Melrose Americans

Melrose wins game one of Semifinal Series

Lexington – Melrose opened its semifinal series with a 7-5 road win over Lexington Wednesday night.
Game two of the series is Thursday night in Melrose with a 7:30 pm start time.
Down 4-2 in the top of the fifth the Americans scored three times to take the lead for good at 5-4.
John Jennings doubled to drive in Scott Searles (single) and Pat Costigan (single)to knot the score at 4-4. Jennings gave the Americans the lead when he scored on an RBI single by cleanup hitter Gianni Zarrilli.
Aidan Barry doubled to start the fifth. It was the fifth straight inning the Melrose leadoff hitter begin with a hit and the third time the hit was a double. Barry moved to third on an infield out and came home on a pinch-hit single by David Hunter for a 6-4 lead and an important insurance run.
There were three ties and three lead changes as the teams swapped runs in the first four innings. The second inning was the only one in which neither team scored.
Offense was in big supply as the teams combined for 12 runs, 25 hits, 7 doubles, and a home run. By the end of the third Lexington lead 4-2 and the teams had 15 hits between them.
Americans’ leadoff hits Costigan had three hits on the night and scored three times. He got the night started with a double in the first. Jennings infield single moved him to third and he scored on Cory Bright’s infield out for a 1-0 advantage.
Lexington struck back quickly in its half of the first.
Pete John went the opposite way and singled to left to start off the Blue Sox. Josue Feliciano followed with a bunt single and Julian Alvarez singled through the left side to load the bases with no outs. Andrew Selima delivered with a double to right plating John and Feliciano and it was 2-1 Sox.
The Americans answered in the top of the third. Costigan had a leadoff single and stole second to move into scoring position. With one out, Bright singled through the right side and drove in his second run of the game to tie it at 2-2.
Lexington replied quickly in the bottom of the frame. With 2 outs Selima singled to center. Cam Meyer drove a 3-1 pitch over the center field fence for his first post season home run that give the Blue Sox a 4-2 lead.
After falling behind 6-4 Lexington got within a run with another two-out no one on base rally in the sixth.
Meyer walked and then came all the way around to score on Dom Zaher’s double along the left field line that dropped in amongst the leftfield, shortstop and third baseman.
Melrose pushed the lead back to two runs with a run in the top of the seventh. Jack Beverly led off with a walk, the sixth American to reach base leading off the inning. He went to third on Scott Searles single to right and scored on a sacrifice fly by Hunter, for his second RBI of the game.
Starting pitchers Bobby Tramondozzi (Americans) and Jake Vesling (Blue Sox) took some bruises in the game. In the 10 combined innings pitched, six for Tramondozzi, they gave up 10 runs, 22 hits, walked one and struck out 11.
Tramondozzi earned the win, his first career postseason victory for Melrose. After being tagged for eight hits in the first three innings, he only gave up two over his last three innings. The Americans usual closer walked one and struck out seven.
Nick Colucci pitched a 1-2-3 seventh with two strikeouts for the save.
Vesling took the loss for Lexington, going four innings, 12 hits, 5 runs, no walks and a strikeout.
The Americans win was the first time a #1 seed had lost its opening playoff game since August 8, 2018 when Albrandis beat Lexington 5-2 in game one of the semis.
It was not a good night for the top seeds in the Intercity League playoffs as #2 seed Middlesex lost 6-5 to #3 Andre.
Since 2006 the #1 and #2 seeds had not lost their opening playoff game until Wednesday night.

Written by Bruce Hack, Lexington Blue Sox Director of Media Relations

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Andre Chiefs, Intercity League Baseball

Chiefs Beat Expos 6-5 to Take 1-0 Series Lead

(Melrose, MA)- Tyler Ferdinand’s two out single in the top of the seventh inning delivered John Baptista with the winning run when the Chiefs beat the Middlesex Expos 6-5 in their semi-final series opener on Wednesday night at Morelli Field.

The Chiefs jumped out to an early 3-0 lead in the top of the first inning. Juan Parra got things started with a single to left, stole second, and went to third when the throw went into centerfield. After Nick Valdario walked, Expos starter Junior Montero was called for a balk sending Parra home with the game’s first run. Teddy Dziuba followed with a shot to the fence in right-center, scoring Valdario, and giving the Chiefs a 2-0 lead. Andrew Caulfield then drew a walk before Montero threw away a Baptista comebacker allowing Dziuba to score the Chiefs’ third run.

Starter Tim Dunphy blanked the Expos over the first two frames and Montero settled in nicely and the game went to the bottom of the third with the Chiefs up 3-0.

The Expos scored all of their runs in the third. Mike Stellato singled to left and Michael Oliveira reached on an infield error. Jose Paulino then moved both runners up with a sacrifice bunt. Idelson Taveras then followed with a two RBI double to left cutting the Chiefs’ lead to 3-2. A sacrifice fly moved Taveras to third and he scored the tying run when Leon Paulino beat out an infield chopper to short. Dionys Quezada was next and he blasted a two run homer to straight away center to put the Expos up 5-3. For Quezada it was his league best seventh homer of the year.

The Chiefs clawed back and tied the game at 5-5 off reliever Ryan Cloutier in the top of the sixth. Adam Johnson drew a walk and Ferdinand, who had three hits, reached on an infield single. Parra then delivered a line single to right scoring Johnson and then Ferdinand when the ball skipped all the way to the outfield fence.

It stayed 5-5 until Ferdinand delivered the Chiefs game winner in the top of the seventh.

Paul Frisoli was outstanding in relief of Dunphy. The righthander went 3.1 innings allowing just two hits while striking out six. Frisoli struck out five straight batters including the side in order in the bottom of the sixth inning.

Game two of the series will be played at Maplewood tonight (Thursday) starting at 8:00 PM. If a third game is necessary it will be contested back at Morelli Field on Friday at 8:00 PM.

The series is being streamed live by Local Sports Productions (LSP) at http://youtube.com/c/LocalSportsProductions

Maplewood Park

Both Semi-Final Series will be Streamed Live

ICL fans can now watch both the Chiefs-Expos and Americans-Blue Sox series. All games will be streamed live.

For the Chiefs-Expos series go to:
http://youtube.com/c/LocalSportsProductions

For the Americans-Blue Sox series go to youtube.com and then Blue Sox Baseball Network.

Americans Advance to Semifinals vs Blue Sox, Chiefs-Expos Series Also Begins Tonight

Chris Mitchell allowed just one run in six innings to lead the Melrose Americans to a 10-1 play-in game win over the Reading Bulldogs on Tuesday night at Morelli Field.

The Americans got two hits each from Gianni Zarrilli (2 doubles, 3 RBI), Cory Bright, Jack Beverly and Jackson Stanton.

Mitchell, who picked up his seventh overall win of the year, struck out eight.
Reading starter Griffen Cofsky took the loss.

The Americans now advance to the semifinals and will meet the Blue Sox in a best of three series that begins tonight in Lexington at 8:00 PM.

The Andre Chiefs and Middlesex Expos will also begin their semifinal series tonight. They will play at Morelli Field starting at 8:00 PM.