FARGO — An emotional Chris Coste grabbed the microphone as the Fargo-Moorhead RedHawks were being presented the Miles Wolff Cup for winning the American Association baseball championship Thursday night at Newman Outdoor Field.
The RedHawks manager made sure to address the fans who stayed for the postgame celebration.
“We may not have 5,000 people here, but we have the right people here every single playoff game,” Coste said. “Wow. Awesome. Give yourselves a hand. … Giddy-up.”
The RedHawks rallied from a five-run deficit after six innings to earn a suspense-filled 9-8 victory against the Milwaukee Milkmen in 10 innings in a decisive Game 5 before 1,236 fans.
A dramatic and at times electric night at the ballpark ended with F-M winning its first American Association championship.
“The fans wanted the championship as much as us, and that as players, coaches, managers, that makes it feel like a World Series,” said Coste, who won a World Series championship with the Philadelphia Phillies in 2008.
The RedHawks won a league championship for the first time since 2010 and their sixth overall. The previous five titles came in the Northern League, which F-M was a member from 1996-2010 before moving to the American Association in 2011.
The RedHawks trailed 8-3 on Thursday night after the Milkmen had a six-run sixth inning that appeared to be a knockout blow at the time. F-M, however, clawed back into the game with a five-run seventh inning that ultimately forced extra innings.
“Incredible to win this,” said RedHawks player personnel consultant Jeff Bittiger, who has been involved with the franchise as a player, coach or consultant since its first season. “Who comes back from 8-3 in the seventh in a Game 5? We could have replayed that game probably 100 times and 99 times, we (would) lose. I don’t believe in meant-to-be, but this right here will give you pause. … I’m emotionally spent right now.”
Coste — who played for the 1998 RedHawks team that won the franchise’s first Northern League championship — welled up with emotion in the postgame aftermath. During the regular season, the Fargo South graduate missed time while dealing with neurological issues in his back and lower body. Coste’s health improved as the season progressed and then culminated with championship.
“Everything that you put into it, to end up like this, the emotions get to you and it’s a great thing,” Coste said. “For every team at any level, this is what you fight for, but to still achieve it’s beyond what your emotions can handle for the most part. … My emotions didn’t have anything to do with me personally. It had everything to do with how last year finished, how this year’s team was built and how it all came together throughout the entire season.
“It was all about what this organization was able to build, what the players were able to accomplish, then of course the amazing Game 5, which will go down in league history. I don’t know how a Game 5 could ever be topped in this league.”
The RedHawks lost to the Kansas City Monarchs in the championship series last season. F-M knocked off the Monarchs in the West Division championship series this postseason before beating Milwaukee to win the league title. The RedHawks had a 5-0 record this postseason in games in which they faced elimination. They lost Game 1 in the three playoff series they won, including the championship.
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