The Red Birds 2010 season continues for a few more games as Chanhassen visited Le Sueur on Thursday evening and beat the Braves 6-3 behind a fabulous pitching performance from Casey Malmgren.    After falling behind 2-0 after 6 innings, the Red Birds exploded for 5 runs on 7 singles in the top of the 7th inning and held on for a sweet victory in the valley of the "Jolly Green Giant".

For 4 innings, the game had all the makings of a toe-to-toe pitcher’s duel for these evenly matched teams.  Darron Culbert for the Braves faced just one batter over the minimum through 4 innings, allowing 3 hits but was aided by a double play in the first and a pickoff on a steal attempt by Adam Heitz in the 4^th.

Casey Malmgren was equal to the task retiring 12 of the first 13 Braves allowing just 1 hit, also assisted by a double play in the 2^nd, and two K’s on called third strikes.

Le Sueur broke in the scoring column first in the bottom of the 5^th inning.  LF Mike Koller opened with a single down the LF line.  C Nate Olson then took a pitch to his back and walked to 1^st, moving Koller to 2^nd.  After Brandon Culbert lifted a fly ball to short LF for the first out, Matt McPartland launched a ball to the ivy covered wall in center.  CF Jeff Pavlovich decoyed the possible catch well enough to keep the runners close to their base, then played the carom perfectly to keep Koller from scoring from 2^nd. 

With the bases loaded and 1 out, Malmgren got SS Jason Sundermann on a called third strike on the outside corner for the 2^nd out.   2B Ed Fahey then worked Malmgren for a walk to drive in Koller from 3^rd.  Malmgren pulled it together delivered a wicked curve that D.J. Damberger whiffed on for the 3^rd out, leaving the bases loaded for the disappointed Braves fans.  Braves ahead, 1-0.

C Zach Swenson opened the top of the 6^th inning with a smash to right center for a lead off single.  Malmgren sacrificed him to 2^nd with a perfect bunt handled nicely by Damberger at 3B.  The rally was snuffed with a fly ball and a grounder to short.

Mike Milam led off the bottom of the 6^th with single to left field.  A wild pitch put Milam on 2B.  DH Nathan Mediger was out on a fly ball to CF Pavlovich, and LF Mike Koller grounded to John Gulden at 3B, who wisely looked Milam back to 2B before the throw out at first.  Nate Olson hit a hard grounder to SS Neubauer that looked like it would end the inning, but the throw took a bad hop and skipped past 1B Nick Brenner allowing Milam to score from 2B.  Brandon Culbert then launched an infield pop up that would have tickled the Jolly Green Giants nose.  Malmgren had it in his sights but bobbled it just enough for an error, putting Olson at 3B.

Malmgren pulled it together and got McPartland to fly out to Marengo in RF for the 3^rd out.  For Malmgren, leaving three runners in scoring position and allowing just two runs in the 5th and 6th innings turned out to be a huge escape for the Red Birds.

After getting lone singles in 5 of the first 6 innings, the Red Birds finally got some momentum in the top of the 7^th.   Cary McLaughlin led off and tried to dance out of the way of an inside pitch from Culbert, but luckily, it hit him on the right foot.  Nick Brenner then sent a soft line drive over the 2B Ed Fahey putting men on 1B and 2B.   Marengo then set down a perfect bunt toward 3B.  The throw from Damberger was late and Marengo was safe, but the 2B Ed Fahey let the throw glance off his glove into foul territory and McLaughlin raced home for the first Red Bird score.  Brenner moved to third and Marengo to second.

Zach Neubauer then hit a blooper just over the Milam’s head at first that plated Brenner for the second run.  Marengo waited 90 feet away at third. Luke Penovich, batting for Gulden, hit a hard smash to SS Sundermann that appeared to be trouble as SS lay near the base.  Just in time, Sundermann put his foot on the bag to get Neubauer at 2B for the first out, but Marengo scored for the third Red Bird run. 

With Penovich on 1B, C Swenson hit a grounder to 3B, but it handcuffed Damberger for an error putting men on 1B and 2B.   Malmgren then put down another bunt to move the runners up, but Culbert looked at third to see if he could get Penovich, the lead runner.  That extra look was all Malmgren needed to beat the throw to Milam.  

With Red Birds on all the bases, Adam Heitz looped a single to right field that drove in Penovich from third for the fourth Red Bird Run and chased Culbert from the mound, switching places with Damberger at 3B.   Pavlovich greeted Damberger with another single to right field scoring Pinch Runner Kyle Kemble from 3B for the fifth Red Bird run. 

McLaughlin was the 10^th batter of the inning, but hit a nubber back to Damberger who threw home, and the relay by Olson to Milam was true for a 1-2-3 double play that ended the inning.  But the Red Birds had managed 5 runs on 7 hits and given Malmgren a 3 run cushion to help him the rest of the way.  Red Birds on top 5-2.

In the bottom of the 7^th inning, Sundermann opened with a lazy fly ball to center handled easily by Pavlovich.   Ed Fahey then launched what looked to be a Texas League single to center, but Pavlovich had it in his sights and with a dive and slide he had the “Web-Gem” of the game and left Fahey dejected as he shuffled back to the dugout.  Damberger lined a two out single down the left field line, but Malmgren got Milam to line out to left where Heitz made a long run and stretch for the third out to steal a single from Milam.

Brenner opened the 8^th with a single to left field.  Marengo executed a perfect sacrifice put Brenner at 2B.  Neubauer walked to put men on first and second.  Penovich then hit a grounder up the middle that Sundermann grabbed, and stepping on second easily threw out Luke for a 6-6-3 double play to end the threat.

The Braves opened the bottom of the 8^th with DH Mediger hitting a tough grounder to deep SS.  Neubauer’s throw was off the mark and Mediger was safe at first.  Malmgren then hit Koller on the hand with an inside pitch putting men on first and second.  Nate Olson delivered an RBI single to left field scoring Mediger from 2B.  Brandon Culbert laid down a perfect sacrifice that moved the runners into scoring position with 1 out.   Malmgren then got McPartland for a swinging third strike and the second out.  Then Jason Sundermann lifted a fly to Heitz in left to end the inning with just 1 run scoring.  Red Birds lead 5-3.

Swenson flied out to right to start the 9^th inning.  Malmgren then hit a double to deep center field, and then advanced to 3B on a wild pitch from Damberger.  After a swinging third strike by Heitz, Pavlovich delivered his second RBI with a two out single to right center that drove in Malmgren from 3B.   McLaughlin then pulled a pitch into right field that put Pavlovich at 2^nd.   Damberger fanned Brenner for the third out, but the Red Birds got an important insurance run and the lead at 6-3 going into the bottom of the 9^th.

Malmgren looked as strong in the 9^th as ever in the game.  Fahey hit a comebacker to Casey that was the easy first out.   Malmgren then caught Damberger looking at a third strike for the second out, and Malmgren’s 6^th strikeout for the game.  Mike Milam hit a soft grounder to Brenner at first, and he quickly stepped on the bag to close out the sweet victory for the Red Birds.

The team celebrated with the ceremonial dousing of manager Chris Reuvers after the game.

Malmgren got the complete game victory allowing 3 runs on 6 hits and 1 BB, while striking out 6 Braves.   Culbert took the loss for the Braves working 6 and a third innings; allowing 5 runs on 11 hits one hit batter and no BB, getting 1 strike out.  Damberger worked 2 and two thirds innings allowing 1 run on 5 hits and 1 BB, getting 2 Ks.

For the Red Birds, Heitz was 3-5 with an RBI; Pavlovich was 2-5 with two RBIs; Marengo was 2-3 with a run scored and got the all important first RBI in the 5^th inning.  Neubauer reached base safely three times with a walk and two singles in three official ABs.  Swenson was 2-4 and enabled PR Kemble to score for him in the 5^th.  Brenner was 2-5 with a run scored.   Penovich got an RBI on a fielders choice and scored in the 5^th, and Malmgren was 2-4 with a single and double and scored the 6^th run in the 9^th inning.

The Red Birds are assured of at least three more games this season.  They travel to Belle Plaine on Saturday, July 31 for the Championship of the Central Division of the RVL.  At stake is the #1 seed from the Central Division in the Region 6 C tournament which begins with a game on Friday night, August 6th at 8:00 PM.  Win or lose in that game the Red Birds then play on Sunday afternoon at 2:00 PM.

Watch this NEWS board for details on the upcoming Playoff games.