Abraham Kim's squad battled from behind for most of the game before finally grabbing the lead when Neil Ramer hit a go ahead 3 run homer off Tom Monte in the bottom of the 8th to put Kim's squad up 9-7.The Captains for the Wednesday showdown were Kim and Raphi Reichman, coming off a save from Monday. Kim selected Jake Rainwater, Dylan Kessler, Jeff Feldman and Ramer while Reichman countered with Rob Rubenstein, Nate Tondow, Monte and Gordon Millner, making his 2009 debut.
Rainwater took the mound in the top of the 1st and struggled with his control, walking two batters but got of the jam with a great catch by Kim on a line drive hit by Monte. Rubenstein countered in the bottom of the first by getting Kim on a controversial strike three call. After giving up a single to Kessler, he retired Rainwater on a weak grounder.
Kim took the mound in the second and continued his strong performance from Monday by striking out the side. Reichman faced some control issues in the bottom of the second which would cost him a run, but avoided further damage with a bases loaded strike three inside fastball that froze Rainwater.
Reichman's squad started to hit the ball in the top of the third off Kessler, who had a rare bad night on Wednesday. Tondow delivered the first blow with a bases loaded double that would score two runs. Rubenstein plated another run to give Reichman's squad a 3-1 lead.
Tondow and Rainwater put up zero's in their innings of work to keep the game at 3-1. Kim's squad was able to get one of the runs back when Rainwater hit a monster opposite field shot off Monte to make it a 3-2 game. Monte escaped further damage by getting Kim out with runners in scoring position.
Kim and Rubenstein blanked their opponents in the 5th inning as the score remained 3-2 in favor of Reichman's squad.
After being relatively quiet, Millner followed his double in the 5th inning with a 2 run bomb piece to left center that reached the street. Kessler settled down and retired the next two batters. The game would enter the bottom of the 6th with Reichman's squad holding a 5-2 lead. All 5 runs had been charged to Kessler, a very uncharacteristic night for the lefty ace.
Reichman blanked his opponents after escaping another jam to preserve his teams 3 run lead. In the top of the seventh, Rainwater finally yielded a run when Monte doubled to left to make it a 6-2 game. Rainwater got into further trouble by walking Millner to load the bases with nobody out. In a very gutsy performance that kept his team in the game, Rainwater struck out Tondow swinging and got redemption on Reichman by freezing him with an inside pitch that nailed the corner.
With the momentum shifting and the fog settling in, Tondow was unable to find the strike zone in the bottom of the seventh. Kessler walked with the bases loaded to make it a 6-3 game. Rainwater followed with an RBI single and Ramer walked to make it a one run game. Tondow recovered to hold the offensive onslaught and kept his team in the lead entering the top of the eighth.
With the score now 6-5 in favor of Reichman's squad, Kim took the mound hoping to continue his dominating performance thus far. Rubenstein had other ideas and provided some insurance with his league leading second home run, a solo shot to left that gave Reichman's squad a 7-5 lead. Monte would take the mound in the bottom of the 8th, clinging to a two run lead.
With the top of the order, Kim reached base and scored on a Kessler double, his 3rd RBI of the game. Rainwater singled to bring up Ramer with runners at 1st and 3rd down 7-6. In what would be the Charlie Brown's game changing play, Ramer cracked a no doubter to left center, leaving the lot and giving Kim's squad a 9-7 lead that they would not relinquish.
Kessler looked as sharp as ever, doing his best Billy Wagner impression striking out the side in the 9th picking up the save and giving Kim's squad the come from behind victory.
While Kim's team celebrated, a relaxed and seemingly unfazed Ramer left the lot with a straight face.
"It felt good coming through for the squad," Ramer replied.
Ramer spoiled a great 2009 wiffle ball debut from Millner who hit a two run shot and contributed by being on base most of the night.
Ramer who planned on leaving early, stayed the entire game. Good thing too as he was the hero for Kim's squad with 4 RBIs. As he walked away from reporters, Ramer repeated the phrase, "It felt good coming through for the squad."
With 4 RBI's and the game winning 3 run homer, he certainly did.
Kim: 9
Reichman: 7
Box Score
W: Abe Kim (2-0)
L: Tom Monte (0-2)
S: Dylan Kessler (1)
HR: Rainwater (1), Millner (1), Rubenstein 1(2), Ramer (1)
RBI: Ramer (4), Kessler 3(4), Rainwater (2), Tondow 2(3), Rubenstein 2(5), Millner (2), Monte 1(2)
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