Yankees • Riviera LittleLeague 'Major Division' • 2010 Season
Wow!
Pirates 15, Yankees 14
More Thrills! More Chills!
Posted by The Scoredad on June 12th, 2010
The championship game for the Riviera Major division between the top seeded Yankees and the fifth seeded Pirates was one for the ages. A game with a little bit of everything for everybody. A game with an ending that could only be written in Hollywood. A game that you actually did not want to end; except for the raw nerves and nail biting moments endured. Not by the players of course, but by the frenzied folks, families and fans of those cool characters on the field. A game that can only be described as - Wow!
The coin was tossed and the visiting Yankees were up first facing Will on the hill for the Pirates. A strikeout and a groundout to AJ at short were two quick Yankee outs, but Jordan lined a hit to right field and Max followed with a tricky fly to right that got by the fielder for an rbi triple. Ethan hit a chopper right over the bag at second to bring in Max and the Yankees had rallied with two down for a 2-0 lead. Jordan was the starting pitcher for the Yankees and the Pirates showed their pluck right from the start. Chase battled in the leadoff spot fouling off a third strike with a full count before drawing a walk. Three pitches later Jordan notched his first strikeout, but AJ drove his pitch past the mound into center field to score Chase. Will works his count full for a walk and Michael lays down a perfect seven foot bunt to load the bases. The first pitch to Blake kicks away and AJ runs home to tie the score at 2 before Jordan gets out number 2 on a strikeout. George hits one hard toward the middle that bounces off a foot and with a wide throw George takes second and two more score. Ryan chops one over 3B and Raymond gets it quickly back in to hold runners on the corners. Another chopper by Kyle bounces off another glove and another run crosses the plate. Another pitch kicks away at the plate and before Jordan has struck out the side the Pirates have pushed six across to lead 6-2 after one inning.
In the second inning the Yankees put three in play, but the grounders are well executed by the Pirate second baseman and shortstop. Jordan likewise put the brakes on the Pirates allowing a sole walk while striking out 2 more before Jake chases down a soft liner at short. That would be the only quiet inning of the game.
Will struck out the leadoff Yankee to start the third, but Griffin worked a walk when it was his turn. With Mike at the plate, a couple of pitches are in the dirt and Griffin steals second and third before Mike draws his walk. On the first pitch to Jake, Mike takes off to draw the throw. But no throw. So Mike stops at the halfway point to force the issue. The gamble paid off as the throw from the pitcher got away and Mike winds up on second and Griffin scores. Jake is behind his count 0-2, but lines a beauty to deep right field for a double that scores Mike. Jordan lines a shot into center, but Eli makes the catch and Jake has to hold at second. A hard Max grounder is well played by George at third and the Yankees have cut the Pirate lead in half 6-4. AJ leads off for the Pirates and hits one deep over Raymond in left. Raymond gives chase and gets it back in quickly to hold AJ to a double. AJ takes third on a pitch in the dirt, but when Will hits a sharp comebacker, Jordan goes home where Brandon is blocking the plate and AJ is the first out on a fine play. Michael hits a chopper to the right side that is bobbled and the runners are on first and second. Blake chops a short hopper middle, but no play is possible and the bases are loaded. Good taunting footwork by Will at third base draws a throw that brings him home. A strikeout is out number two, but another pitch kicks away to bring home Michael. A chopper to Griffin is well played on pitch number 86 by Jordan and the game is half over with the Pirates lead back up to 8-4.
The fourth inning was a gem for Will as he got a couple of popups with 4 pitches and then a strikeout with 5 more. Jake took over as the Yankee pitcher and was greeted with Kyle and a hit down the third base line. Ethan got it back in quickly to hold Kyle to a single. Kyle stole second and then third while the next batter went down on a foul tip third strike held by Brandon. Eli drew a walk and steals second during strikeout number two. Chase comes up and a couple of balls kick away at the plate to allow Kyle and Eli to score. The Chase fly ball to center is not caught, but he only gets to third as Jake strikes out the side. Pirates 10 Yankees 4.
Fifth inning and Will is cruising on the hill. He gets a strikeout on the first Yankee and Shane works his 7 pitches into a walk. Four more pitches are the second strikeout, though. Griffin hits his first pitch through the box where AJ does well to knock it down, but it is an infield single. Mike also hits one hard middle and again AJ gets to it, but the bases are loaded with two outs. Jake steps up and hits his 1-2 pitch low past third base and brings in two with a double. Jordan looks at five pitches to walk and load the bases again. Will has now pitched his limit and the Pirates call George in from the bullpen. Max stands in and works his count full. He fouls off strike three no less than three times before George finally gets one past him to get out of the jam. Pirates 10 Yankees 6. Jake pitches AJ carefully and allows a leadoff walk with AJ swiping second and third, but Jake throws only two more out of the zone this inning striking out the next two and inducing a grounder converted by Drew playing second to keep the Pirate lead at four.
Sixth inning. Last inning. Last chance for the Yankees who need four to stay alive. Ethan leads off and draws a walk on 5 pitches. Brandon is next and does exactly the same thing. But the next two Yankees are rung up after fouling off strike three a couple of times and running the count full. One out away from the end of the season, Shane draws a walk to load the bases and bring the tying run to the plate. That would be Raymond who works his count full and draws a walk to bring in Ethan with a run. Griffin stands in next and five pitches later he has drawn a walk to bring in Brandon's run. Mike is next and his four pitch walk forces in Shane and Raymond is sixty feet away with the tying run. Jake is working his count to give Raymond a chance to hustle home, but his count is 1-2. Jake hits a line drive middle for a double that brings in Raymond and Griffin with the tying and go-ahead runs. Wow. The Pirates call the bullpen for a relief pitcher to face Jordan. Jordy steps up and likes his first pitch. Likes it so much he creams it over the fence near the parked cars on Ocean Avenue. The crowd erupts and you could not hear a windshield crack if you tried. Wow. Wow. Yankees 14 Pirates 10.
But as Yogi Berra said: It ain't over 'til it's over.
George leads off the bottom of the sixth for the Pirates and is plunked on his first pitch. George takes second on a wild one and when Ryan hits a chopper to the right side, Jordan is able to get to it, but Ryan gets to the bag first while George scores. Yankees 14 Pirates 11. The next two batters work their counts full and Ryan swipes second, but Jake fans them both and the Pirates are one out away from the end of their season. Eli stands in and works his count full before he gets the call for ball four. Many opinions ring out, but only one counts. Scott is next and Jake is ahead of him 0-2 when his grounder to the right side trickles through and George scores. Yankees 14 Pirates 12 and the tying run is on first base. The Pirate hope is now Chase and he works his count until he sees one to his liking. Chase likes it a lot and sends it over the center field fence for a game-winning-two-out-come-from-ahead-come-from-behind-storybook-finish-three-run-homer that he will tell his grandchildren about in 2055. Wow. Wow. Wow.
The only down side to this game was that only one team could win. That does not diminish the efforts and achievements of the Yankees.
Yogis:
Mike was on base 3/4 with a couple of walks and a fifth inning hit. He stole a base and picked up a ribbie to go with his two runs scored. Duke executed the daring half stolen base tactic well to get another run home safely. Bambino Award.
Jake had his best game of the season. Three hits in four at bats and they were all doubles to set the single game record. He scored a run and drove in a Game High 5 runs. That was the third best rbi total for the season. His double in the top of the sixth inning with two outs drove in the two runs to give the Yankees their first lead of the game. The Energizer pitched three great innings striking out 7 while walking only 3. He gave up ZERO earned runs with a few Yankee errors working against him. Bambino Award and Big Unit Award.
Jordan had his best game of the season and that is saying a lot. Timing is everything in baseball and his timing was excellent. His hit in the first inning came around to score the first run of the day for his team. His only out was a line drive to center that would have been a hit most days. They pitched him carefully to a walk in the fifth and then in the top of the sixth inning he hit the mother of all homers to give his team a four run lead. Jordy pitched three great innings striking out six while walking only three. He gave up only one earned run with a few more Yankee errors working against him. Bambino Award and Big Unit Award.
Max got the team off to a good start in the first inning with his triple to right field that drove in the first run for the team. He came in to score the second run. Max was a tough out all game either putting the ball in play or repeatedly fighting off strike three as he did in the fifth inning.
Ethan was on base 2/3 with his rbi single in the first inning and his walk in the sixth inning that started the big 8 run rally. He stole a base and scored a run for the cause. The Ferrari hustled in the outfield with quick returns to hold the baserunners. Bambino Award.
Brandon kept putting the ball in play today but the third baseman had his number. Until the sixth inning when he kept the comeback rally going with a walk to follow Ethan. He also stole a base and scored a run. B Smooth took the assignment of catching the entire game. No small task in a championship game.
Shane had his keen eye working this game and it paid off for the team. He drew a one out walk in the fifth inning to spark that two run rally and his two out walk in the sixth inning sparked the big 8 run comeback. Fouling off a third strike the Wolfman scored both times. Bambino Award.
Raymond was once again right at the heart of the big sixth inning comeback. His full count walk drove in the first run in the inning and he came around to score the tying run in that rally. Raisin was another hustler in left field chasing them down and getting them back to the infield to stop the extra bases.
Griffin was yet another Yankee who had his best game of the season in the championship battle. Coming to bat with one out in the second inning and two outs in the fifth and sixth innings, he came through every time. His two walks and his single all came around to score a Game High three runs. He stole a couple of bases including home and had a ribbie as well. The Ninja was the bright spot in the infield handling third base well. He was the only error free Yankee infielder. Well done. Perfect Pinstripe Award.
Jacob and Drew had some tough luck the plate and oddly enough exactly matched inning by inning. Baseball can often be a weird and tough game.
The crowd buzz after this one was nearly unanimous. A classic show put on by two classic teams. A roller coaster ride that lasted nearly two hours. Entertainment value for the bleacher seats and plenty of fun on the field. Even a classic rock soundtrack from DJ Dewey:
Hit Me With Your Best Shot - Pat Benatar
The Middle - Jimmy Eat World
Eye of the Tiger - Survivor
One Way or Another - Blondie
Locomotion - Little Eva
Don't Fear the Reaper - Blue Oyster Cult
Only the Good Die Young - Billy Joel
Second Hand News - Fleetwood Mac
Down on the Corner - Creedence Clearwater Revival
Day Tripper - Beatles
Walking on Sunshine - Katrina & the Waves
I Love LA - Randy Newman
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