THE MERCHANTS got a big win against the Americans last night at Walsh Field. Mark Webber (13) salutes Bobby Losanno as he crosses home plate after a wild pitch to give the Merchants a 2-0 lead in the third inning. Losanno added three more hits last night to put his season total at 31. He has six more hits than the next closest batter in the Intercity League. (Dan Pawlowski Photo)
Published in the July 27, 2017 edition.
By DAN PAWLOWSKI
WAKEFIELD — It took five innings and two outs before the Merchants’ offense looked familiar.
Trailing 3-2 with two outs in the bottom of the sixth at Walsh Field last night, the Merchants strung four extra base hits together to score three runs and take the lead for good as Wakefield beat the Melrose Americans, 5-3.
“Nice win, but very stressful,” said Merchants manager Dave Ellegood with a sigh of relief.
Joe Maguire (W 3-2) made his fifth start of the season, pitching a complete seven innings, striking out four and giving up eight hits and three runs.
“Maguire hung in tough tonight,” said Ellegood. “He’s been a workhorse for us all year.”
The Merchants manufactured a run in the first inning after Bobby Losanno roped a single down the line and then stole second. Scott Searles moved him over to third base after a ground out, and then Mark Webber drove him home after grounding out to second base.
Maguire continued to cruise through the second and third innings, and the Merchants put another run on the board in the third thanks to Losanno’s hustle. The ICL hits leader took second and third on a wild pitch and passed ball after a base hit. Then, with Webber at the plate, Losanno trotted home on yet another wild pitch.
The Americans got a run back in the fourth inning and the Merchants offense stalled until the big sixth inning rally.
After Melrose scored two runs in the sixth to take the lead, Wakefield’s leaders started to speak up. With only seven games to go in the ICL’s regular season, each game gets more important. With two outs in the sixth, Mike Sorrentino, the longest tenured Merchant, could be heard in the on-deck circle as Webber came up to bat. With the simple message of “get us going,” Sorrentino sparked a rally that the Merchants desperately needed.
“He’s our leader, and he’s been like that for 12 years,” said Ellegood of Sorrentino. “Everybody listens and responds to him. We needed that little push tonight.”
Webber replied by crushing a double to right field. Sorrentino then walked the walk, and I don’t mean to first base. His RBI double tied the game 3-3. But the Merchants weren’t done. Ryan Collins stepped up and hit a big RBI double of his own to give the Merchants the lead. Then Dillon Koster crushed one over the center fielder’s head for a triple and a Merchants 5-3 lead. Ellegood tipped his cap to Collins and Koster after the game for both coming up with clutch hits.
Maguire then acted as his own closer, climbing back on the hill in the top of the seventh. Collins made a beautiful barehanded play at third on a slow ground ball to help his pitcher close out Melrose.
It was a big win for the fourth-place Merchants who are now just one point back of the Lexington Blue Sox for third. Ellegood mentioned that games against teams below them in the standings are big games because each win creates that much more space between the two teams.
“Every game now is a four-point swing. We grabbed two (points) and they didn’t get two. That is big for us during this playoff push.”
The top six teams in the league make the playoffs with the top two getting a bye in the first round. Wakefield now sits six points ahead of the fifth-place Reading Bulldogs, making a playoff appearance very likely.
“We are in good shape to get in now after tonight,” said Ellegood.
Wakefield’s next game is against the Blue Sox on Sunday, 4 p.m. at Walsh Field. Then they travel to Melrose on Monday at 7:30 p.m. to take on the Americans for the last time this season.
