Andre Chiefs

Melrose,MA- The Melrose Americans erased leads of 3-0 and 6-2, then scored 10 unanswered runs, on the way to a 12-6 win over the Chiefs on Wednesday night. For the Americans it was their second win over the Chiefs in three nights.

The Chiefs jumped out to a 3-0 first inning lead on a Peter Copa three-run homer to left.

The Americans answered back and cut the lead to 3-1 in their first at bat against Mitchell Clegg on three consecutive hits.

Melrose closed the gap to 3-2 in the second when they scored an unearned run.

The Chiefs came back in the top of the third to open a 6-2 lead. Singles from Danny DiMare and Ben Watdrip, and then a Copa RBI fielder's choice, upped the lead to 4-2. Leivi Ventura quickly made it a 6-2 game when he drilled a two run homer to center.

The Amercans began their comeback in the bottom of the third when Chris Hopkins drilled a Clegg pitch to right for a solo homer to make it 6-3.

After a scoreless fourth the Americans came all the way back, and then some, in the bottom of the fifth when they sent 11 men to the plate and scored seven runs against Clegg and releiver Austin Batchelor. The key hits in the uprising were a Hopkins double and a Dave Center two-run homer.

The Americans added two more runs that were charged to Batchelor in the home half of the sixth to account for the 12-6 final. The Chiefs were outhit in the game 11-5 and committed four errors.  

Chiefs Chatter- The now 4-3 Chiefs are off until Monday when they will host the Lexington Blue Sox at Maplewood at 8:00 PM....Clegg 1-2 suffered the loss......Ventura's homer was the first of his ICL career. The former New York Met product hit 83 dingers in his professional career...