Donald Lutz celebrated his 27th birthday in spectacular style by smacking a three-run homer to set up the Brisbane Bandits' 2016 Australian Baseball League title triumph.
Lutz was named finals series MVP after blasting a pitch from Adelaide Bite's Steve Chambers into the right field bleachers to open the scoring before the Bite went on to claim a 7-1 win in stormy conditions in game two in Brisbane for a 2-0 series victory.
Saturday night's success gave Queensland their first Claxton Shield since 2006.
And it capped a wonderful comeback for American Lutz, who played minor leagues for a Cincinnati Reds affiliate before undergoing elbow reconstruction surgery last year then returning in this season's ABL.
The Bandits ended the season as the best team in the standings and the best team in the playoffs, with a 39-19 overall record including 37 regular-season wins and two playoff victories.
"All teams say that but this is one of the best groups I've ever been around," said the Bandits proud manager, Australian great Dave Nilsson.
"I can't really put it into words, I'm just so proud of my team.
"So many individuals have just had great years and I'm just glad that everyone can celebrate and everyone feels like we're part of one big family."
Lutz said he gambled and won on his three-run homer.
"In my first at bat he came in with two fastballs hard, a low slider and then the next at bat I was like he's going to try to come in again and try to get me extended.
"So I just cheated a little bit, backed off the plate and I was lucky I got something on it."
Brisbane scored again in the bottom of the next three innings, building a lead in the game's middle innings.
Bandits pitcher Travis Blackley got the job done for his team with six innings of six-hit, one-run, six-strikeout baseball.
"It was tough conditions for both sides, you know having to pitch, having to hit in the rain," former Major Leaguer Blackley said.
"I can't say I had my best stuff out there. I really just battled with whatever I had and managed to make some big pitches when I needed to and got a couple of inning-ending strikeouts."
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