World baseball congress champions Portland rockets 2013
 
Good morning baseball fans, it’s a beautiful day in Portland. 
Portland rockets go 3-1 this weekend to win the world baseball congress tournament at runkle-miller field. Rockets were winners last year as well over the Illinois jayhawks. Tournament mvp zach tanners basehit off the cougars 3rd basemens glove brings in Dalton tinsley with the walk off win in 8 innings, rockets win the title 6-5 in extras. 
Tanner, making his first pitching appearance, recorded the win. 
The rockets fell behind in both games sun 3-1 in the 6th. Both games the team responded with a 4 run rocket rally in the 6th. Tanner had 7 hits in the 4 games, mitch waters who earned the save in game 1, Sunday had 5; tinsley had 5 hits and scored 5 runs. 
The rockets took a 5-3 lead into the 7th with 3 straight hits by ausin bridges, geoff bowers and waters, an error, chris miller drove in a run and Justin Marrero a sac fly but mitch waters gave up 2 in the 7th to tie the score.  Tyler Reynolds went 6 inn giving up 3 runs on 7 hits. With 7 Ks.  
Game one the rockets also came from behind to make a winner of dan bollenbacher . dan gave up 2 runs no earned, 4 hits 10 ks .  this on his 24 th birthday. With his family on board dan came up big once more, the true definition of  an ace.  On hand heath Williams of Williams auto parts, and his finacee with to throw out the first pitch. Thanks Williams auto parts,, rocky and lisa were out last week. 
Special thanks for contributions this week by the visitors tourism bureau, phil franz/john coldren, Rodney miles, david lyons, and mike symons corrections crew
Portland played the jackers sat.and it was tournament atmosphere, big crowd at the corner mayor randy geesman threw out the first pitch, larry chittum sang the national anthem. 
Don maloys birthday. Rockets win behind the strong right arm of junior santos from cleborn, texas.  Junior went 6 inn only 3 hits 1 unearned run.  In refief , Dylan brammer closed down the jackers .  rockets win 2-1,. Game 2 jackers roughed up Michael caley and an uncharacteristic laugher , lose 14-6  7 of their first 9 runs reached on walks. We go 3-3 vs the jackers on the season. 
Championship Sunday the rockets again refuse to lose, winning both games in dramatic come from behind fashion 5-2 and 6-5
 
Rockets now 31-6 enjoying one their best seasons , now head to Louisville regional Thursday 6 team field 2 from cinci 2 from Louisville, Lexington and Portland.
Draw wed, winner last year Portland went to buffalo for the world series. This year winner goes to battle creek Michigan. 
Many heroic plays in this weekend. Brammer with bases loaded closes out jackers. 
Key hits by Austin bridges, geoff bowers, mitch waters, logan hug, Justin Marrero, Thomas mccowan.
Stellar mound starts by santos, bollenbacher and Reynolds,  great work in the press box by Donald gillispie and tony Reynolds, 
Perhaps play of the tournament, cougars loaded bases shot to left of third baseman Justin Marrero ranges far to his left, makes tough off balance throw to bridges for the out. Axel bowers noted baseball officiando, stamped that play –“major league”  
Geoff bowers threw out 2 would be base stealers as well.
This club has big play potential and as traveled to the competition and 31-6 shows their resilience.  3 losses to the jackers, 1 in tournament play, 1 in regular season and 1 on sat. 
A loss to summit city sluggers, opening season loss to napolean riverbandits and a loss to Richmond riverrats, account for all losses.  We represent Portland and we have good men as well as good players. The season is complete in Portland but we have big fish to fry in tournmanent action.  It starts in Louisville thurs.  
 
 
 
 
 
This year due to attrition we missed the Chicago club, the Cleveland club, the indy club the Cincinnati club. This was turned into a nice 3 team round robin Portland and the ft wayne jackers, the two teams tied for first place and the ft. wayne cougars.