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.

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.

Playoff Game #2: Braves 3, Rays 2 (7 innings)

Tyler drove a single through the middle, scoring Evan with the winning run as the Braves defeated the Rays 3-2 in extra innings Saturday afternoon in a Whitefish Bay Little League Majors playoff game.
For the Braves, Connor pitched 5 and two-thirds innings, nearly a regulation complete game.
While the score was low, the action was intense and the fielding was usually crisp.
After Connor held the Rays scoreless in the first, Matt led off the bottom of the first with a walk. Nick then ripped a double to right center field. Matt scored and Nick went to third on the throw. Alec walked. Connor hit a sacrifice fly deep to right field, scoring Nick. 2-0 Braves.
After neither team scored in the 2nd, the Rays threatened in the top of the third. A Rays batter walked, then moved to third on wild pitches. With one out, Rays batter Paul Presberg hit a fly ball to right field. Will made the catch, and threw home to Ryan to tag the runner trying to score. A 9-2 double play.
The Rays tried to breakthrough again in the 4th. With one out, Brandon Turer singled to right field. Cole Miller hit a fly ball to right, but Liam slid to the ground to make the catch, and Connor fanned the next batter to end the inning.
After the opening inning, Rays hurler Ryan Hummer was just as effective as Connor, changing speeds subtly (as former Braves coach Dave Pritchard noted) and keeping our batters off-balance.
In the top of the 5th, Rays pulled closer when Connor Nethen homered over the center field fence. The next batter walked. Then a Rays batter hit a low bouncer to third. Evan got to his knees to knock it down, then calmly through to Jack at second base for a force out. Rays hitter Paul Presberg singled, but our Connor struck out the next batter to end the inning. 2-1, Braves.
In the top of the 6th, the last regulation inning, Connor induced a pop-up to himself for the first out, but then Cole Miller homered to left field, tieing the game. Connor got a second out on a fly ball to Nick at second base before turning the ball over to Alec, who struck out the next batter to end the inning.
In the bottom of the 6th, Matt singled with one out and moved to second on a wild pitch, but Rays reliever Brandon Turer induced pop-ups from the next two batters. With the score tied at 2, the teams went to extra innings.
Pitcher Alec first faced dangerous slugger Connor Nethen, who grounded the ball up the middle. It deflected off Alec's glove, but second baseman Matt alertly fielded it and threw to Nick at first for the out. Coach Ross pointed out afterwards that it was the second game in a row where Matt alertly grabbed a deflected ball for an out. Alec struck out the next two batters, setting the stage for walk-off drama.
In the bottom of the 7th, Connor hit a hard grounder to Rays' Brandon Turer at short, who made a fine play to throw him out. Then Evan doubled to right field. Will singled through the right side, with Evan moving to third.
With two outs, Tyler came to the plate. If you've followed this team for the past two years, you know that Tyler is a vastly improved hitter this season. He knows the strike zone, takes bad pitches and swings at good ones. He ripped a hard single back up the middle, scoring Evan from third with the winning run. Final score: Braves 3, Rays 2.
Coach Ross praised the effort and intensity of the boys. Game balls were awarded to Connor for his heroic pitching performance, and Tyler for his magnificent walk-off hit.
Other notable moments from the game: Anthony put down a perfect sacrifice bunt in the second to move Tyler to third base. Tyler and Will also caught fly balls in the game.
The Braves have Sunday off before playing the disciplined Yankees at 4:30 Monday at Water Tower. Look for a future e-mail from Coach Ross on reporting time to the ballpark.

Game 16: Braves 7, Phillies 4

The Braves finished the regular season on a positive note, defeating the second-place Phillies in a battle of heavyweights Friday night at Water Tower.
Alec started on the mound. Phillies leadoff hitter Andre Vandlik singled up the middle. The Phils' Macklein Kortebein hammered a flyball to center field, but centerfielder Nick calmly made the catch. Teddy Webber drew a walk to put runners at first and third with two outs, but Alec induced a comebacker to end the threat.
In the bottom of the first, Nick hit the second pitch he saw over the fence in left center for his fifth homer of the season, and a 1-0 Braves lead. Alec and Jack walked, and Connor was hit by a pitch, loading the bases. Will (Cookie) singled through the right side, driving in Alec and Jack to make it 3-0 Braves. Then Matt pounded a drive all the way to the fence in left center, bringing Connor and Will home. 5-0, Braves.
In the top of the second, Phillies batter J.T. Roemer reached on an infield single, but the Braves infield turned two forceouts at second, and shortstop Connor grabbed a fly ball to close out the inning. Anthony singled to start the bottom of the second, but was left stranded.
In the top of the third, the Phillies mounted a rally, aided by some Braves errors. With one out, Andre Vandlik singled. Macklein Kortebein hit another deep fly to center field, but Tyler caught this one. Andrew James doubled, and Teddy Webber walked to load the bases. the next Phillies batter hit a grounder that, thanks to an error and overthrow, brought home all three runners. Alec induced a grounder to end the threat. 5-3, Braves.
With one out in the bottom of the third, Jack drew a walk, and Connor singled on a tough spinning grounder the Phils pitcher was unable to handle cleanly. Will walked to load the bases. Then Evan doubled to right field, bringing Jack and Connor home. 7-3, Braves.
In the top of the 4th, the Phils placed runners on second and third with no outs. Then came the defensive play of the game. Shortstop Connor grabbed a grounder and threw out the batter at the first. Then first baseman Will fired a perfect strike to catcher Ryan, who tagged the runner from third barreling home. A 6-3-2 double play. Alec struck out the next batter to end the inning.
In the top of the 5th, with Connor now on the mound, Phils leadoff hitter Andre Vandlik drew a walk and would come around to score, but Connor struck out three batters to limit the damage. 7-4 Braves.
After the Braves did not score in the bottom of the 5th, the Phillies came up for what turned out to be their last at-bats. J.T. Roemer reached on an infield single, but Connor struck out the next 3 batters. Final score: Braves 7, Phillies 4.
Braves coaches awarded game balls to Nick, for his igniting homer, and Ryan, for fabulous tag out at home to conclude the double play.
The Braves finished the regular season in first place, with a record of 14-2. They are seeded first in the double-elimination playoff tournament, and will play Thursday afternoon July 8 against the winner of the #8 vs. #9 game. As Coach Ross reminded the team, everything starts over in the playoffs.
Ross thanked the boys for many things after the game, but especially for being excellent team players who supported each other and picked each other up.
A bevy of local celebrities were in the house for this thrilling tilt, including former Braves coach Dave Pritchard and his son (and Braves alum) Chris Pritchard (who served as bat boy, in-dugout cheerleader and roving encourager for his former teammates) and Chris' mom Kathy Rogers; Ryan's aunt and uncle Lisa and Dave; Nick's big sister Zoe and Evan's big sister Kait (a very faithful fan this season); one of Jack Kivley's older sisters; and a number of players from other teams (including Yankees player Clay Dailey, who stuck around to hear Ross' post-game speech).
Look for an email from Coach Ross in the near future with details about the first playoff game and about a practice before that game.

Game 15: Braves 11, Cubs 2

With a full roster in the dugout for the first time in a couple of weeks, the Braves defeated the Cubs 11-2 Tuesday night at Water Tower.
The victory clinched #1 seeding for the Braves in the playoffs.
As visiting team, the Braves batted first. With one out, Alec, Jack and Connor all drew walks, and Alec scored on a wild pitch. Connor took the mound in the bottom half of the inning, and struck out the side. 1-0, Braves.
The Braves have a team where all 12 players can have good at-bats. They proved this in the top of the second inning, when the lower half of the batting order propelled the team to a big inning. Scott singled up the middle and Tyler drew a walk. Anthony doubled to center field, driving in Scott. Liam grounded out productively to the second baseman, driving in Tyler. Ryan walked. Nick doubled to center field, driving in Anthony and Ryan. With two outs, Jack singled over the first baseman's head, and Nick came in to score. Connor then tripled to right field, scoring Jack.
In the bottom half of the inning, Evan Miller singled for the Cubs, but Connor struck out the next two batters, and Anthony caught a fly ball in right field to end the inning. 7-0, Braves.
The game rolled quietly until the bottom of the 4th, when the Cubs scratched out a run, in part due to fielding miscues. 7-1, Braves.
In the top of the 5th, Nick singled through the right side of the infield, took second base on a wild pitch, and moved to third base on Jack's groundout. Then the fleet-footed Cambodian-American, leading aggressively off third base, drew a wild throw and dashed home to score. Connor singled up the middle, took second base on a passed ball, and scored on Will's single to right center field. Evan then singled to right center, scoring Will. 10-1, Braves.
In the bottom of the 5th, with Alec on the mound, a Cubs batter reached on an infield single. But when the next batter, Sam Horn, hit a foul fly partway down the right field line, Cookie (Will) hustled over from first base to make the catch. Alec struck out the next batter for the second out. With the bases loaded, our big redhead fanned the next batter for the third out. 10-1, Braves.
In the top of the 6th, Scott singled through the left side and moved to second on a passed ball. Tyler hit a strong fly to center field, but the Cubs centerfielder made a nice sliding catch to record an out. Anthony grounded out to the shortstop; Scott moved to third on the play, then scored when the Cubs failed to take care of the ball. Ryan ripped a liner to the right side that the Cubs second baseman speared in a fine play.
In the bottom of the 6th, Cubs batter Zach Casey walked, but was erased on a fielder's choice that left the next batter on base with one out. That Cubs runner was then caught in a rundown between first and second, with shortstop Connor throwing to first baseman Tyler, who applied the tag. Two outs.
Cubs slugged Evan Miller then smacked a ground rule double to right center. When the next batter reached base, Miller scored, and the ball squirted out to the middle of the infield. Tyler alertly scooted over, grabbed the ball and fired to second, with many of us thinking he had thrown the advancing runner out. However, he was called safe. The next batter grounded sharply to the right side, but second baseman Ryan swiftly caught to the ball, pivoted, then calmly threw the runner out. Braves win, 11-2.
Game ball: Coaches awarded the game ball to Connor for his strong three innings of pitching and his consistent hitting all year.
Playoff seeding: Coach Ross also announced that victory clinched #1 seeding for the Braves in the playoffs. The playoffs begin Tuesday July 6. Unofficially, the likely scenario right now is that the #8 and #9 seeds would play on July 6; the winner of that game would play against the Braves on Wednesday July 7. This is a double-elimination tournament, so teams continue to play until they lost two games. The scenario I just outlined is unofficial; Little League will release the playoff schedule after the regular season ends Friday.
Next game: The Braves conclude their regular season on Friday with a game against the Phillies. Game begins at 6:30 p.m.; please have your Brave there at 5:30 p.m. for batting practice and warmups.

Game 14: Padres 10, Braves 5 (by guest blogger Karen W. Higgins)

I am the guest blogger and want to share three main points about Thursday night's game:
1) We never gave up completely.
2) Mr. Higgins was sorely missed but one of his best friends, Dean Zemel, came to help cheer in the midst of adversity and gave us two phrases: "Be one with the Ball" and "Home of the Braves" as we worked hard to regain some ground. Personally I like "Be one with the Ball" as a good connection was made with the ball. But I learned that only goes so far. And it brought smiles to the peanut gallery watching the game.
3) This team has great parents supporting our young men. Each of us have our own way to cajole the team. And it brings smiles to me the way we all care the kids have a good experience that goes beyond winning.
I end this blog with pictures taken by our family friend Nathan Wallin from a few games ago. Enjoy, and let's look forward to some good games next week. Go Braves.
Karen Higgins and Company








Photos courtesy of Nathan Wallin

Game 13: Braves 25, Brewers 2

The Braves batted around in both the first and third innings and crushed four homers, including two grand slams. But what Coach Ross wanted to talk about the team's 25-2 victory over the Brewers Monday afternoon was the fabulous team defense in the first inning.
As home team, the Braves took the field first, with Evan on the mound. The first Brewers batter dropped down an excellent bunt to the left of the mound. Braves third baseman Jack, pitcher Evan and first baseman Tyler all charged toward the plate as soon as the batter squared up to bunt. Jack picked up the ball and fired to second baseman Nick, covering at first, for the out. A bang-bang play, executed perfectly by the Braves. In the same inning, Matt (at shortstop) and Jack both made fine pickups of ground balls and threw sharply to Tyler at first for the outs.
With one out in the bottom of the first, Nick battled a good Brewers pitcher with foul after foul through ten pitches until he finally drew a walk. That seemed to break the ice for the Braves, who proceeded to bat around. Jack doubled, driving in Nick. Connor singled to right field, bringing Jack home. Will blooped a single to right, scoring Connor. Matt walked. Scott singled to bring Will and Matt home, and scored on a passed ball. Anthony singled, and Liam followed with a single to score Anthony. Tyler drove in Anthony with a groundout to the right side, and Nick singled into right field to score Liam. Braves 9, Brewers 0.
Anthony took the mound in the second inning. As he and our other hurlers pitch to contact, our defense continues to do its job. Third baseman Jack grabbed a grounder and threw out the first batter. Anthony helped himself by snaring a soft liner for the second out. Then Anthony finished off the inning by striking out the third batter with two successive changeups, the second one slower than the first. (I've noticed that's a theme in Little League Majors pitching this year -- the advent of the changeup, a pitch thrown ideally with the same motion as a fastball, but somewhat slower speed, disrupting the batter's timing.)
In the bottom of the second, one of the goofier moments of the season: Matt ducked out of the way of a high pitch, which hit something and rolled onto the field. The alert Brewers catcher picked up the ball and threw to first. The otherwise solid home-plate umpire seemed momentarily flummoxed by it. Both teams agreed the ball hit Matt's bat as he was ducking out of the way. The Brewers contended the ball hit only the bat. The Braves argued it hit the bat and then the catcher's mask, making it a foul ball. In the end, with no instant replay review at Water Tower, the umpire ruled it a ball in play and the out was recorded.
Strong Braves defense continued in the third inning. Anthony struck out the first batter. The next batter hit a grounder up the middle and through Anthony's legs, but shortstop Scott was in position and threw him out. Two Brewers walked, but the Braves snuffed out the rally on the next grounder, with Scott throwing to Evan at third base for a forceout.
The thundersticks returned in the third inning. Evan singled and took second on an error. Anthony singled him in. Liam walked. Anthony scored on an error. Nick singled, plating Liam. Then Jack gave Nick's legs a rest, crushing his second homer of the season, so both boys could trot home. Connor followed with a homer to center field, his eighth of the season. Cookie (Will), Matt and Scott all followed with singles, loading the bases for Evan.
If you know Evan at all, you know he approaches whatever he is doing with complete intensity and commitment. I'm sure he stood in the batter's box thinking only about getting the bat on the ball. But he got a pitch in his hot zone and slammed it over the fence in right field for his first home run and a grand slam to boot. He was screaming with excitement as he hopped around the bases.
Anthony and Liam both singled to center field to extend the inning, and Nick drove in the final run with a single. 20-0, Braves.
In the top of the fourth, our rookie Cookie took the ball on the mound. He struck out the first two batters looking, then hard-nosed Brewers player Joey Anzia battled him through several foul balls, then ripped a single. The next batter hit a high line drive that Liam left his feet to snare.
The Braves added more runs in the fifth. Evan singled and took second on an error. Anthony singled. Liam hit into a fielder's choice, driving in Evan. Nick and Jack walked, then Connor followed with a grand slam, his ninth homer of the year.
The Brewers, who never quit, got on the board with two runs due in part to aggressive baserunning. Final score: Braves 25, Brewers 2.
Coaches awarded the team ball to Evan.
Braves alum Chris Pritchard and his dad, our former coach Dave Pritchard, both watched big chunks of the game. I can tell you this: Chris roots for the Braves as intensely as if he were still on the squad. Thank you, Chris, for being one of our role models and a great supporter.
Homer time: I don't want to overemphasize home runs, because boys can mess up a good swing and hurt their team by trying too hard to hit dingers. But the Braves are loving the recent summer power surge they've put on. They were trying to add up the year's total last night. I think this is it: Connor, 9; Nick, 4; Jack, 2; Alec, 1; Evan, 1. Total to date: 17 HRS. I don't know the homer totals for other teams, but I would be surprised if any other team has 5 boys who have homered this year.
Changing speeds: Connor's at-bats have been impressive. He made a point of saying to me, "I hit singles, too," and he does. He has become patient enough to adjust to the speed of each individual pitcher.
Returning to the theme of changeups: Some of the Braves, including some of our better hitters, have more trouble with a slow pitch than a fast one. As we have started to see this season, some of the best pitchers aren't necessarily guys who throw as hard as possible all the time, but who vary the speed and location of their pitches with some control. Matt Bernstein of the Red Sox, for example. This is why studying a new pitcher, including studying your teammates' at-bats, is important. Matt will nearly always throw a good hitter a changeup during an at-bat. (When he pitched against Nick, for example, he threw it with two strikes in the first at-bat, and as the first pitch in the second at-bat.) Swinging out of your shoes on every pitch leads to a lot of misses. Our team success at the plate shows that getting the bat on the ball is the most important thing, not necessarily hitting it as hard as possible each time. Be patient, don't lunge at the ball, and drive it.
Next game: Our next game is Thursday June 14 at Water Tower vs. the Padres. Please have your Brave at the batting cage area at 5:30 p.m. Thanks.

Games 12: Braves 15, Padres 5

With several regulars on vacation or unavailable, the Braves relied on strong performances from a nine-man squad and a younger brother to defeat the Padres 15-5 on a warm Saturday afternoon at Water Tower Park.
The coaches awarded Jack the game ball for a strong afternoon that included his first homer, a blast over the right-center fence; four rbis; and a sparkling, intelligent play at third base that Coach Ross talked with the team about after the game.
With a runner on third, you will hear coaches yell, "Check 3, go 1." In this case, Jack actually did it, and made it pay off.
With runners on first and third and no one out, the Padres batter grounded sharply to third. Jack scooped up the ball and looked at the runner on third base, freezing him for a few moments. Jack then threw to Tyler at first base for the first out. The runner at third took off for home. Tyler fired home and Scott applied for the tag, for a rare but sweet 5-3-2 double play. Jack's look at the runner, freezing him for a few moments, made the double play possible, Ross said.
The Braves began the game with nine team members, plus Connor's brother Carson as a call-up from the minors. Tyler, who started on the mound, dispatched the Padres in the first inning with an economical 7 pitches, aided by a double play started by Connor when he caught a line drive.
The Braves scratched out a run in the second. Connor singled sharply on the first pitch he saw, moved to second in the course of play and scored on a single by Scott. Braves 1, Padres 0.
But in the top of the third, the Padres, aided by a couple of walks and some miscues in the field, put up 4 runs. Padres 4, Braves 1.
The Braves showed their resiliency by batting around and putting up 7 runs in their half of the third inning. Liam singled on a two-strike pitch (the first of his two two-strike hits this afternoon). Then Carson was hit by a pitch, putting runners at 1st and 2nd bases. Nick doubled to drive in Liam, with Carson moving to third. Matt singled, driving in Carson. Alec singled, driving in Nick. Then Connor singled, driving in Matt. With Alec and Connor on base, Jack fouled off several pitches to stay alive, then clouted his first homer in the majors, to genuine shouts of joy from his teammates. In the same inning, Anthony showed the value of batting cage work, laying down a perfect bunt single. Braves 8, Padres 4.
Matt took the mound in the top of the 4th, striking out the first batter and inducing ground balls to the next two.
In the bottom of the fourth with one out, Nick started the action by drawing a walk after a full count. Matt singled. With two strikes, Alec ripped a double, scoring Nick and Matt. Connor singled to drive home Alec, then Jack singled to drive in Connor. Jack eventually came around to score himself. Braves 13, Padres 4.
The Padres scratched out a run in the fifth, but the double play initiated by Jack snuffed out their rally. In the bottom of the fifth, Liam capped an 8-pitch at-bat by singling. Nick followed with a double. Then, with two outs, Alec singled, driving in both Liam and Nick. Braves 15, Padres 5.
Matt and the defense shut the Padres down in the top of the sixth. Final score: Braves 15, Padres 5.
Afterwards, Coach Ross stressed that playing solid defense, especially in the infield, and making smart decisions with the ball would be priorities over the next few games, as the Braves prepare for the playoffs in July.
Next game: Our next game is Monday June 21 at 4:30 p.m. vs. the Brewers. Please have your Brave at Water Tower by 3:30 p.m. If your player can't make a game, please let us know as soon as you can.

Game 11: Braves 13, Red Sox 12

Unlike many other sports, baseball is not ruled by the clock. The advantage to being home team is one last chance at bat to seize control of the game.
The resilient Braves proved that Saturday morning, defying the odds and thrilling their audience with a come-from-behind victory over the determined Red Sox.
The Braves began the bottom of final inning down 12-3. But in that fateful frame, 13 batters stepped to plate, scoring 10 runs. The Braves rapped out 8 hits and drew three walks (Nick, Evan and Connor each had two hits in the inning). The Braves scored the final six runs with two outs.
No one would have predicted this outcome based on the start of the game. The Braves dug themselves a ginormous hole. After two innings, they were down 11-0, thanks to a combination of walks, errors, poor throws and concentration lapses in the field (By my bookkeeping, the Red Sox had only two actual hits in the first two innings. But that disciplined and aggressive team made the Braves pay for every miscue.)
Meanwhile, Red Sox pitcher Matt Bernstein was dealing on the mound, changing speed and location of his pitches craftily, and fooling Braves hitters with some filthy changeups. (That's filthy in a good way.)
Will took the mound for the Braves in the third inning, and kept the team in the game by throwing two scoreless innings. Evan helped him in the fourth inning with a fine sliding catch of a fly ball in right field.
In the bottom of the fourth, the Braves began to fight back. With two outs, Evan singled to right field and stormed his way to third base on a couple of Red Sox errors. Then Connor crushed his seventh homer of the season to left-center. Alec (Le Grand Orange)then smacked a line-drive homer to center field, the first of his majors career and the Braves first set of back-to-back homers this season. 11-3, Red Sox after 4.
Both Jack and Matt hit long flies into the outfield in the fifth inning, but the sure-handed Red Sox outfielders made the catches. The Red Sox scratched out a run in the top of the 6th inning to make it 12-3 before the Braves final at-bats.
The Bottom of the 6th

Here's how it went down in the bottom of the 6th.
1. Nick, leading off, bounced a grounder to third base and, foreshadowing some speedy baserunning later in the inning, beat the fielder's throw for an infield single.
2. Evan singled, with Nick moving to third.
3. While Connor was at bat, Nick scored on a wild pitch and Evan moved up to second. Connor then drew a walk. 12-4, Red Sox.
4. Alec doubled, driving in both Evan and Connor. 12-6, Red Sox, with Alec on second base.
5. Will battled in the box long enough for Alec to move to third. He took a called third strike. 1 out.
6. On a full count, Tyler walked, placing runners at first and third. (Let me emphasize that our walks in this inning weren't of the stand-there and take four bad pitches variety. They were battles with a decent Red Sox pitcher.)
7. With Anthony batting, Tyler stole second uncontested. Anthony grounded out to the right side, driving Alec home. 12-7, Red Sox, with 2 outs and Tyler at third base.
[From this point on, with two outs, each batter and baserunner could be the last out. Just keep that in mind.]
8. Jack worked the pitcher to a full count, and then drew a walk. Runners on first and third.
9. Scott singled, driving in Tyler and moved Jack to third base. 12-8.
10. Matt stepped up to bat. Jack scored on a wild pitch, and Scott moved up to second base. Matt singled, driving in Scott. 12-10, two outs.
11. Nick, who led off the inning, came to bat for the second time in the frame. In a thrilling at-bat, he stayed alive with two strikes by fouling off several pitches, then poked a hit to right field, driving in Matt. It was ruled a double, but Nick zoomed around the bases on the throws until he stood at third. 12-11, two outs, with Nick at third base.
12. With Evan at bat for the second time, Nick zoomed home on a wild pitch to tie the game at 12 each. Then, on a 2-2 count, Evan then ripped a double to center field.
13. Connor, batting for the second time, hammered a double to right field, scoring Evan. It's a walk-off win for the Braves, 13-12.
After the game, Coach Ross Harmsen said the team ball would be awarded to the entire team for a great comeback in which every kid played a role.

Game 10: Braves 11, Red Sox 8

The Braves built a big early lead, then shut down a final-inning rally to defeat the determined Red Sox 11-8 Wednesday evening at Water Tower Park.
As visiting team, the Braves batted first. Matt and Alec drew walks. With one out, Connor singled to bring Matt home. Evan's single plated Alec and Connor. Anthony singled, then Ryan doubled to drive in both Evan and Anthony. Jack's groundout drove home Ryan with the final run on the inning. 6-0, Braves.
On the mound, Alec was dealing from the start. (Translation: he was pitching well, firing strikes.) The Red Sox scratched out a run in the first, but that's all they would see for several innings. 6-1, Braves, after one inning.
In the top of the second, with two out, Nick ripped his fourth homer of the season into the trees beyond the right-field fence. Evan also hit a big poke to left field that the Red Sox outfielder corralled just a few feet short of the fence. 7-1, Braves.
Neither team scored in the third or fourth inning. Alec's pitching was aided by some strong fielding, including third baseman Ryan gloving a smash and throwing the runner out at first.
In the top of the fifth inning, Connor singled (he went 4 for 4 in this game), stole second and third and eventually scored on a passed ball. 8-1, Braves.
In the bottom of the fifth, with Alec still on the mound, third baseman Jack caught a line drive for the first out. Two Red Sox reached base on singles. But Alec reached back and struck out the next batter, then catcher Anthony fired to Jack at third to nab an attempted base stealer. A strike' em out, throw 'em out double play.
In the top of the sixth inning, the Braves added some insurance runs that turned out to be useful. Jack singled and Liam walked; both came around to score after a series of wild pitches and an RBI groundout by Tyler. Then Nick showed his speed by beating out an infield single and then swiping second base in a straight steal. Connor singled to drive Nick home. 11-1, Braves.
The Red Sox, though would not go quietly. The Red Sox parlayed a leadoff walk, a few hits and a few Braves throwing errors into a bigtime rally. Evan relieved Alec with one out and rung up a Red Sox batter for the second out. Then he battled through some adversity before striking out the final batter on a 3-2 pitch. The final score was 11-8.
Notes: The game ball for our previous game was awarded to Tyler, for his three-run double that broke open the game...With Nick's fourth homer of the season tonight, the Braves now have ten as a team (Connor has six)...because of external commitments that had the audacity to intrude into baseball, Matt and Tyler shared the leadoff spot: Matt played the first few innings before he had to leave, then Tyler arrived to finish off the game...Carson, Connor's younger brother, served as bat boy this evening.
Next game: Our next game is a rematch against the Red Sox at 9 a.m. Saturday June 12 at Water Tower. Please get your Brave to the park by 8 a.m.
Importance of communication: Coach Ross Harmsen noted that a few boys have family vacations in the near future, so we will play some games with a minimum 9 players. Please make sure you keep Ross posted on your son's availability for each game. Thanks.

Game 9: Braves 9, Yankees 2

The Braves have some excellent players, but no one is The Man. Actually, when it comes to Braves, any player can be The Man on any given play. The team's 9-2 victory over the disciplined and well-coached Yankees is the latest evidence of that.
The Braves batted first. With one out, Evan singled past the shortstop, Nick singled to center field, and Connor drew a walk, loading the bases. Ryan drove in Evan with an RBI groundout to short. 1-0, Braves.
The Yankees battled back to tie the game in the first through a combination of walks and an error, but catcher Ryan ended the Yanks' rally by throwing back to pitcher Connor to tag a runner out at the plate. 1-1.
In the top of the second, Tyler, Will & Jack all walked to load the bases. Anthony singled to drive in Tyler. Scott hit a fielder's choice to short, driving in Will. Liam singled through the right side, but Yankees third baseman Jack Friesch grabbed a line smash by Alec to end the inning. 3-1, Braves.
After his first-inning jitters, Connor found his command in the second inning, striking out the side around a harmless walk.
The Braves broke through in the third with a big timely hit. Evan singled sharply up the middle. Nick pushed him over to second with a groundout to the first baseman. Connor singled through the left side, then Matt walked to load the bases. Lefty Tyler then smashed a double to center field, driving in all three runners. 6-1, Braves.
Connor's infield defense supported him in the bottom of the third. The first batter grounded into the hole on the right side of the diamond, but Nick ranged over quickly to vacuum it up and throw him out. Then, with runners on first and second and two outs, third baseman Jack fielded a grounder and calmly fired a seed to first for the third out. Folks, a Little League third baseman throwing out a runner at first is not a given! Excellent play by Jack.
In the top of the 4th, the Braves took advantage of some Yankee generosity to extend their lead. With two outs, Scott and Liam both drew walks. Alec's single to right field plated Scott. 7-1, Braves.
This is a good place to point out that at-bats can be good even when they don't produce hits. Nick, Ryan and Evan all had at-bats where they fouled off multiple pitches, running up the opposing pitcher's pitch count.
The Braves shut down the Yankees in the bottom of the 4th with more good defense, including Evan snatching a fly ball at third.
In the top of the fifth inning, Nick singled sharply over the first baseman's head. Then Connor crushed his sixth homer of the season over the center field fence. 9-1, Braves.
Will relieved Connor on the mound with one out in the bottom of the fifth. He pitched effectively to contact, inducing a grounder for the second out and grabbing a comebacker and firing to first base to finish off the inning.
After the Braves failed to score in the top of the sixth, Will came back out to the mound. With one out, a Yankee runner reach first on an error. When he tried to go to third on the ensuing batter's hit, centerfielder Matt fired a perfect throw to Jack at third base to tag the runner out. A subsequent batter drove in a run, but the game ended with shortstop Connor spearing a line drive. 9-2, Braves.
Next game: 6:30 p.m. Wednesday vs. the Red Sox at Water Tower. Please have your Brave there by 5:30 p.m.

Jack in the field

Photo courtesy of Nathan Wallin

Game 6: Braves 24, As 5

The Braves rapped out 23 hits and ran the bases aggressively on the way to a 24-5 victory Saturday afternoon at the occasionally fog-shrouded Water Tower Park.
Each Brave got at least one hit and scored at least one run. Will drove in 5 runs, and Jack was 4 for 4.
In the bottom of the 1st inning, Evan singled, and moved around the bases on wild pitches. Anthony drove him in with a groundout. With two outs, Alec singled, and Scott drove him in. After Nick and Connor walked to load the bases, Will cleared them by crushing a double into the outfield and kept running until he scored himself. 6-0 Braves, after 1.
After pitcher Connor shut down the As in the second, the Braves turned the hit machine back on. Jack, Evan, Anthony and Alec all singled; Nick tripled, and came home on a wild pitch. 11-0 Braves.
In the top of the third Evan, who was pitching, working around a single and a walk to shut the As down.
In the Braves half of the inning, Ryan and Jack doubled, then Liam singled, coming around to score himself on Anthony's single. 14-0, Braves.
The As put up 4 runs in the fourth inning. It could have been more, but Will alertly tagged a runner who approached 3rd base when he had the ball.
In the bottom of the fourth, Connor tripled with one out and stole home on a wild pitch. Will singled. Ryan was hit by a pitch. Jack drove in Will with a single; Liam drove in Jack; Evan plated Liam. 18-4, Braves.
Anthony made his season debut on the mound in the 5th inning, posting two strikeouts and limiting the As to a single run.
The Braves batted around in the bottom of the 5th, sending 12 batters to the plate and scoring 6 times, with Will's double to center field the big hit.
On the mound, Connor closed out the 6th and final inning impressively, striking out the 3 batters he faced. Braves 24, As 5.
Next game: 6 p.m. Monday May 24 against the Rays. Please have your Brave to Water Tower at 5 p.m.

Game 3: Braves 25, Brewers 10

In a game that could have given a scorekeeper a severe case of writer's cramp, the Braves defeated the young Brewers 25 to 10 in a battle of Milwaukee namesakes past and present.
Five Braves pitched, including season debuts for Tyler and Scott.
With the Braves batting first, Alec and Scott got the offense started by -- getting hit by pitches. Connor then crushed a no-doubter homer over the left-field fence for a 3-0 lead.
Evan started on the mound, pounding the strike zone. After a Brewer reached on an infield single, Connor (at shortstop) started a double play that Tyler finished at first to end the inning.
In the second inning, Matt, Evan, Alec (double), Anthony and Scott (double) hit safely consecutively to stretch the Braves' lead to 6-0.
The Brewers grabbed three runs back in the second inning, but Liam put an end to their rally by grabbing a flyout at second base. (The Braves' improvement in catching fly balls and line drives, especially in the outfield, is a positive trend this season.)
Taking advantage of a tiring pitcher, the Braves broke the game open with a 9-run third inning. The Braves batted around (Connor, Ryan and Tyler all batted twice in the inning). Big hits included a 2-rbi single by Liam and a double to right field by Scott. After reaching first on a single, Nick showed his wheels by scoring easily from first on a double by Connor.
Speaking of wheels, Jack raced home on a wild pitch in the 4th inning to make the score 16-4. In the same frame, Evan ripped a liner to left field, but a fine catch by the outfielder took a possible double away.
The Brewers battled back with a 6-run 4th inning to make the score 16-10. Matt put a stop to the bleeding with an excellent catch in right field.
With one out in the 5th and Scott on first base after a single, Nick pounded a homer over the center field fence. Connor doubled and Tyler drove him home with a single. Braves, 19-10.
Alec continued his stellar season of pitching in the fifth. Anthony grabbed the first out on a fly to right, then Alec struck out the next two batters.
The fifth inning ended just short of the time cutoff, so the teams decided to play one more inning. In the Braves' half of the 6th, Alec singled in Liam, who had walked. Then, with two outs and two on, Nick hit his third homer of the season, over the right-centerfield fence. Connor followed with a single and Ryan doubled him home, bringing the score to 25-10.
Connor threw a scoreless frame, including two strikeouts, to close out the final half-inning.
You might be tempted to say that the Braves, as an older team, should beat the Brewers, a younger game. What impresses me are the many signs of improvement in the Braves: making plays on defense, catching flies, running the bases smartly, taking care of the baseball and not making wild throws.
Saturday's game: Remember that Saturday's game against the Rays begins at 9 a.m. Please make sure your Brave gets to the Water Tower batting practice area by 8 a.m. Saturday.

Practice photos 5-3-2010

{sorry about the low resolution -- I was using the phone camera]

Game 2: Braves 10, Yankees 4

Buoyed by strong defense and propelled by a big inning, the Braves defeated the Yankees 10-4 Saturday afternoon at Water Tower Park.
With the game scoreless in the bottom of the second inning, Nick beat out an infield single and went to second on the overthrow. Will moved him over to third, and Anthony drove him home with a two-out single, to put the Braves up 1-0.
With the game tied 1-1 in the bottom of the 4th, Scott walked with 1 out and stole second. Then Nick homered over the center field fence to give the Braves a 3-1 lead.
With a double, a bunt single and aggressive baserunning, the Yankees tied the game at 3 in the top of the 5th inning. But the Braves batted around in their half of the inning, scoring 7 runs to take a 10-3 lead. Anthony singled to right, Jack walked and Tyler rapped a single to the left side to load them up. Then Matt crushed a triple to centerfield, clearing the bases. Alec drove in Matt with a single. Connor walked, and both he and Alec moved up on a wild pitch. Nick singled sharply up the middle to bring Alec home. Connor raced home a passed ball. Will doubled to center, scoring Nick.
Notable moments from the game
Fielding: In the top of the 3rd, with the game tied at 1-1, Jack made two catches in the outfield, including a fine running grab of a line drive. If he misses either of those, the game might have turned in a different direction. He also made a couple of nice plays in the infield. Nick ranged far at second base to grab two flyouts, and stretched his long frame at first base to record the putout on a throw across the diamond from Will. Coach Ross also noted after the game that the Braves made smart decisions with the ball: no wild throws or airmailed balls.
Hitting: Kudos to Tyler, who drew a walk and consequently forced the pitcher next time to throw him a strike, which he ripped hard down the left side for a single. Liam crushed a line drive that a good second baseman speared (and Jack alertly got back on second base without getting doubled up). Ryan practically knocked down a Yankees pitcher with a hard smash up the middle (the pitcher was OK).
Pitching: Alec, Will and closer Connor threw strikes and trusted their fielders to get the ball. Unless I failed in my notes, the Braves pitchers did not walk any batters in the game. In three innings Alec struck out 4 batters and did not walk anyone.
The Braves next play Wednesday May 5 vs. the Brewers at 6 p.m. If past practice is any indication, the coaches will ask the players to be at Water Tower at 5 p.m.

Season Wrap-up: Jack

From Coach Dave:
Jack: I didn’t know Jack before the season started. He was kind of quiet, a nice guy, but didn’t put too many holes in the outfield fence in pre-season practice. But what a hitter he turned out to be! He started off the season with five RBIs in our first game, and never let up.

Jack played a lot of third base for us. We tell the infielders to keep their bodies in front of hard ground balls, and no one did that better than Jack. His legs had plenty of bruises to show for it – they don’t call third base the “hot corner” for nothing. One ball even left the imprint of its seams in the bruise on his leg.

Jim's footnote:
Jack gets extra credit for classing up the bleachers with his loyal parents, his beautiful (and knowledgeable) sisters, their amiable boyfriends and various cute dogs.

All posts that mention Jack

Playoff Game Report: Cubs 10, Braves 8

The Braves’ season ended Thursday evening with a 10-8 loss to the Cubs, but our guys went down fighting. They can hold their heads high.
The Cubs, who had a very rough time winning during the regular season, played extremely well Thursday. Their coaches were amazed at their team’s flawless performance.
The Braves played well, too, with several solid hits and some sparkling defense. Our fielding was simply great.
In the first inning, for example, with a bright sun burning into his eyeballs, second baseman Ryan somehow caught a pop-up in short right field. In the third inning first baseman Tyler saved several runs by s-t-r-e-t-c-h-i-n-g ever so far to catch three less-than-perfect throws for outs. Everyone marveled at how he was able to keep his toe in contact with the base on those plays.
The Cubs started to make a move in the fourth, but the Braves cut them short with two nice plays. The first came with a runner on third, Jason pitching, and Ryan catching. A pitch got past Ryan, and the runner sprinted for home. Ryan scrambled back to the fence to retrieve the ball and made a perfect toss to Jason covering the plate for the out. The second play came with two outs and runners on the bases. The batter smoked a line drive toward center field. Chris, at shortstop, dove to his left and somehow snared the ball in the webbing of his glove for the out.
The Braves had lots of success at the plate, too, slamming seven extra base hits. In the first inning Chris bombed a three-run homer to right-center field. Later in the first, Ryan laced a triple down the right-field line, scoring on Alec’s RBI single.
In the second Scott led off with a line shot to the left-center-field fence for a double. Then Matt drove in Scott with a double of his own, this one to right-center. Not to be outdone, Jason blasted a double to left-center, driving in Matt.
The Braves had runners on base in the fourth and fifth innings, but could not get them home. Then the sixth, with the Braves down 10-6. Chris led off with a solo homer over the center-field fence. Jack followed with a double, and after two outs Alec drove him in with a single. Now the score was 10-8, with a good base runner on first. We wanted to stay aggressive and maintain pressure on a flustered defense. We gave Alec the sign to steal. Sadly (for us), the Cubs’ catcher made his best throw of the season to nip Alec at second, and the game was over. The good feelings about the season, however, were not over – and never will be. The evening ended with perfect weather and a wonderful team party at Liam’s house. All of the Braves were there, and everyone had a ball.
Thanks to all of you.
Dave

Updates: July 1 practice, July 2 Orioles game, July 4 parade, Little League tournament

1. We will practice Wednesday (July 1) from 4 to 5:30 p.m. at Atwater School. I hope lots of guys can make it.
2. I know that Jack, Ryan, Alec, and Connor will be absent for Thursday's regular-season finale. That leaves us with nine guys, which means that no one will be sitting on the Braves' bench. If anyone else will miss the game, please let me know ASAP because we'd have to get a third grader to play up with us.
3. If your son would like to march in the July 4 Whitefish Bay parade with other Braves, please have him get to position 22 at the parade launch site at least 20 minutes before the start of the parade (all of the info except our parade position is in the e-mail I sent earlier).
If he wants to toss or pass out candy to kids watching the parade, that's fine -- but players must supply their own candy. We will not let players throw candy hard. Hand-offs or underhand tosses are fine.
4. The Little League double-elimination tournament begins July 6. If your Brave will be unavailable any days between July 6 and July 18, please let me know.
Thanks!
Dave

Game Story: Braves 16, Cubs 1

Coaches Dave and Ross have drilled and hammered the Braves on their defensive responsibilities in practice during the last week-plus. The Braves proved they've been paying attention in a 16-1 victory over the Cubs Monday evening at Water Tower Park.
While the Braves hit well on this windy and rain-interrupted evening, they weren't hammering the ball out of the park. Instead, they took advantage of every Cub mistake, while playing stout defense they deprived the Cubs of any chance to make it a game.
Liam led the parade with stellar fielding in right field and left field. He caught a deep fly ball in right field with no outs and a runner on first base, likely preventing a run. He also cleanly picked up two other singles hit to the outfield, and made strong, accurate throws to the cutoff men. Coach Dave was beaming about Liam's outfield play.
Jason started the game on the mound, and helped his own cause by spearing a liner and grabbing a grounder.
Then the Braves batted around in the first inning. Jason doubled. Chris brought him home with a single to right field. Jack walked, and Alec singled Chris home. Matt walked, Jack stole home on a passed ball. Evan singled, driving in Alec and Matt. Nick singled. Evan scored on a passed ball. Tyler walked, Anthony singled, scoring Nick. Connor singled, bringing Tyler home. Jason came to bat for the second time in the inning, and ripped a hard liner that was snared by the Cubs shortstop. The inning ended with the Braves up 8-0.
More highlights:
Batting: Each Brave reached base at least once, and 10 different Braves scored at least one run.
As Coach Dave pointed out after the game, three Braves took one for the team, getting hit by pitches: Scott, Alec and Tyler, all in the second inning.
Two Braves hit the ball hard, took off running, and never stopped until they cross home plate. In the third inning, with Jason on base, Scott ripped a ball into center field that bounced hard and got past the Cubs centerfielder. Scott made it all the way home. Coach Rick scored it a triple and error by the Cubs, but the boys treated it as a homer and rushed out to greet Scott.
Then, in the fourth inning, Nick smashed a ball down the right field line and zoomed around the bases before sliding safely across home plate. Coach Dave called it a legit inside-the-park home run, as the Cubs made no errors on the play, and joked that he had never seen Nick run so fast. What I noticed was how flawlessly Nick turned at each base.
Connor was 3 for 3 with 3 singles. Jason, Chris, Alec, Nick & Anthony each had 2 hits. Matt walked 3 times. With a single and a walk, Evan drove in 3 runs.
Pitching: Scott made his Braves pitching debut in the 4th inning. Aided by their stingy defense, Jason, Matt, Chris and Evan turned in scoreless innings. Evan finished off the final out with a running snow-cone grab of a soft liner.
Defense: At shortstop, Chris snagged a hard liner by Cubs' slugger Zach Casey. In the 4th inning, with runners on 1st and 2nd and no outs, shortstop Jason scooped out a hard grounder and threw alertly to Matt at 3rd to get the lead runner. (I love watching Jason in the field -- he always has his head in the game.) In addition to his other fine plays, Liam almost threw out the lead runner going to second on a single to right field.
Debuts: In addition to Scott's pitching debut, Jason made his Braves' debut as a catcher in the 6th inning.
Next game: 6:30 p.m. Thursday July 2, vs. the Orioles. Have your Brave at Water Tower by 5:45 p.m. for warmups and practice.