Andre Chiefs

Medford, MA- When a team makes four errors, issues seven free passes, uncorks two wild pitches, hits a couple of batters and leaves ten men on base, the results are typically not good. 

That formula held true to form for the reeling Chiefs on Friday night at Tufts University as they dropped their third straight game of the week, this time to the Medford Americans 11-5. 

The Chiefs out hit the Americans 11-6, fell behind 2-0, took a 4-2 lead before surrendering the lead for good when the Americans tallied four times in the fourth inning. 

Americans starter Kevin Hayes and his Chiefs counterpart Ryan McNeill both threw two scoreless innings before the Americans picked up a couple of runs in the top of the third. Two walks and a fielders choice set the stage for Luke Begley who drilled a hard one hop single just past shortstop Brendan Pyburn to give Medford a 2-0 lead. 

The Chiefs answered quickly in their half of the third inning to take a 4-2 lead. Dario Pizzano and Bob McCarthy both drew walks. Hayes was in obvious discomfort and had to leave the game with a blister. Pyburn greeted reliever Zach Bunszell rudely with a three run homer to right giving the Chiefs the lead at 3-2. After Justin Crisafulli flew to left, Mike Andre doubled into the right field corner. Peter Copa then singled to left center moving Andre to third. Americans manager Kevin Burgoyne then summoned veteran southpaw Orazio Azzarello from the bullpen to face lefty Hal Landers. Azzarello walked Landers and JP Pollard followed with a sacrifice fly to center that gave the Chiefs a two run lead. Azzarello then got Mike Barbati to ground to Begley at second leaving two runners stranded in scoring position. 

McNeill quickly surrendered the lead in the top of the fourth. He gave up a one out single to Dave Ahern then experienced control problems walking the next three batters in succession that forced in a run and cut the Chiefs lead to 4-3. Mike Ferriero was next and he drilled a long gap shot double to left center that cleared the bases to put the Americans back in front at 6-4. Rob Machado replaced McNeill on the mound and averted further trouble when he got Steve Tahmoush to ground out. 

Azzarello got the Chiefs in order in the bottom of the fourth and Machado held Medford scoreless in the fifth.  

The Chiefs picked up a run in the bottom of the fifth to cut the lead tom 6-5 but let a golden opportunity go by the boards. Crisafulli singled to left and Andre followed with a line single to right. Lee Jamison came on to face Copa who reached on an infield single into the shortstop hole that loaded the bases with nobody out. Landers then grounded sharply to first with Crisafulli scoring and leaving runners at second and third. Pollard then hit a hard liner to Ferriero who was drawn in at shortstop. Ferriero knocked the ball down and threw Pollard out at first with the runners unable to advance. Lefty Matt Boleski then pinch hit for Barbati and Jamison got him swinging leaving two more men in scoring position.  

Machado was victimized by an unearned run in the sixth that jumped the Americans lead to 7-5 on a sacrifice fly from KC McCarthy.  

The Chiefs once again threatened in the bottom of the sixth but came up empty. McCarthy and Pyburn hit back to back one out singles and Andre drew a ten pitch walk to load the bases. Jamison then slammed the door on the Chiefs when he got Copa to pop up. 

The Americans reached Chris Foundas for four more runs in the top of seventh to put the game away with the big pop coming off the bat of McCarthy, who delivered a bases loaded triple.