Andre Chiefs

Malden, MA- The Chiefs came back from deficits of 3-0, 6-3, and 8-5, to nip the Melrose Americans 10-9 in a wild one at Maplewood on Monday night.

The Americans' fireworks began early as they jumped on starter Mike DiCato and took a 3-0 lead in the top of the first on a three run homer from Steve Passatempo.

The Chiefs went the same route in the bottom of the inning, when starter Anthony Dally walked Tony Serino and Mike Burgoyne, before surrendering a three run shot to Peter Copa that tied the game at three each.

The Americans came right back and took their second three run lead in as many innings in the top of the second. Austin Masel put a up a ten pitch at bat, that included a dropped foul pop up, before hitting his first ICL homer to center to give the Americans the lead back at 4-3. Consecutive singles from Dan Caciola and Mac Singleton, followed by a Chris Sharpe triple, bumped the lead to 6-3.

The Chiefs went quietly in the bottom of the second.

Melrose increased their lead to 7-3 in the top of the third on a John Jennings triple to right and a Masel sacrifice fly down the leftfield line.

The Chiefs began their second comeback of the night in the bottom of the third. Mike Barbati’s two out, two run double, into the leftfield corner scored Mike Gedman and Peter Copa, who had both walked, to cut the lead in half at 7-5.

The Americans got a run back in the top of the fourth when Sharpe homered to center, giving the Americans another three run lead at 8-5. That was the night for DiCato and Tim Dunphy made a rare appearance out of the bullpen to get the last two outs of the inning.

The Chiefs came all the way back when they scored five times in the bottom of the fourth. Dally continued to have control issues and walked Nick Leva to start the inning. Ryan Colbert came on to relieve Dally and he promptly walked Serino. Burgoyne then drilled a triple to left-center to cut the lead to 8-7. Johnny Welch followed with a double to right-center, scoring Burgoyne, to tie the game at 8-8. Gedman then gave the Chiefs their first lead of the night when he drove in Welch with a single. Singles by Mike Andre and Barbati drove home Copa, who had reached on a fielder’s choice, to give the Chiefs a 10-8 lead heading for the fifth.

Dunphy and Americans reliever Mike Peters restored some order and threw blanks in the fifth and sixth innings. In the bottom of the sixth, Peters was aided by two outstanding defensive plays, the first by Caciola who robbed Andre of extra bases with a diving catch of a line drive in right-center, and the second by Sharpe at third base, when he made a terrific stop of a Barbati seed that was earmarked for left-field.

The Americans did not go quietly in the top of the seventh. Sharpe led off with a blooper to center that took a high hop over Serino’s head for a double. Mike Addesa then grounded to Nate Witkowski at short for the first out, with Sharpe moving to third. Passatempo then singled up the middle, scoring Sharpe, to cut the lead to 10-9. Dunphy helped himself bigtime, when he stopped Harrison Smoske’s line drive back to the box and recovered in time to get him at first. With the tying run now at second, Dunphy got Jennings on a grounder to Barbati to end the game.

Dunphy (2-0), picked up the win. He allowed two hits in his 3.2 innings of work.