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2007 American Division Champion Braves Season Highlights

2007 American Division Champion Braves Team Picture
(Front Row) Paul Codiga, Bubba Cordeiro, Kiko Griffin, Mike Casillas, Erik Rosales. (Back Row) Ray Munoz, Rob Yamat, Shayne Guiliano, Jeremy Advincula, Steve Kaye, Jason Edmonds, George Lee. (Not Pictured) Greg Rodrigues.

Regular Season Summary

The season started dubiously, as we struggled to field a complete team. A loss to the Indians on opening day, followed by a forfeit loss to the Brewers (when Johnny Ramirez was hurt rounding third, leaving us with only 7 players) found us starting the season 0-2. After a doubleheader sweep of the Orioles, we traveled to Aptos to play the Blue Jays. Despite leading the whole game, we lost the lead in the eighth (questionable managing decisions) and ended up losing the game. After 5 games, our record was 2-3. This would turn out to be the last game we would lose the entire season. At this point we had finally put together a very competitive team after adding several players; all of whom contributed.

A doubleheader sweep of the Padres followed, capped by a late come-from-behind victory in the second game, punctuated by a 3-run homer by Mike Casillas (his second of the game). The following week was a doubleheader against a very tough Expos team. After a first game victory, we were victorious in a back-and-forth second game, which ended with the winning run scoring on a bases-loaded catcher's interference. Paul Codiga got both wins in the doubleheader. The following week — a non-division game against the Tigers — was questionably one of the best games of the season. Both pitchers were rolling; Craig Jones of the Tigers and Codiga of the Braves. In the eighth inning, a 2-run double by Shayne Guiliano proved to be the only runs of the game; Codiga pitching a complete game, 9-inning shutout in only 1 hour and 45 minutes.

A 21-2 victory over the Cards followed; Jeremy Advincula getting the win and also homering with 5 RBIs. Steve Kaye also homered and Bubba Cordeiro went 4-for-5. A doubleheader sweep of the Yankees followed; 29 total runs, Codiga and Jason Edmonds with wins, Edmonds with a home run. The following week was a split doubleheader win: Advincula getting the win over the Cards and Codiga against the upper division Red Sox, as Edmonds homers again. Against the Pirates in Aptos, Advincula gets the win in the first game, also getting 3 RBIs and Edmonds homers. The second game win is by Edmonds, with Kiko Griffin and Ramon Munoz homering and Erik Rosales going 3-for-4. In a well played game against the upper division A's, Advincula got the win, though Codiga and Edmonds pitched well also. Advincula went 4-for-5 and Griffin 3-for-4. The last weekend of the regular season was against the White Sox at a very wet Oak Grove field; almost two hours of "gardening" was required to enable the game to start. After leading going into the last inning, the scrappy White Sox score three runs as time expires, ending the game in a tie. Codiga goes 3-for-4 and Rob Yamat 3-for-3. We win the second game, 11-1, behind awesome pitching by Advincula; Edmonds and Kaye hit back-to-back homers in the first inning and both go 3-for-3.

The season ends with an overall record of 16-3-1. The pitching staff gives up 44 runs all year (lowest in any division throughout the SJMSBL); led by Codiga at 6-0, Advincula at 7-1 and Edmonds at 2-0. The team bats 0.369. Individual batting standouts: Advincula ( 0.571 Avg., 28 H, 21 RBI, 5 HR), Edmonds (0.543 Avg., 4 HR), Guajardo (first half) (0.500 Avg.), Kaye (0.455 Avg., 2 HR), Griffin (0.447 Avg., 2 HR), Rosales (0.422 Avg., 27 H), Casillas (0.417 Avg., 2 HR), Codiga (0.356 Avg., 21 H), Yamat (0.341 Avg.), Cordeiro (0.315 Avg., 23 H), Lee (0.300 Avg., 11 SB).

Playoff Summary

We opened the playoffs as the #1 seed against the scrappy #4 seeded Orioles at Fremont HS; much improved since we had played them earlier in the season. After the O's scored two unearned runs in the first, Advincula homers and Kaye singles in two runs to take the lead in the bottom of the first. 4-run innings in the third and fourth, single runs in the fifth and seventh and 2 more runs in the eighth invoke the ten-run rule after eight, 15-5. Advincula goes the distance, giving up two earned runs and striking out 8. Hitting standouts: Advincula (2-3, HR, 3 RBI), Cordeiro (2-3, 2B), Edmonds (2-4), Kaye (3-3, 4 RBI), Rosales (2-4), Casillas (2-2, 2 2B).

The second game is against the surprising Expos team, who had defeated the defending champion Cards the previous week, to remain unbeaten in the first round. The Expos start the game with 9 players but their second batter is hit by a pitch and is unable to continue play. The Expos play the remainder of the game with 8 players. The Expos take a 2-0 lead after 3 innings, but the Braves tie it in the bottom of the fourth with a double by Advincula, a single by Kaye, a sacrifice fly by Edmonds and a base hit by Cordeiro. The Braves take their first lead in the fifth on an ill-advised pick off of third base by the catcher with two outs that sails into left field. The Braves score two more runs in the seventh on hits by Kaye, Cordeiro and Lee. After the Expos score an unearned run in the top of the eighth, the Braves score their final run on a single by Greg Rodrigues and a double into the left field corner by Casillas. Advincula strikes out the side in the ninth to preserve the win, 6-3, and put the Braves into the best-of-three championship series. Edmonds goes 7 innings with 12 K's and Advincula finishes up for the save. Hitting standouts: Kaye (3-3, 2B), Cordeiro (2-3), Rodrigues (2-3).

Game One of the championship series was against a young Expos team, who earlier in the day had knocked out the defending champion Cards, 12-0. The game is scoreless until the bottom of the fourth, when the Braves score 4 times on consecutive doubles by Advincula, Kaye and Edmonds and singles by Rosales and Yamat. The Braves score 3 more times in the fifth, the big hits being singles by Griffin and Kaye. Around 4 hits and a walk, the Expos score 3 runs in the sixth, to cut the lead to 7-3. The Braves tally a single run in the bottom of the sixth, Rosales' being the big hit, to close out the game scoring. The game ends 8-3, Braves win. Advincula goes 8 innings with 11 K's. Hitting standouts: Advincula (2-4, 2B), Kaye (3-4, 2 2B), Edmonds (2-4, 2B), Rosales (2-4, 2B).

The Braves enter Game Two at Ohlone JC wanting to close out the series; not wanting to go to a Game Three against a very good Expos team. The visiting Braves put up six runs in the third on 7 hits - singles by Griffin, Cordeiro, Lee and Guiliano, doubles by Edmonds and Casillas and a triple by Advincula. Two more runs are plated in the fourth on a single by Yamat, a triple by Griffin and a single by Kaye. After another run in the fifth, the Braves lead 9-2. The Expos put up an unearned run in the sixth. The Braves close out the scoring with 5 runs in the eighth, the big blows a double by Yamat and a 2-run single by Munoz. Advincula shuts them down in the bottom of the eighth to end the game (10-run rule) and the Braves win the championship, 14-3. Codiga goes 6 innings for the win, giving up 2 earned runs. Hitting standouts: Griffin (3-5, 3B), Advincula (2-4, 3B, 2 RBI), Kaye (2-5), Edmonds (2-4, 2B), Cordeiro (3 RBI, 3 BB), Casillas (2-5, 2B), Lee (2-3, 2 RBI), Guiliano (2-4), Yamat (2-4, 2B), Munoz (2 RBI).

The Braves go through the playoffs 4-0 and bat 0.414 as a team: Kaye (0.733, 11-15, 3 2B, 6 RBI), Casillas (0.545, 6-11, 4 2B), Advincula (0.500, 7-14, 5 RBI), Cordeiro (0.500, 6-12, 5 RBI), Griffin (0.444, 4-9), Edmonds (0.429, 6-14, 4 RBI), Rosales (0.333, 5-15), Guiliano (0.333, 4-12), Lee (0.333, 4-12, 4 RBI), Rodrigues (0.333, 3-9). The pitching staff gives up only 9 earned runs for an ERA of 2.38; Advincula (2-0), Edmonds (1-0), and Codiga (1-0).