Playoff Game #5: Braves 14, Rays 7

Photo courtesy of Jodi Smith Koch
For the fifth time this season, and for the third time in a 10-day stretch, the Braves faced the determined, confident Rays Monday evening at Water Tower Park. This time, the stakes were highest: the Whitefish Bay Little League Majors championship.
Behind the strong pitching of Ryan Hummer, the Rays had shut down the Braves 8-3 on Sunday. So Braves fans must have wondered: How would the team respond on Monday?
1st inning
Will Koch took the mound for the Braves to start the final game of the season. He got Rays leadoff hitter Chris Siebert to ground out to Connor Kimple at short. Paul Presberg hit a long fly to center field that Nick Higgins grabbed for the second out. Then the Rays' Brandon Turer singled to center field, moved up on the bases, and scored on a Cole Miller single. 1-0, Rays.
In the bottom of the inning, Matt McLaughlin led off with a line drive that Rays shortstop Turer snagged. Then Nick stepped to the plate. Nick's favorite big-league Brewers player is Rickie Weeks, and Nick shares some of that igniter quality with him. He stepped into a pitch and rocked a line-drive homer over the right-center fence. Alec singled up the middle, and Connor followed with a towering homer down the left-field line. 3-1, Braves.
2nd inning
The Rays, however, did not pack it in. Ryan Hummer and Connor Nethen both singled up the middle, and Will Alt crushed a 3-run homer to take back the lead. Braves pitcher Will then induced two groundouts, and got Chris Siebert to fly out to Nick to end the inning. 4-3, Rays.
In the bottom of the inning, Tyler drew a walk, stole second, and scored on Scott's double. After two groundouts, Matt singled through the left side of the infield, plating Scott. Then Nick smoked a two-run homer to left field, his second of the night and eighth of the season. Braves, 7-4.
3rd inning
The Rays clawed back. Turer doubled to right field, moved up on a groundout, and scored on a Patrick Kehoe infield single. Braves, 7-5.
Any coach will tell you this: keep tacking on runs when you have a lead. The Braves did so in the bottom of the inning. Connor singled up the middle, stole second, moved to third on an infield single by Evan, and scored when Tyler Harmsen hit into a fielder's choice. Tyler's speed made the run possible: the Rays were trying to turn a double play to get out of the inning, but Tyler ran too fast to make that happen. Braves, 8-5.
4th inning
Will, who is certainly my pick for rookie of the year in the Majors, turned in a clean sheet in the top of the fourth, inducing a groundout to third, a soft line out and a strikeout. On the last batter, catcher Ryan Ward deftly held on to a foul tip to record the K.
In the bottom of the inning, the Braves stayed true to their baseball character all season: everybody swings the bat on this team, and everyone can hit. Anthony Pogorelc led off the inning with a line single to right field. Ryan Ward singled through the second-base hole, and Matt reached on an infield single to third base. Anthony scored on a wild pitch. Then Connor Kimple ripped a hard single to right field, bringing Ryan and Matt home. Braves, 11-5.
5th inning
The Rays chipped away at the lead. Chris Siebert singled, moved up when Brandon Turer reached first and scored on an infield single by Cole Miller. But Braves pitcher Will induced a towering pop-up that first baseman Tyler Harmsen grabbed, and shortstop Alec turned a fielder's choice out at second to the ending the inning. Braves, 11-6.
In the Braves half of the inning, Will Koch and Evan Howell both walked. Tyler grounded into a fielder's choice at 3rd, leaving Evan on second and Tyler on first base. Then, with two outs, Anthony Pogorelc ripped a triple into right field, plating his teammates. (If this were a Packers radio broadcast, I think Wayne Larivee would have called that hit "the dagger.") Anthony scored on a wild pitch. Braves, 14-6.
6th inning
Will took the mound for the final inning, with the opportunity to close out the game and championship. Throughout the evening, he did not let temporary adversity get him down, and he listened carefully to Coach Ross Harmsen's suggestions on his pitching mechanics.
Rays slugger Connor Nethen, who won the Little League home run derby on Sunday, led off the inning with a booming homer to center field, but Will calmly went back to work. The next batter hit a soft liner to the mound, which Will grabbed and held up to show that he had retained possession of the snow cone (i.e., a ball sticking partly out of the glove). The next batter popped up to Matt McLaughlin at third base. The final hitter grounded to Connor Kimple at short, who threw to Evan Howell at first to record the out. Braves win, 14-7.
The boys ran to each other in a flurry of relief and excitement. Jerseys were untucked, backs were slapped, and shouts of joy could be heard as far away as Cudahy.
The Braves, true to their personality this season, scored in each inning that they batted, and some of those runs were scored with two outs.
Trophies were brought on to the field for presentation. First, Rays manager Harris Turer handed out second-place trophies to his boys. Then Coach Ross Harmsen gave two trophies to each Brave: one for finishing as regular-season champs, the second for winning the playoffs. Ross had complimentary words for each of his players and coaches, for his worthy opponents, and then thanked the parents for their support.
He also stuck to his mantra throughout the season: this was a team victory. While the Braves have a few exceptionally talented athletes, every player improved and every player contributed to our success.
Postscript
The blog is not closing up shop yet. I have several more things to write about this magical season in the coming days as time permits.
Also, if your Brave is playing in all-star or other baseball competition, please send updates for posting.
Thank you.