STUNNED!!
That might sum it up the best. How a team went from dead last in the Pacific in 2058 to winning the Monty Brewster Title in 2059 leaves me stunned. A team I had put together hoping to compete for .500 and maybe get in as a wild card somehow won 104 games during the regular season, won three post-season series, and earns me my Third ever Brewster/Landis title and first since 2009. That's FIFTY seasons between titles. I've been in this league for a long time, and don't think I have ever seen anything like this. I'm not saying this to toot my own horn. But I'm really, stunned.
Rather than recap each game like I normally do, I'm just going to hit the highlights of the games.
Game 1
Alaric Wullenweber allowed 2 hits! Two freaking hits! And we lost! Le Gal homered in the 8th and that was that. 1-0. Charm City's Davidson threw a complete game shutout on just 94 pitches. We honestly never threatened to score. We got two on in the 9th with 2 outs but that was it.
Game 2
Charm City came back with Silva on short rest and he did the same as Davidson the night before. Charm City scored solo runs in the 4th, 5th, and 6th innings and led 3-0. Portland went 8 scoreless again, meaning we hadn't scored a run in the first 17 innings of the Monty. It was pretty disheartening to watch. But we finally broke the seal with 3 in the 9th. Tony Frost hit a 2 out RBI single to tie it. We had the winning run at 2B but couldn't score. Unfortunately a solo homerun in the top of the 11th gave Charm City a 2-0 lead heading back to their place. It looked like the magical season was destined to end.
Game 3
And it appeared more evident in the bottom of the 1st of game 1 when Juan Marroquin allowed a grand slam to the 4th batter of the game and with no outs Portland trailed 4-0. That was the score after 5 as Marroquin had settled down but through 23 innings of Monty series baseball, Portland had only scored in 1 inning. That changed drastically in the top of the 6 when Portland somehow plated 8 runners in the inning to take an insane 8-4 lead. It went to 8-7 when Charm City scored 3 in the bottom of the inning. But Portland's bullpen took over and kept the Jimmies from scoring to get Portland a win and back in teh series.
Game 4
"The Bill Beals Revenge Game"
Beals, for those unaware, was a Rule 5 pickup by Portland this off-season from Charm City. He got the start in game 4 and was spectacular. He went 7 innings, allowing 3 runs on 6 hits and a pair of walks while striking out 6. He actually struck out the side in the opening inning. Three runs might sound like a lot in a post-season where Portland was struggling to score but Alvin Conley's 3 run homer in the 3rd inning gave the Lumberjacks the early lead they'd never relinquish. Portland scored 3 more in the 6th in a game where Conley and Gaajlimitz had 3 hits apiece.
Game 5
With the series tied at 2-2, Portland called upon Wullenweber again. And he shined. He did fall behind early 1-0 and that score held until the 6th inning. After that, the Portland offense took over, scoring 3 in the 6th, 4 in the 7th, 2 in the 8th, and 1 more for measure in the 9th for the easy 10-1 victory. Renato Lacerda got his first action of the post-season. The 40 year old was going after his 3rd ring. Oddly enough he won his other two in 2049 and 2051, AGAINST Portland. Gaajlimitz added 3 more hits.
Game 6
To clinch the Monty in a wild fashion, Portland would have to figure out Silva, the JL Nebraska winner in game 6. Greg Squires had himself a game, going 3-3 and was a HR short of the cycle. But it was Allen Uecker, who had a good series, that broke the scoreless tie when he singled in the 3rd and later came around to score. The rookie Murali Patachli was excellent yet again, going 6.1 scoreless innings. Portland added a Squires insurance run in the 8th and led 2-0 heading to the 9th. Where it got interesting. Frank Wilson and his 50 regular season saves needed one more to clinch the Brewster for Portland. He got the first two easily. But then a single and a double later and suddenly Charm City had the tying run at 2nd and the go ahead run at the plate. But Wilson did what Wilson has done all season.... He got Kevin Maze to loft a weak pop-up to 2B and just like that, Portland was your Monty Brewster Champions.
