Andre Chiefs

(Courtesy of medfordamericans.com) 
Medford, MA- After former Tufts University captain Brian Casey shut out the Andre Chiefs Wednesday night at Huskins Field, Dave Martin had a jumbo act to follow when the Americans' second former Tufts pitcher took the mound on his college field in a rematch with the Chiefs Thursday night.

Not to be outdone, the veteran righthander overcame first inning hamstring tightness and nearly matched Casey's effort. Martin lowered his earned run average to a lilliputian 0.26 and improved his record to 3-0-1 with the win, allowing just one unearned run on five hits and two hit batters while striking out seven and walking three in a seven inning, route going performance.

The Chiefs' Robert Machado, pitching on three days rest, was almost as good, surrendering just one hit and two walks with a strike out through five full innings before tiring in the sixth when Medford pushed across both of their runs to hand him the loss.

Mike Dicato, a former Malden Catholic and current UMass Amherst teammate of Machado, allowed a run scoring single after being summoned from the pen by Chiefs' skipper Chuck Andre with two men out in the sixth, a run in, and runners at first and second. He walked one and struck out one in one and one third innings.

Following a lead off walk to Jonathan Pollard in the top of the second, Pete Copa singled with two outs and Bob McCarthy was hit by a pitch to load the bases. Martin powered his way out of the jam by striking out Hal Landers. He wasn't as fortunate in the third when the Chiefs took a 1-0 lead. Brendan Pyburn doubled to right leading off, advanced to third on a passed ball and scored on a Jeff Bercume sacrifice fly to Steve Tahmoush in right. He surrendered a lead off single to Brian Macrina in the fourth. Macrina promptly stole second with nobody out but he was stranded there when Martin got the next three Chief hitters in order, striking out Kevin McKenzie for the third out.

The Chiefs threatened again in the fifth when Landers lead off single was followed by a Pyburn walk. With runners at first and second, Martin struck out current Intercity League runs batted in leader Jeff Bercume and got 2008 Intercity League runs batted in leader Justin Crisafulli to fly out to center before reaching back for a little extra to strike out Pollard and end the inning.

While Martin battled to get out of innings, Machado cruised. He allowed a lead off single to Tahmoush in the first and saw him sacrificed to second by Luke Begley before retiring Mike DelPonte on a grounder to second and Mike Kalfopoulos on a ground ball to first. Machado set the Americans down in order in the second and third. He walked Begley leading off the fourth but retired the next three hitters. With one out in the fifth, Jay Olson walked but was thrown out trying to steal second and Bill Smeglin struck out.

Machado ran out of gas in the sixth and the Americans rallied for the two runs they needed to win the game. Mike Burgoyne led off with a single to right. He stole second with nobody out and moved to third when Steve Tahmoush grounded out to second for out number one. Machado nearly escaped by getting Begley to foul out to Pollard at first but he couldn't get Mike Delponte whose line drive base hit to center drove in Burgoyne with the tying run.

Mike Kalpopoulos kept things going when he singled to right, sending DelPonte into scoring position at second. DiCato took over and the red hot K.C. McCarthy welcomed him with a liner down the left field line that kicked up chalk and drove in DelPonte with the go ahead and what proved to be winning run. The run batted in by McCarthy, who joined the team July 8, was his twelfth in nine games played.

The resilient Chiefs refused to go easily as they mounted a rally of their own in the bottom of the sixth. Mike Andre doubled to deep right center with one man out and Mike Barbati was inserted as a pinch runner. Copa's ground ball to Martin resulted in the second out and moved Barbati to third. Pinch hitter Dario Pizzano made it first and third when he worked a walk, but Martin wiggled out of it when he got Landers to ground out to Mike Ferriero at short. In the seventh, Martin set the Chiefs down one, two, three to secure the win.

With five regular season games remaining, the Americans leap frogged over the Chiefs into second place with the win. At 13-9-3 they have 29 points, one more than the third place Chiefs. At 13-9-2 the Chiefs hold a game in hand on the Americans. Both teams trail the first place Lexington Blue Sox whose 17-4-2 record gives them 36 points.

Chiefs Chatter......All ICL games were postponed on Friday. Saturday, the Americans are home at Playstead Park in a 1:00 PM affair with the Testa Corporation Bombers. The Chiefs entertain the Bombers on Sunday at 1:00 PM at Tufts.....There was a scary moment in the second inning when Chiefs catcher Bob McCarthy was struck on the side on the face with a pitch. McCarthy stayed in the game for another half inning before being replaced by rookie Kevin McKenzie (Arlington, MA/Wentworth). McKenzie threw out the first runner of his ICL career when he gunned out Jay Olsen in the fifth inning. McCarthy was reportedly okay after the game and his status is day to day....Hal Landers took over the Chiefs team lead in batting average. The rookie (Salem, NH/Wheaton) is currently hitting .352 while centerfielder Jeff Bercume is a point behind at .351. Both are in top five of the ICL....Mike DiCato is the Chiefs expected starter on Sunday while lefty Dylan Ellis will get the start on Monday vs. Lexington....