Andre Chiefs Go to 7-1 with Comeback Win
Chiefs Begin Four Game Homestand on Monday at Tufts University
Medford rookie lefty Kevin Gilchrist of Tufts University and Everett righty Rob Machado of UMass-Amherst came out of the bullpen to preserve a 3-2 comeback win over the expansion Arlington Trojans on Friday. With the win, the first place Chiefs raise their Intercity League record to 7-1.
The Chiefs appeared poised to take the lead in the top of the first inning against Arlington starter Jordan Dean of Kennesaw State in Georgia. With Mike Baillargeon on second with two outs, Matt Anderson uncorked a bomb to the left-center field fence where Trojans centerfielder Justin Mansfield made a spectacular diving catch, robbing Anderson and keeping the Chiefs off the scoreboard.
Chiefs starter Mike DiCato and Dean traded blanks before Eddie McDonald gave the Trojans a 1-0 lead in the bottom of the second with a RBI single. The Trojans’ lead doubled to 2-0 in the home half of the third when Quinnipiac’s Kevin Hart delivered Mansfield with another RBI single.
The Chiefs chased Dean when they picked up three runs and grabbed a 3-2 lead in the top of the fifth inning. Mike Gedman drew a walk and stole second. Anderson then reached on an error by Trojan third baseman Nick Napoli. Dean got a bit a wild and walked Mike Andre and Bob McCarthy in succession to force in a run to make it 2-1. Hal Landers then reached on a RBI grounder that tied the game at 2-2. Veteran Justin Crisafulli then delivered the game winner when he singled in Andre to give the Chiefs a lead they never relinquished.
Gilchrist came on in relief of DiCato with men at first and second with one out in the fifth. He uncorked a wild pitch to move both runners into scoring position before coming up big and striking out the left-handed hitting Hart for the inning’s second out. Righty Rob Machado came on and struck out Napoli swinging to get the Chiefs out of the jam.
Machado blanked the Trojans over the next two innings to record the save. Gilchrist, who was 6-1 at Tufts University this spring, picked up his first career ICL win.
Chiefs Notes….The Chiefs begin a four game in four night homestand on Monday when they host the Testa Corp. Bombers at Tufts University at 6:00 PM. Left-hander Tim Dunphy, who pitched professionally for the Namur Angels, will get the start for the Chiefs. On Tuesday, the Lexington Blue Sox come to town and on Wednesday the Chiefs host the Watertown Reds. The homestand concludes on Thursday when the Chiefs entertain the expansion Reading Bulldogs…..Former Heisman Trophy winner and New England Patriots quarterback Doug Flutie has been acquired by the Reading Bulldogs. The second baseman is hitting .231 (3 for 13) with a couple of RBI’s in limited action. Flutie and the Bulldogs are in town on Thursday at 6:00 PM….Veteran Justin Crisafulli’s game winning RBI in Arlington was the 382nd of his Chiefs career to go along with 86 homers. The former Cleveland Indians farmhand is just six hits short of reaching the 500 career hit plateau…..Jeff Bercume, who is playing for the Oakland A’s affiliate in Vancouver, began his professional career with a leadoff single on Friday night in Eugene, Oregon. Bercume hit .325 last summer for the Chiefs with four homers and 25 RBI…
Pictured above: Justin Crisafulli. Courtesy photo.
Information from www.andrechiefs.com and www.intercityleaguebaseball.com