Reading Bulldogs

In Melrose on Monday night, the Reading Bulldogs stayed hot with a 10-3 win over the Melrose Americans. This was a back and forth battle until the Bulldogs broke open a 3-3 game in the 6th inning scoring seven runs.

In the top of the first inning, Bulldogs third baseman Ryan Wolfsberg smoked a line drive over the left field fence for a homerun to take the early 1-0 lead. After a two-run homerun for Melrose to go up 2-1, Reading quickly answered back in the 2nd inning. Chris Bosco started it with a single, later scoring from first base on a Rosario Missiti RBI triple.

Deadlocked at two apiece through 4 innings of play, Missiti stayed locked in at the dish with a leadoff double to start the 5th. After a sacrifice bunt which moved Missiti to third, Mike DeDonato stepped up and delivered a two out RBI infield single. Melrose was able punch back though in the bottom half. Behind a leadoff walk followed by a single, Melrose’s right fielder Malcolm Nachmanoff drove in one run with a double, tying the game at three.

Reading put the game out of reach for good in the 6th after they scored 7 runs. The inning started with singles from Kevin Marciano and Bosco, followed with Missiti reaching on an error to load the bases for Corey DiLoretto. DiLoretto hit an RBI single, followed immediately with another RBI single by Nick Berno. DeDonoto and Wolfsberg were able to draw back to back walks with the bases loaded bringing in another two runs. Pinch hitter, Chris Seidl, came through with a sacrifice fly to score Berno from third for the 5th run of the inning. Marciano came up for the second time in the inning punching a single through the right side scoring two more. After this seven-run attack in the 6th, the final score ended at 10-3. Berno, Marciano, Bosco, Missiti, and DiLoretto all had two hit performances for the Bulldogs.

Jack Burke had another great outing for the Bulldogs throwing 4 1/3 innings allowing only 4 hits with 4 strikeouts. However, he was responsible for the American’s three runs and received a no decision on the night after the Bulldogs put up there big inning once he was removed from the game. Max Mardeny was put in for Burke and pitched two innings of relief, while Steve Hueston came in during the 7th to record the final two outs. The winning pitcher for Reading was Max Mardeny and the losing pitcher for Melrose was the starter Chris Mitchell.

The Bulldogs will be in Lexington on Wednesday night to play the Bluesox.

All photos can be found at: http://shartwell.zenfolio.com/bulldogs17