Announcement
Welch (2 HRS, 6 RBI) Clegg, Lead Chiefs By Melrose, 11-3
Melrose, MA- Johnny Welch hit two homers, including a sixth inning grand slam, and drove in six runs, to power the Chiefs past the Melrose Americans 11-3 on Thursday night at Morelli Field.
The Chiefs broke open a 3-3 tie, sending 10 men to plate in the sixth inning, when they scored seven runs.
Chiefs’ starter Mitchell Clegg and the Americans’ Gianni Esposito were locked in a scoreless duel until the Americans took a 1-0 in the bottom of the third. The run came on an opposite field double by Austin Masel and an RBI infield single from Greg Wilson.
The Chiefs came right back and scored three times in the top of the fourth. Juan Portes reached on an infield error and Welch gave the Chiefs a 2-1 lead when he drilled a two run homer to center. A Peter Copa walk and singles from Mike Barbati and Matt Boleski jumped the lead to 3-1.
The Americans tied the game at 3-3 in the bottom of the fifth. Shawn Doyle led off with a single off Welch’s glove at third. Masel followed with a single to left. Bobby Rosano moved the runners up with a sacrifice bunt before Mac Singleton drove them both home with a gap shot double to right-center. Clegg got Wilson on an infield grounder and then retired Mike Addesa on fly out to keep it a tie game.
Rosano made a nice sliding catch on a Peter Copa liner to
leading off the sixth before Barbati doubled into the right field corner. Paul
Yanakopulos then reached on a throwing error with Barbati scoring on the play.
Matt Boleski and Tony Serino drew consecutive walks and Mike Burgoyne lined a
single to right to give the Chiefs a 5-3 lead. Boleski scored the sixth run on
a passed ball. Mike Peters came out of the Americans’ bullpen and issued a walk
to Portes. Welch made it 10-3 when he crushed a grand slam deep over the
left-field fence.
Clegg retired the side in order in the bottom of the sixth, including two K’s.
The Chiefs added their final run in the seventh against Ryan Covelle on a Burgoyne infield hit and an error.
Clegg (3-0) allowed six hits and struck out nine. –Bruce Tillman for www.andrechiefs.com
