(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

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.