Medford Post 45 Topples Concord Post 158

After a slow start Tuesday night at Concord’s Emerson Field, it was the 7th inning where Medford Post 45 secured its win over Concord Post 158 in Legion play. Medford added five runs to its already three-run game, upping Concord 8-1 against pitchers Brandon Napolitano and relief Brendan Harrington.

“We’ve been playing close games the whole season,” said 23-year-old Medford coach Ryan Kozul. “That was our third win. I knew with the pitcher on the mound we would keep (Concord) down. We had the top of the order in the sixth and I told them we have to get a couple runs because I knew (Concord) was going to come through at some point and they ended up scoring a run to make it 3-1. Then we came back out in the 7th to really put the game away.

“We can hit,” Kozul added, “so I knew at some point we would come through. But that first pitcher (Napolitano) did a really good job of keeping (us down.)”

In the top of the 7th Medford hit against Napolitano with a 3-1 ball game. Nolan Brennan singled into center field with bases loaded, bringing home Kyle Heath. Two batters later with only one out, Ryan Carvalho tripled into center to score Mike Pizzi, pitcher John Lavoie and Brennan. Chris Salvati then doubled into center, scoring Carvalho and with an 8-1 score Napolitano was relieved by Harrington. Harrington walked his first at-bat, but then earned the final two outs to close the inning.

In the bottom, Concord faced Lavoie on the mound for one final chance at closing the gap, but they earned a quick three outs to finish up the game.

After early outs in the first inning, a run wasn’t scored until the top of the second when Medford’s Paul Covelle wacked a homerun in the top of the second deep into left field.

“No, no I wasn’t (surprised at the slow start) because I knew our pitcher moves fast,” Kozul said. “He usually throws like 75-pitch complete games so I knew we’d be moving quick and their pitcher (Napolitano) got in such a good rhythm that it didn’t surprise me at all.

“We didn’t have great at-bats there in the beginning, but I give that kid (Napolitano) a lot of credit. He kept us off balance, did a great job.”

Medford added their second and third runs in the top of the sixth when Carvalho tripled into left right field bringing John Mangiasi home and Salvati followed with a single to score Carvalho.

Concord earned its only run of the game following in the bottom of the sixth. Michael Taylor tripled into deep center field and Alex Gutwillig’s right field single brought Taylor home.

Next up, Medford hosts Lexington Post 38/Blue Sox on Wednesday at 5:45 p.m. at Playstead Park.

“We’ve already played two of the best teams in the league. We’ve played Newton and Sudbury and we played them both close. It’s a big game for us tomorrow (against Lexington) to kind of prove that we do belong.”