By STEPHEN MARTELLUCCI
MALDEN — On July 24, the Melrose Americans baseball team lost, 12-5, to the Stoneham Sabres at Maplewood Park in Malden (Stoneham was the home team). With that result, the Americans’ record fell to 14-8-1 while the Sabres improved to 6-16.
Melrose fell to third place in the Intercity League with the loss as they had their three-game winning streak snapped.
With the score tied at 3-3, the Sabres broke the game open with four runs in the bottom of the fourth inning. They then plated four more runs in the bottom of the sixth.
Melrose had 10 hits in the game led by Melrose resident Ian Libby and Nate Galanis. Libby was 2 for 3 with a walk and one RBI while Galanis was 2 for 4 with one RBI.
Chris Klein homered and drew a walk.
Stoneham pounded 16 hits off four American pitchers. Starter Brendan McMahon suffered his first loss on the hill falling to 3-1. He went 3.1 innings allowing seven runs (three earned), five hits, one walk and he struck out three.
Melrose’s defense had a team-high seven errors as only four of the Stoneham runs were earned.
On July 23, the Americans edged the Malden Maddogs, 10-9 at Morelli Field.
Malden tied the game at 9-9 plating three runs in the top of the seventh inning.
However, Dan Ferris lined a single to left scoring Klein from second with the winning run in the bottom of the seventh.
Melrose finished with seven hits overall. Pat Costigan had a two-run single and had one walk while Aidan Barry, Daniel Ferris, Matt Elwell, Shaun MacPhee, Alex Fernandes and Libby all knocked in one run.
The Americans did not have any multiple hitters.
Ben Cassavoy was the winner in relief. He went 6.1 innings allowing four runs, five hits, four walks. The Melrose resident improved to 1-2 this summer.
Starter Nick Colucci went just 0.2 innings allowing five runs as he struggled with his control walking six.
The next game for the Americans will be on Aug. 4 as they take on the visiting Lexington Blue Sox. That game is at Morelli and will start at 7:30 p.m.
The next night, the two teams meet again, this time at Minuteman Tech in Lexington. That game will also start at 7:30 p.m.
The Americans wrap up the regular season on Aug. 6 as they host the McKay at 7:30 p.m. in a make-up game that was rained out.