The 2018 season of the Boys of Summer APBA Baseball League (16-team, BBW) is over and Brad Stark and his Portland Microbrewers have come out victorious!
Here is the postseason wrap-up from Brad:
Championship Preview
The 2017 Boys of Summer Championship Classic features the Corktown Tamales 93-69 in the regular season, vs the Portland Microbrewers, 94-67 (one rainout).
The Microbrewers entered the playoffs on a SIX game losing streak, and barely got by Spring Branch in five games, in a 9th inning win. Facing league best Traverse City Panthers next, Portland shockingly won in 5 games, winning three one-run games.
Corktown, assured a playoff birth either way, faced an extra game in the regular season vs Swatara to see who would claim the AL East Division Championship. Corktown prevailed and got the first round bye. After Fairgrove defeated Swatara, they defeated Fairgrove with a 4-run 9th inning explosion in game 7.
Corktown finished #1 in Pitching with a 3.46 ERA, #1 in fielding, and 4th in hitting. Portland was dead last in fielding, third in pitching due to a nice starting rotation, and middle of the pack in hitting, though they did produce more runs than Corktown.
The Results
Game 1 Ray (POR) vs Scherzer (COR)
Corktown leads from start to finish, blowing out Portland inthe 9-0 win.
Game 2 Keuchel (POR) vs Gonzalez (COR)
Corktown gets it second win in Portland, 4-3 as Portland strands a runner with 2-out in the 9th.
Game 3 Carrasco (COR) vs Pomeranz (POR)
Portland jumps out to an early 2-0 lead, and hangs on for the 2-1 win.
Game 4 Scherzer (COR) vs Hendricks (POR)
This one was game #1 in reverse, as Portland leads start to finish, knocking Scherzer out early. 11-1 Portland is the final.
Game 5
Portland jumped out to the 2-0 lead, but it was all Hot Tamales from there… as Corktown gets the 8-2 win.
Game 6
Mike Trout exists for the series due to being worn out, and the lack of star power showed early as Portland trailed 1-0 going into the 8th, but manage to pound reliever Andrew Miller for FOUR big runs in the bottom of the 8th to send the series… to an exciting, but improbable, game 7.
Game 7 Scherzer (COR) vs Pomeranz (POR)
Portland gets to Mad Max Scherzer again, scoring 4 through six and taking a 4-1 lead into the 8th. Corktown would fight back though… scoring three runs to tie the game up.
Neither team could score into the 12th inning.
Jose Ramirez would double with 1-out in the 12th. The pesky Buster Posey would then single (his 8th hit of the series) to put Corktown with runners on first and third with one out. David Hernandez faces Kyle Seager and Portland’s defense (whether intentionally or mistakenly, plays back). Hernandez says… no matter… and K’s Seager. Parra then hits a long fly ball to fight, but Portland’s Taylor snags it to end the inning.
Bottom of the 12th. Portland has a rather rag-tag group, missing 2-3 starters due to being work out. The ex-Oregon Duck Ryon Healy, doubles to lead it off. Cervelli then bunts Healy to third vs Kimbrel. Kimbrel vs Nick Ahmed.
“N. AHMED facing C. KIMBREL, B 12th, 1 Out, Runner on 3rd,
Tied 4-4
They’re playing him in … checks third … he lets one go … big swing
it’s a dying quail to right … HERRERA gallops in … RAMIREZ races back
but it parachutes between them … a Texas League single for AHMED … HEALY
scores easily
Tamales 4, Microbrewers 5
FINAL SCORE : Tamales 4, Microbrewers 5”
The parade back home
And just like that… whether a bloop or a fluke, Portland fans storm the field for their 2nd BoS Championship. So Portland, without a real closer (true story, I had to make a call whether I would be able to make it out of the NL, especially past Traverse City, and I thought that the odds were against it and that I would be better off just hoping for the best instead of trying to help my team short term. But somehow, someway, Portland wins the day.
I have trouble picking an MVP, as Corktown had the star performers… Jose Ramirez hit .400 with 6 doubles, but given Ahmed hit .455 in 4 games with the series winning hit, I may give it to him? Ramirez was the best performer though.
Congratulations to Chris on an amazing season that came up… just a dice roll short. I appreciate you taking the time to play online.
I personally want to wish Brad congratulations. Aside from winning his second BOS championship, he took over the commissioner position this year and really did a great job.
Thanks and congratulations, Brad!! Have one on me!
