Andre Chiefs

Melrose, MA- Jared Freni recorded his third win of the season, when he went the distance, in a 5-0 shutout win over the Americans at Morelli Field.

Despite rapping out nine hits in the game, four of the five Chiefs’ runs were of the unearned variety off starter Chris Hayes (0-2) and reliever Patrick Duffy.

The Chiefs took a 3-0 lead in the top of the second inning. Nate Witkowski and Peter Copa both singled with one out. Mike Barbati then dropped a bloop single into short right, scoring Witkowski. Mike DiCato drew a walk to load the bases for Matt Boleski. Boleski hit a grounder to second baseman Mac Singleton, who flipped to shortstop Vinny Scifo forcing DiCato, but Scifo’s throw to first was wild and allowed both Copa and Barbati to score.

The Americans mounted a scoring threat in the bottom of the third. Two walks by Freni preceded a 4-6 (Barbati to Johhny Welch) line-out doubleplay off the bat of Greg Wilson to end the inning.

The best Melrose scoring opportunity came in the bottom of the fifth. John Jennings walked and Bobby Rosano and Scifo singled in succession to load the bases for Wilson who lined a laser right at DiCato in left to end the inning.

The Chiefs picked up a couple of two out and unearned insurance runs in the top of the seventh. Paul Yanakopoulos singled and Welch doubled to left. Mike Andre was issued a walk to load the bases for Witkowski who hit a hard grounder past Cam O’Neil at third for an error and a 5-0 lead.

Freni (3-1), struck out seven.

The Chiefs are off Thursday and stay on the road and meet the Arlington Trojans at Summer Street Field in Arlington on Friday at 7:00 PM. -Bruce Tillman

By Bruce Tillman
Malden, MA-The Chiefs came up a bit short against the Lexington Blue Sox in a 2-0 loss on Monday night at Maplewood. To be more exact, about three feet short.

Oh, there were plenty of chances for the hosts to put this one in the “W” column before Johnny Welch’s bid for a walk off three run dinger fell the aforementioned yard shy. But missed opportunities, some bad baseball luck, along with some pretty sparkling Lexington defense, sent them to their third loss in five games so far this year at Maplewood.  

The Lexington defense, and in particular shortstop Steve Gath, stymied the Chiefs for most of the evening before going the “almost giveth away route” in the bottom of the seventh.

Along the way, the Chiefs were unable to take advantage of the superb pitching effort they got from veteran Mike DiCato.

Now to the particulars.

After a scoreless top of the first, the Blue Sox and Gath turned in one of the defensive highlights in the bottom of the inning. After two were out, Juan Portes singled and Johnny Welch was hit on the arm by a Mike Bourdon pitch. Mike Andre was next and he singled a up the middle with Gath making an outstanding play and getting enough of the ball to keep it in short center and forcing Portes to hold when rounding third. Gath’s play proved huge when Bourdon caught Peter Copa looking a strike three to end the inning.

DiCato pitched out of a little jam in the second when Justin Silvestro doubled with one out. The veteran kept it a scoreless game by getting a ground out and striking out Joe Eramo.

The Chiefs got a two out single from Nick Leva in the bottom of the second and the Sox went in order in the third. In the bottom of the third, Portes singled with one out before Gath turned a “6-unassisted-3” doubleplay off the bat of Welch.

The Blue Sox got two men on base in the top of the fourth (Dave Ahern single, JP Pollard walk) before the Chiefs turned a 6-4-3 doubleplay of their own.

The Chiefs went in order against Bourdon in the fourth and the Blue Sox broke through with a run, without getting the ball out of the infield, in the top of the fifth.

Eramo drew a one out walk and John Puttress reached on an infield single into the shortstop hole. DiCato then struck out Ross Curley before Mike Hart reached on an “excuse me” check swing dribbler between the mound and third base. Gath drew a bases loaded walk for an RBI and a 1-0 Sox lead. DiCato got Ahern to ground out to end the inning.

Major frustration for the Chiefs in the bottom of the fifth. Mike Burgoyne drew a walk and Leva bunted him to second. Tony Serino reached on his umpteenth infield single of the year to put runners on the corners. With Serino running and Burgoyne tagging up on a 2-1 pitch, Paul Yanakopoulos lined sharply to Ahern in right who fired to first for an easy doubleplay after Serino had already rounded second ending another Chiefs’ bid.

DiCato kept the Sox off the board in the top of the sixth and enter Gath once again in the bottom of the inning. After Bourdon struck out Portes, back to back singles by Welch and Andre put the Chiefs in business. Pinch-hitter Nate Witkowski then popped up for the second out before Mike Barbati drew a walk to load the bases. Burgoyne was next hit a high chopper that Gath made a sensational bare handed “grab and throw” to nail Burgoyne by a half step to keep the Chiefs off the board.

Lexington doubled their lead to 2-0 in the top of the seventh. Puttress doubled to left-center and Curley bunted him to third. Barbati made a nice play with infield drawn in to keep the runner at third and throw out Hart for the second out. Gath drew another walk before Ahern’s grounder was kicked by Portes at shortstop, allowing Puttress to score the second run.

Leva lined to right and Bourdon struck out Serino to start the bottom of the seventh. Gath almost undid all the good he had done by booting two consecutive and apparent game ending grounders form Yanakopoulos and then Portes. Welch followed and sent a 1-2 Bourdon pitch to the fence in right-center where it was caught by Ahern to end the game.

Bourdon, who allowed seven hits, won his fourth straight decision and is now 4-0. DiCato (0-1), also allowed seven hits and struck out five.

Medford, MA- Tim Dunphy picked up his second win of the season and a healthier Chiefs’ lineup backed him with 11 runs and 13 hits on the way to an 11-1 win over the Mooney Dental Tanners at Tufts University late Sunday afternoon at Tufts University.

After Dunphy retired the Tanners side in the top of the first inning, the Chiefs took a 1-0 in the bottom of the frame on Juan Portes two out single, a stolen base, and Johnny Welch’s bad hop RBI single to left-center.

Woburn tied the game up at one each in the top of the second on Mike Powers’ RBI single.

Tanners’ starter Shawn O’Donnell (0-2), kept the Chiefs off the board took in the bottom of the second and Dunphy set Woburn down in order in the top of the third. The Chiefs took the lead for good in the bottom of the inning. Portes walked and Welch singled. Mike Andre then lined a single to right scoring Portes for a 2-1 lead. Peter Copa then grounded to shortstop with Andre beating the force at second, while running on a 3-2 pitch, with Welch scoring on the play to make it a 3-1 game.

The Chiefs came up with their biggest inning so far this season in the fourth when they sent 13 men to plate, scoring eight times, on six hits, to take an 11-1 lead. RBI singles by Paul Yanakopoulos, Portes, Andre, and Nate Witkowski, mixed with a couple of walks to Chad Conner and Mike Burgoyne, as well as a sacrifice fly from Copa, accounted for the runs.

That was it in the scoring department for the day as Dunphy cruised through the fifth and sixth innings before giving way to veteran Mike DiCato who worked a scoreless seventh.

Dunphy, now 2-1, surrendered four hits in six innings and struck out three.

Yanakopoulos (3-5, 2 RBI), Andre (2-4, 2 RBI), Portes (2-4, 3 runs scored, RBI), Welch (2-4, RBI), and Copa (1-2, sacrifice fly, 2 RBI) led the Chiefs offense.

Chiefs Chatter….. The Chiefs health finally took a turn for the better on Sunday. Welch returned to the lineup after a 13 day absence. The former Independent League and St. Anselm star was struck in the face with a pitch on June 9…..Copa made his first start of the season at firstbase. The veteran all-star injured an oblique during batting practice back on June 2…..The Chiefs host the Lexington Blue Sox at Maplewood on Monday at 8:00 PM…....On Wednesday at 7:30 PM they travel to Morelli Field in Melrose for a date with the Americans….On Friday at 7:00 the Chiefs play the Trojans at Summer Street Field in Arlington at 7:00 PM….

Malden, MA- After being held to just seven hits in their last two games, the Chiefs bats showed some signs of life when they banged out ten runs and a dozen hits on the way to a 10-1 win over the Arlington Trojans at Maplewood on Wednesday night.

Righty Matt DiCato picked up his first win of the season working the first six innings and his mates played some opportunistic defense behind him turning three double plays.

DiCato retired the first two batters of the game then pitched out of a minor jam by striking out Seth Coiley after two out singles by Dave Cunningham and Marcus Way.

The Chiefs went to work with two outs in the bottom of the first. Tony Serino, who was hitting in the three hole, singled up the middle and Juan Portes followed with a double into the left field corner that went off the glove of third baseman Tommy Lenane. Mike Andre then plated both Serino and Portes with a single up the middle for a 2-0 lead.

The Chiefs turned the first of their doubleplays in the top of the second. Dave Csaplar led things off with a single before former Harvard shortstop Morgan Brown bounced into a 6-4-3 twin killing. Matt Cooney then flew out to Serino to end the inning.

Matt Lounsbury held the Chiefs scoreless in the bottom of the inning before the Chiefs defense erased another Trojan threat in the top of the third. Conor Reensterna drew a walk, stole second, but was erased when Derek Pizarro lined into Portes to Mike Barbati doubleplay. Lenane followed with a single but DiCato got Cunningham to fly out to Serino to end the inning.

The Chiefs made it a 3-0 game in the bottom of the third when Serino singled, stole second, and scored on a Portes’ double.

The Trojans threatened but couldn’t score in the top of the fourth. Way led off with a single and was forced at second on a Way fielder’s choice. Csapler then grounded out before Brown drew a walk. DiCato got out of it unscathed when he struck out Cooney on a breaking ball to end the inning.

It went to 4-0 in the Chiefs’ fourth when Barbati singled, was pushed to second on Nick Leva’s sacrifice bunt, and scored on Mike Burgoyne’s RBI single to left.

The Trojans picked up their run in the fifth. Reensterna was hit by a DiCato pitch, moved to second on an infield grounder, and scored on Lenane’s bloop single to right.

The Chiefs got that run right back in the bottom of the inning to take a 5-1 lead. Portes singled and Andre lined a ground rule double to right. After Chad Conner struck out swinging, Mike DiCato delivered Portes with a sharp single to center.

In the Arlington sixth, Csapler walked and Brown singled into the shortstop hole. Cooney flew to left before the Chiefs’ turned their third doubleplay of the game when Yanakopoulos snagged a Reensterna liner and fired to second to double off Csapler.

It became a rout in the bottom of the sixth after Brett Manley replaced Lounsbury. Two walks, a Burgoyne single, and a Portes sacrifice fly (which was dropped) made it 6-1. School was out when Conner deposited a Manley pitch over the centerfield fence for a grand slam and a 10-1 Chiefs’ lead.

Bentley lefty Evan Walsh came on in relief of DiCato and worked a scoreless seventh.

With the win, DiCato evened his record at 1-1 on the year.

The Chiefs are now off until Sunday at 5:00 PM when they host the Mooney Dental Tanners at Tufts University.

Malden, MA- Jared Freni threw a complete game two-hitter, outdueling Wakefield’s John Russolillo, as the Chiefs shutout the Merchants 4-0 at Maplewood on Monday evening.

On a night when offense was at a premium, veteran Mike Andre provided most of it, driving in three of the four runs scored in the game with a second inning gap shot double and a sixth inning sacrifice fly.

After a scoreless first inning, the Chiefs took a 2-0 lead in the second. Mike Gedman drew a walk and promptly stole second. Nate Witkowski was next and he reached when Wakefield third baseman Kevin Mortimer threw his grounder away with Gedman taking third on the play. Andre then drilled the first pitch he saw from Russolillo to the fence in right-center for a two RBI double, scoring Gedman and Witkowski all the way from first. Russolillo escaped further damage when he got Mike DiCato to ground out with Andre moving to third, Mike Barbati to fly to short center, and struck out catcher Nick Leva swinging.

The Merchants mounted their biggest threat of the night in the top of the third. Nick Murray led things off with an opposite field double to right. Joe Barry then grounded to Gedman at first with Murray taking third. Freni walked Lou Tarantino and he stole second. Bobby Loscano went down swinging for the second out before Freni issued his second walk of the inning to Scott Searles to load the bases. The Chiefs got out of the inning when Brooks Townsend flew to DiCato in left.

It stayed a 2-0 game until the Chiefs picked up their third run in the bottom of the fifth. DiCato was hit by a Russolillo pitch and was sacrificed to second by Barbati. Leva then singled to left-center with DiCato moving to third. Tony Serino legged out the back end of an attempted 6-4-3 doubleplay to pick up an RBI with DiCato scoring. Serino stole second before Paul Yanakopoulos bounced out to end the frame.

Freni cruised through the top of the sixth, getting three infield grounders, before the Chiefs added another run in the bottom of the inning. Juan Portes singled up the middle to get the inning started. Gedman followed and hit a towering fly down the left field line which Tarantino overran for an error. Witkowski then moved the runners up to second and third with a sacrifice bunt. Andre followed and drove in his third run of the game when he lined a Russolillo pitch to right for a sacrifice fly, scoring Portes to make it 4-0.

Freni didn’t leave the issue in doubt, striking out the side in the top of the seventh, sandwiched around Murray’s second hit of the night, a two out single up the middle.

Freni, now 2-1, allowed just the two hits to Murray, struck out eight, and walked three. He threw 122 pitches and recorded his 500th career strikeout when he K’d Nick Napoli for the second out of the fourth inning.

Russolillo (Babson/Georgetown, MA) allowed just three hits, walked three, hit a batter, and struck out four. His record fell to 0-2 on the season.

Chiefs Chatter……The still banged up Chiefs played the game without Peter Copa (oblique), Mike Burgoyne (hamstring), and Johnny Welch (still recovering from last week’s HBP)…. Also unavailable due to injuries were LHP Mitchell Clegg and infielder Matt Nuzzo…..Freni joins Dave Marsters and Fred Knox as the only pitchers to have struck out 500 batters in their Chiefs’ careers. Not a bad group to be in as both Knox (2010) and Marsters (2011) have been both inducted into the Intercity League’s Hall of Fame…..Andre also continues to climb the all-time career leader list and hit another milestone when he drove in his 150th run when Witkowski scored from first on his second inning double….. The Chiefs will travel to Endicott College in Beverly on Tuesday night at 8:00 PM to visit the Reading Bulldogs……On Wednesday, the Chiefs return to Maplewood to meet the Arlington Trojans……