MELROSE — The Melrose Americans, with certainty, saw red during the Intercity League double-elimination playoffs. That’s because Melrose suffered two one-run defeats to the Watertown Reds to have its summer come to an end.
The Americans lost by a 7-6 score in eight innings in the ICL playoff opener on Thursday, Aug. 14 at Victory Field to drop down into the losers’ bracket. Melrose faced Watertown again on Sunday, Aug. 17 at Victory Field and were edged, 2-1, to have its season come to an end.
First Playoff Game
The sixth-seeded Melrose Americans (11-18-1) took on the third-ranked Reds (21-8-1) and the two clubs battled for eight innings before Watertown walked off with the win.
The Reds plated five runs in the first inning and added one in the fourth inning to take a 6-0 advantage. But the Americans battled back with two runs in the fifth and four in the sixth to tie the game at 6-6.
However Watertown plated the game-winning run in the eighth inning to send Melrose into the losers’ bracket.
Offensively, Melrose banged out 11 hits and plated six runs. Leading the way was Vinny Scifo with three hits, two runs scored and one RBI.
Greg Wilson and Matt Brown each had two hits while Bobby Rosano, Mike Addesa, Harrison Roberson and Mark Fusco each had one hit in the contest.
In addition to Scifo crossing the plate twice, Rosano, Wilson, Roberson and Fusco also scored runs. Addesa had two RBIs, while Scifo, Wilson and Brown also knocked in runs.
Scifo and Roberson both walked twice, while Rosano, Wilson, Addesa and Brian Carney also drew walks in the contest for Melrose.
Watertown used three pitchers in the contest.
Nick Ahearn went five and one-third innings giving up five runs on 10 hits while walking five and striking out three. He also threw a wild pitch.
Josh Wong went no innings giving up a run on one hit, while walking two batters.
Chris Hendrix (1-0) earned the win in relief going two and two-thirds innings while striking out two and walking one.
The Americans used four pitchers in the game.
Gianni Esposito went two-thirds of an inning giving up five runs (four earned) on one hit. He walked four batters, hit a batter and threw a wild pitch.
Patrick Duffy hurled three and one-third innings giving up one run on one hit while walking two and striking out one. He also hit a batter.
Chris Hayes pitched one inning giving up no runs on no hits.
Mike Richardson (0-1) went the final two and one-third innings giving up one run (unearned) on two hits while striking out two batters and walking two batters. He also hit a batter.
Watertown had just four hits but made of them as one was a home run by Will Brennan. Kyle LaVigne, Sean Callahan-Montague and Kevin Kelley had the other three hits.
LaVigne scored two runs, while Mac Jacobson, Steve Morganelli, Brennan, Dan Chaisson and Mike Samko each crossed the plate once. Brennan had two RBIs, while Callahan-Montague had one and Justin Forman had one.
LaVigne stole two bases, while Jacobson, Morganelli and Brennan each stole one base.
LaVigne and Morganelli both walked twice while Jacobson, Callahan-Montague, Brennan and Kelley all drew one free pass.
Second Playoff Game
Melrose had a 1-0 lead until the last of the seventh inning when the Reds scored two runs to walk-off with another one run victory and eliminate the Americans from the ICL playoffs.
Jacobson hit an infield single on a 2-2 count to score both Steve Tramontozzi, who had singled in the inning, and Lavigne, who doubled to make it second and third with two outs, to pull out the walk-off win.
Fusco (0-1) pitched six and two-thirds innings giving up two runs on five hits while striking out one and walking one. Fusco hit two batters.
Richardson pitched no innings giving one hit.
Hendrix (2-0) got the victory for the Reds as he went seven innings giving up one run on six hits while striking out three and walking three.
Esposito led the way offensively for the Americans as he had three hits and score the lone Melrose run which came in the second inning.
Mac Singleton, Brown and Mike Pizzi had the other three hits. Pizzi had the lone RBI and Singleton had the lone extra base hit for Melrose with a double.
Rosano, Brown and Shawn Doyle each drew walks in the game.
For Watertown, LaVigne, Jacobson, Justin Forman, Brennan, Samko and Tramontozzi had the hits. Samko also stole a base and LaVigne drew the lone walk surrendered by the Americans.
