fielder’s choice to the right side that scored Andre to make it 1-0 and re-load the bases. Maestri then came up big and struck out Nick Leva, Tony Serino and Mike Burgoyne in succession to keep it a 1-0 game.

It stayed 1-0 until the Mooney fifth. DiCato, who cruised through the first four frames, surrendered a long double to Chris Ruocco leading off the inning. DiCato balked Ruocco to third before striking out Mike Fernandez. Freni then replaced DiCato and on the first pitch he threw Nick Pinneau and Ruocco executed a perfect suicide squeeze that tied the game at 1-1. Freni struck out Corey O’Neill to end the inning.

Maestri and Freni matched blanks in the sixth before the Chiefs won it in the seventh. Tony Serino led off and dropped a perfect bunt single. Burgoyne was next and drew a full count walk with Serino running on the pitch. When Maestri’s pitch went to the backstop, Serino scampered all the way to third. With the infield drawn in, Burgoyne stole second before Mike Gedman drew a walk to load the bases. Welch quickly unloaded them when he provided the game winner with a line single to left scoring Serino and Burgoyne.  Andre was next and dropped a sacrifice bunt that was thrown away, allowing Gedman to score the Chiefs’ fourth run. Maestri averted further trouble when he struck out Witkowski and Barbati before getting Matt DiCato on an infield grounder.

Freni slammed the door when he struck out the Tanners’ side in order in the bottom of the seventh.

DiCato worked the first 4.1 innings and allowed four hits while striking out a couple. Freni (1-0), got the win and didn’t allow a hit while making a rare appearance out of the bullpen.

Maestri, who kept the Chiefs off balance all evening with off speed offerings, gave up just six hits, three of the infield variety, and struck out seven.

The Chiefs stay on the road and head to Lexington on Thursday night to meet the Blue Sox at 8:00 PM. -B. Tillman

Lexington, MA- Due to the forecast of heavy rain throughout the day, Thursday night's Chiefs at Lexington Blue Sox game, scheduled in Lexington at 8:00, has been postponed.

The prudent and early decision was made by Blue Sox management after monitoring forecasts and observing field conditions.

The Blue Sox and Chiefs have met in the Intercity League Championship Series for the last three years and four times in the last five seasons. 

The Chiefs now get a rare extended early season break and don't return to action until Monday night when they host the Reading Bulldogs at Maplewood (Malden Catholic) in a later than usual 8:15 PM start. 

The Chiefs beat the Mooney Tanners at Ferullo Field in Woburn on Wednesday night (see separate story) while the Blue Sox and Melrose Americans played to a 2-2 nine inning tie at Morelli Field in Melrose.

By BruceTillman
Malden, MA- Righthander Mike Richardson tossed a neat three-hitter and the Melrose Americans capitalized on some Chiefs’ defensive lapses to take a 5-1 win in their season opener at Maplewood on Monday night. With the loss, the Chiefs record evens at 1-1 on the year.

The Americans grabbed a two out run in the top of the first when Greg Wilson’s fly ball was lost in the lights and fell for a single, scoring veteran Mike Addesa who had walked.

In the Chiefs’ first, Tony Serino drew a walk but was erased when Mike Burgoyne bounced into a 6-4-3 doubleplay. Juan Portes then singled to right-center before Johnny Welch grounded out to end the inning.

The Americans made it a 3-0 game in the second when they scored a couple of unearned runs, again with two outs, against starter Matt DiCato. DiCato got both Vinny Scifo and Cam O’Neill on infield popups before Devin Perry got things going with a single. Chiefs’ shortstop Juan Portes then bobbled Mac Singleton’s grounder before singles from Addesa and John Jennings gave Melrose a 3-0 lead.

The Chiefs picked up their only run of the night in the bottom of the second when Nate Witkowski tripled into the right field corner and scored on Chad Connor’s RBI grounder.

The Americans added two more runs to close out the scoring in the top of the third. DiCato issued two consecutive walks, got the next two batters, before surrendering singles to Wilson and Mark Fusco. Lefty Mitchell Clegg came out of the bullpen and struck out Singleton to end the inning.

The Chiefs appeared poised to make some noise in the bottom of the third when Mike Barbati led off with a single and Serino drew a walk before Burgoyne hit into another 6-4-3 doubleplay. Richardson got Portes to pop up to end the inning.

Clegg appeared to experience some discomfort in his back when coming out for the fourth inning. Tim Dunphy came on for the Chiefs and provided one of the few bright spots of the evening when he threw shutout ball over the next three innings, allowing two singles and striking out five.

Richardson finished strong, retiring the last seven Chiefs he faced in succession. The Salem State righty struck out six in his complete game effort.

The Chiefs are off on Tuesday and begin a two game road trip on Wednesday in Woburn at 8:00 PM. On Thursday, they travel to Lexington to meet the Blue Sox.

The Americans will look to make it two in a row when they travel to Endicott College in Beverly on Tuesday at 8:00 PM to meet the Reading Bulldogs.

Chiefs Chatter….Peter Copa, Paul Yanakopoulos, Matt Nuzzo and Mike Gedman were all out of the lineup for Monday’s game…..Clegg struck out the only batter he faced before leaving the game prior to the start of the fourth inning…..Scifo had six assists for the Americans at shortstop.....In the milestone department, Barbati recorded his 100th career hit when he led off the third inning with a single....For Dunphy, it was his 50th pitching apperance in a Chiefs' uniform......