Playoff Game #3: Braves 16, Yankees 5

[Today's game story was written by guest blogger Dave Pritchard.]
Powered by Liam’s four RBIs and Alec’s masterful pitching, the Braves won their semi-final game against a plucky but outmanned Yankees squad Monday. The final score was 16-5, with the Braves scoring all of their runs after two were out.
The Braves got on the board in the first inning. Nick used his burning speed to beat out an infield hit, steal second, and then end up on third despite falling down after rounding second. Connor followed with a titanic blast over the fence in center. Braves, 2-0.
In the second inning Tyler scampered home on a passed ball with two outs. Braves, 3-0.
The Yankees showed their character by refusing to give up. They scored three in the top of the third inning to tie the game.
In the bottom of the third the first two Braves batters made outs, but then Matt walked and Nick skied a long fly over the fence in left field. Braves, 5-3.
With a runner on first and only one out in the top of the fourth inning, Alec induced the next two Yankees batters to hit ground balls to Ryan at second base. Both times he calmly scooped up the ball and flipped it to shortstop Scott for forceouts.
The Braves broke the game open in the bottom of the fourth, with the big blow being a three-run homer to right-center field by Jack. The Braves hit the stuffing out of the ball in this inning, with Scott, Liam, Matt and Nick smoking line-drive hits to various portions of the outfield. Naturally, all six runs were scored after two were out. Braves, 11-3.
The never-say-die Yankees threatened in the top of the fifth. With two outs, two runs in and a man on third, the Yankees’ powerful number-three hitter smashed a sizzling line drive … right at second baseman Nick. Nick calmly gloved the ball. Braves, 11-5.
Then, with two outs and Evan on base with a walk, came the game-ending flood of runs. Tyler singled to left. So did Scott. AP legged out an infield single. Ryan walked. Two outs, three runs in, runners dancing off second and third and Liam striding to the plate. A hit would win the game for the Braves because of the 10-run slaughter rule.
Liam laced a single to center field, AP and Ryan scored, and the Braves had earned a spot in Saturday’s championship game!
The coaches awarded the game ball to Liam for his clutch hitting. Alec’s five-inning complete game also awed the crowd.
The game featured Braves reporter Jim Higgins filling in as first-base coach for Joe Kimple, who was coaching his younger son Carson’s team during the game. Jim had a quality game, as the team’s 16 runs attest.