By STEPHEN MARTELLUCCI
MELROSE — On Monday evening, the Melrose Americans baseball team edged the visiting Middlesex Expos, 3-2, at Morelli Field. With that win, the Americans improved to 13-7-1 while the Expos fell to 9-10-1 as Melrose is tied for third place in the Intercity League.
Trailing 2-0, the Americans scored twice in the bottom of the fourth inning and got the game-winning run in the bottom of the fifth.
In the fifth, Alex Fernades drove home Matt Elwell with the game-winner.
Melrose had five hits in the game as Chris Klein and Aidan Barry each had RBI singles.
Nick Bamforth was the winning pitcher in relief going the final three innings. He gave up no runs, two hits, one walk and he struck out four as he improved to 3-1.
Alex Parisi was the starter going four innings allowing two runs (one earned) and one hit. He walked three and fanned four.
“The pitching by Alex and Nick was excellent,” stated Melrose manager Kevin Burgoyne.
On July 16, Melrose beat the Malden Maddogs, 5-1, also at home.
The Americans got off to a great start plating three runs in the bottom of the first. The two other runs came in the sixth.
Malden’s run came in the top of the sixth.
The winning pitcher was Brandon McMahon who went to 3-0 on the hill. He pitched six innings giving up one run, three hits, one walk and he fanned eight.
“Brandon has been solid all season,” said Burgoyne. This was his best performance so far.”
The Americans’ offense had 11 hits. Elwell and Ryan Bourgeois led the team both going 2 for 3. Bourgeois had a three-run homer to left-center field while Shaun MacPhee had a two-run single.
In a high-scoring game on July 15, the Americans lost, 11-7, to the Lexington Bulldogs at Lexington High School.
Leading, 4-1, the Bulldogs broke the game open in the bottom of the fourth scoring five times.
Melrose had eight hits in the defeat. Owen Duggan was the team’s only multiple hitter going 3 for 4 with one RBI. John Jennings also had a two-run single
Barry, Tad Giardina, Nate Galanis and Jack Gallagher all knocked in one run.
Barry also had two steals.
Ben Cassavoy, as Melrose resident, went three innings allowing four runs (two earned), six hits, no walks and he struck out four.
“We just didn’t play well that night,” admitted Burgoyne. “The score got out of hand but we did fight back to make it more respectable.”
The next game for the team will be on July 28 as they go to Maplewood Park in Malden to take on the Andre Chiefs. That game starts at 8 p.m.
On July 30, they host the Bulldogs at 7:30 p.m. at Morelli in the team’s second-to-last regular-season game.