California Coolers 114-57 vs. Batavia Muckdogs 117-55

Batavia wins World Series 4-0

Game 1 – Globe Life Field – This year’s version of the SWBA World Series features the National League Champ Batavia Muckdogs who defeated the Jackson Holy Cows and Kentucky Pillbillies for their World Series slot. In the AL the California Coolers beat the Saint Charles Saints and Harlingen Aztecs.  Zac Gallen and Dylan Cease took the hill for their respective teams.  In the top of the 1st, Gallen got in some trouble as Leody Taveras singled and scored on a two out single by Seiya Suzuki. But in the bottom of the 1st, the Muckdogs answered with a walk and homer by Nolan Jones.  After a clean 2nd, Gallen got in trouble again with Taveras singling and scoring again on a double by Triston Casas to tie the game. Aaron Judge was injured on his swing and left the game and is doubtful for game 2.  The home squad answered again with Jose Ramirez singling, stealing 2nd and scoring on a double by Mike Trout.  Jones drove in Trout on a FC to 2nd, 4-2 Batavia.  Taveras collects his third hit on a HR to right.  But the home team answers again with a solo homer by Kyle Schwarber to make it 5-3 off Bryan Baker.  Gallen closed out his day by finishing the top of the 7th with a slash line of 7IP 7H 1BB 4K and 4ER.  The Muckdogs opened the floodgates by scoring 4 runs on 4 hits and an intentional walk.  The key hits were a 2-rbi single by Gabriel Moreno who scored on a triple by Jose Caballero, making it 9-3 for the NL champs.  But the Coolers would not go down without a fight.  A bloop and a blast by Aaron Hicks and Casas pulls the Coolers to a 9-5 score going into the ninth.  Batavia sends Ryan Yarbrough out for a second inning to close out game #1.  The Coolers had a runner on second on a double after a dropped a popped foul ball by Ramirez that would have been the end of the game, but Yarbrough recovered and got Miguel Rojas to fly out to the deepest part of CF.  Jones was the game MVP despite his 3Ks on his 2 run homer and rbi FC.  Game #1 Muckdogs.

Game 2 – Globe Life Field – Game 2 of the WS in Batavia, has Corbin Burnes vs Zack Wheeler.  The Muckdogs start off shaky as Donovan Solano was not able to field a grounder cleanly allowing Leody Taveras to reach base once again.  However, Wheeler was able to steady the home team with a strong outing with the slash line of 7IP 3H 1BB 8K 0R.  The Muckdog offense got going scoring a run in the first on a HR by Royce Lewis. They added another in the 2nd on a single by Gabriel Moreno scoring Solano. Nelson Velazquez went yard in the 5th, his 5th dinger of the 2024 playoffs. This time, it was a 3-run shot. Capping the scoring in the 7th was a solo shot by Jose Ramirez.  Kutter Crawford had no trouble finishing up two innings of work, allowing a leadoff double to who else, Taveras, in the 8th but retiring the last 6 batters.  Game MVP Zack Wheeler shut down the AL Champs to earn the Muckdogs commanding 2-0 lead in the series.  The Coolers hope their fortunes turn on returning home for game 3.

Game 3 – Wrigley Field – Two Lefties take the mound in California for Game #3, Jordan Montgomery and Jesus Luzardo.  The Muckdogs jump on Luzardo from the start with Jose Ramirez’s lead off triple and Stone Garrett’s single driving him in.  Luzardo’s second inning didn’t go any better as 2 walks ahead of an rbi single by Andres Gimenez gets the score to 2-0.  Luzardo’s 3rd went even worse as the Muckdogs got 2 BBs again sandwiching a double to load the bases.  Luzardo gets a double play ball, but the visitors score again.  Muckdogs tap out 3 consecutive singles to score two more upping the tally 5-0.  California breaks their 11-inning series scoreless string in the 2nd with a solo HR by Andy Ibanez followed by another run on a walk double and a rbi FC.  Montgomery escapes without any more damage by Suzuki to K and Conforto to pop out.  Montgomery has a clean 4th but the Coolers get back on track on a leadoff double by Suzuki and scored on Michael Conforto’s HR.  Montgomery settles down while the bullpen got busy to get out of the 5th with no more damage, 5-4 Batavia.  California ties the game in the bottom of the 7th on a two out rbi double by Aaron Judge who was healthy again after sitting out game 2.  Meanwhile the vaunted Cooler bullpen is putting up zeros until the top of the 8th.  Nolan Jones hits a solo HR that had the visiting bench going bonkers for a 6-5 lead.  The next batter, Jose Caballero, tries to stretch a single into a double but was cut down by Leody Taveras.  Afterwards the BP returns to form to retire the next 4 batters.  Kenley Jansen, the #2 closer in the NL, enters the game to close out the game with the Muckdogs clinging to a 1 run lead.  Miguel Rojas greets Jansen with a double.  Then Jansen lost the strike zone walks three in a row including the bases loaded walk to Judge to tie up the game.  Manager Mark Landhuis has enough of his closer as he expected Jansen to strikeout Judge and calls on Kevin Ginkel to try and salvage extra innings.  So the table is set for a Cooler walk off victory with the bases still loaded with no outs.  Taveras who is trying to carry the home squad on his back singularly steps to the plate with both the infield and outfield playing in.  Ginkel gets Taveras check swing bunt to first basemen Solano.  Donovan Solano fields it cleanly and gets the force at home preventing the run.  But wait, the Muckdogs are not done as Gabriel Moreno fires a laser back to Solano to get the DP, no additional runs and now 2 outs.  With the fielders playing normal depth with 2 out, Ginkel gets Ibanez to ground out to go to extra innings.  Both teams have a clean 10th inning.  Matt Strahm was called upon to face the Muckdogs in the 11th.  He is greeted by a Caballero single and balks in the good lead by Caballero.  Caballero advances to third on a difficult comebacker that to Strahm.  Caballero scores the go ahead run on a single by Ramirez.  Then Strahm gives up a double to Royce Lewis to have runners on 2nd and 3rd one out.  Manager Roberto Blanco intentionally walks Mickey Moniak to set up the doubleplay.  Moreno steps to the plate and finds himself in a 1-2 count.  Moreno guesses correctly on the next pitch when drives the pitch 423 feet to straight away CF for a Grand Salami,  the Muckdogs’ bench goes absolutely crazy as Moreno steps on home plate.  Strahm recovered, albeit too late, to strikeout Solano and Trout.  The Muckdogs call on their last Relief Pitcher Crawford to close out the game. The only thing preventing the 1-2-3 inning is a Judge 2 out walk.  Muckdogs lead 3-0, making it a very tough tack to win 4 in a row to win the WS.

Game 4 – Wrigley Field – The Coolers have their backs against the wall and send Alex Faedo to face Mike Clevinger.  The Coolers haven’t had the lead since the top half of the 1st in game #1.  Game 4 starts the same as the others with the Muckdogs jumping out to a lead, doing this minimizes the very stingy Cooler BP from preserving a lead.  Batavia gets a single from Royce Lewis, who steals second and advances to 3rd on an errant throw by catcher Elias Diaz.  Mike Trout singles in Lewis.  In the second, the Muckdogs continue pounding the ball. Donova Solano HBP, Stone Garrett BB, and a Gabriel Moreno single loads the bases.  A Jose Caballero FC nails Solano at home trying to score.  But Ramirez doubles into the LF corner and clears the bases, then Trout doubles Ramirez home for a 5-0 lead.  Batavia follows up in the 3rd with one more run on a Lewis rbi single.  Meanwhile, game MVP Clevinger is mowing down the Cooler bats to a slash line of 7IP 3H 2BB 6K 0R for a fantastic 2024 Playoff slash line of 3 wins 21.67IP 10H 3BB 19K 1ER all on the road.  The Cooler BP shutdown the Muckdogs for the final 6 innings with only 0R 3H 1BB 5K.  But the Cooler bats were just ice cold with being set down in order the last 2 innings by Ryan Yarbrough to close out the game and the series. Congrats to the Coolers for their AL championship and an excellent season.  Manager Roberto Blanco said in a quiet locker room, “we had a good season but just ran into the juggernaut Muckdogs.  You have to hand it to Muckdogs being aggressive early in the games to neutralize our excellent bullpen.  We just couldn’t hand off a lead to them.”  In the victors locker room, champagne showers were all around.  A drenched manager Mark Landhuis shouted over the chaos, “I am just so proud of these guys.  We were finally able to close out a World Series in a win.  The core group of guys had to endure losing in two previous World Series and that makes it all the sweeter in this year’s victory.  Our trades for Wheeler, Clevinger and Crawford really solidified our rotation behind Gallen and Montgomery.  On the offensive side picking up Jones late last year and drafting Caballero were the pieces to add to Ramirez, Trout and Schwarber that just the right pieces to complete this championship caliber squad.”

2024 World Series MVP – Jose Ramirez

.353/.450/.765, 1 HR, 5 R, 5 RBI