2018 ABL PLAYOFFS
While the Raccoons choked on their own breakfast and were not resuscitated by game time a sufficient number of times to overcome the scrappy Aces, there was also the FLCS going on in which the Rebels and Pacifics faced another. Both teams had sported identical 98-64 records during the regular season, and both were the two most recent World Series winners, the Pacifics in 2016 and the Rebels in 2017.
The Rebels were primarily built around pitching, with three starters that had roughly a 3.00 ERA, including 34-year old southpaw Dave Butler enjoying a career year with a 21-3 record and 3.01 ERA. Ian Van Meter (16-11, 2.92 ERA) and Josh Knupp (17-9, 3.06 ERA) were also not easy to overcome. In their pen, closer Matt Collins not only broke Angel Casas’ 2010 record for single-season saves (then 54), but absolutely smothered it, saving *63* games for Richmond in 76 appearances. He also had a 3-6 record, giving him only four appearances in which he didn’t win, lose, or save the game.
The Rebels’ offense was considerably less of a thrill. While they had been second in the Federal League in runs allowed, they had put up only the seventh-most runs. They were hitting for power, but they were hitting a lot of solo home runs, since they were considerably sub-standard in terms of getting on base in the first place. Tamio Kimura (.289, 24 HR, 94 RBI) and Adam Young (.309, 22 HR, 80 RBI) led the power department, while Danny Flores led the team with a .316 batting average.
The Pacifics had ended up in third place in both runs scored and runs allowed, sporting a team that was one hand well balanced, but on the other hand was relying on a select few players to perform at their best. So Jimmy Roberts (.316, 34 HR, 115 RBI) had 34 homers, but nobody else on the team had even half as many, and Roberts also had the highest batting clip among qualifiers on the team. In the rotation, Brad Smith sailed a steady ship with a 19-8 record and 2.50 ERA, but the next-best starter was 37-year old ex-ace Rod Taylor (11-9, 3.27 ERA) having a bounceback year after a nightmarish 2017. Closer Arturo Lopez (1-0, 0.81 ERA, 12 SV) went down in June and while Angel Casas (7-5, 2.71 ERA, 34 SV) had a plausible Hall of Fame case and struck out 101 during the season, Lopez’ demise ultimately tore a hole into the Pacifics pen that they never managed to fill.
Both teams played good defense. The Rebels had the better rotation and their best batters were left-handers, while the Pacifics could not offer a left-handed starter to counter those, so Young and Kimura might roam free in the series. The Pacifics had to count on Brad Smith getting his wins and the lineup mustering enough to outlast the Rebels, but the bottom of the Pacifics’ lineup was particularly dreadful thanks to injuries that kept out Dave McCormick (.296, 10 HR, 61 RBI) and Jaime Garcia (.297, 1 HR, 28 RBI). The Rebels looked quite like they could have the advantage in the series…
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Rebels @ Pacifics … 2-0 … (Rebels lead 1-0) … RIC Ian Van Meter 7.0 IP, 4 H, 0 R, 1 BB, 8 K, W (1-0);
Rebels @ Pacifics … 6-14 … (series tied 1-1) … RIC Jamal White 3-5, 2 2B; LAP Marc Thompson 3-5, RBI; LAP Jimmy Roberts 3-5, 2B, 4 RBI; LAP Jim Webb 2-5, HR, 2B, 4 RBI; LAP Nick Herman 3-5, 2B;
Pacifics @ Rebels … 5-6 … (Rebels lead 2-1) … LAP Errol Spears 2-3, HR, 3 RBI; RIC Tamio Kimura 3-4; LAP Jamal White 4-4, 2 HR, 2B, 5 RBI;
Pacifics @ Rebels … 6-0 … (series tied 2-2) … LAP Jimmy Roberts 3-5, 2 HR, 4 RBI; LAP Rod Taylor 9.0 IP, 5 H, 0 R, 3 BB, 5 K, W (1-0) and 3-4;
Pacifics @ Rebels … 0-1 … (Rebels lead 3-2) … RIC Ricky Avila 1-2, RBI; RIC Ian Van Meter 7.0 IP, 5 H, 0 R, 1 BB, 4 K, W (2-0)
L.A.’s Clint Southcott rips a triple leading off the ninth inning against Matt Collins, who proceeds to strike out Jon Merritt (42 years old!) and Nick Herman, while Errol Spears grounds out.
Rebels @ Pacifics … 4-3 … (Rebels win 4-2) … RIC Danny Flores 3-5; LAP Marc Thompson 2-3, 2 BB, HR, 3 RBI;
The Rebels spot four quick ones on LAP Bruce Mark, then overcome Josh Knupp getting ripped for three runs in a sixth-inning rally. Matt Collins gets his fourth save of the series and his 67th of the year.
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2018 WORLD SERIES
The 98-64 Rebels had just scored 19 runs in six games against the Pacifics, but somehow had wiggled through thanks to their strong rotation. They had however received some bad news in that leadoff man Danny Flores had injured himself in Game 6 and was not diagnosed yet.
The 89-74 Aces had also lost an outfielder in the CLCS against the starved Raccoons, with Saverio Piepoli (.280, 15 HR, 82 RBI) out with a sprained ankle. Overall, their strength had been offense, ranking fourth in runs scored in the Continental League, while their pitching had been at best adequate, with not much help to be found outside Juan Valdevez (19-8, 2.80). Although – Clark Johnson (10-11, 4.48 ERA) had strangled the Raccoons alright…
This was the first World Series appearance ever for the Aces, who were still not favorites to win it. Critics pointed out their about average pitching and that the injuries had mounted for them, while the Rebels might get Flores back during the series.
Rebels in six!
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Aces @ Rebels … 3-6 … (Rebels win 1-0) … RIC Jon Correa 2-4, 2 HR, 4 RBI;
Correa replaces Flores in centerfield for the Rebels and immediately wins them Game 1.
Aces @ Rebels … 3-1 … (series tied 1-1) … LVA Danny Rice 4-4; LVA Nehemiah Jones 7.1 IP, 4 H, 1 R, 1 ER, 3 BB, 5 K, W (1-2) and 2-2, 2B, RBI;
Nem Jones beats Ian Van Meter with his 2-out RBI double in the seventh inning, which breaks a 1-1 tie, but the Aces lose Matt Hamilton and his 30 regular-season home runs to an oblique strain.
Rebels @ Aces … 6-7 (10) … (Aces lead 2-1) … RIC Justin Cramer 3-5, 2B, 2 RBI; LVA Bill Hebberd (PH) 2-2, RBI;
Hebberd’s 10th-inning single plates Brent Burke and walks off the Aces after they had been down 5-0 after the first inning. They put up their own 5-spot in the fourth to put the teams level, 5-5, then overcome another deficit to force extras.
Rebels @ Aces … 8-7 … (series tied 2-2) … RIC Bobby Torres 2-4, HR, 2B, 3 RBI; LVA Max Erickson 3-4; LVA Bobby Diersing 3-5, 2B, 2 RBI; LVA Danny Rice (PH) 1-1;
Both starters are spanked for five runs, but Richmond’s Dave Butler (1-1) outlasts Stephen Quirion to take the win in a game in which the Aces trail early, appear to come back several times, but always fall a run short, including leaving Rich Walsh as the tying run in scoring position in the bottom of the ninth.
Rebels @ Aces … 1-4 … (Aces lead 3-2) … LVA Max Erickson 2-4, 2 2B; LVA Juan Valdevez 8.0 IP, 3 H, 1 R, 1 ER, 0 BB, 7 K, W (2-1) and 1-3;
The Aces ride Valdevez’ final start into a match ball; while the Rebels score in the first, Valdevez chokes them after that and they only amount to three hits in the entire game against both Valdevez and closer Steve Rob, who saves his fourth game of the postseason.
Aces @ Rebels … 0-2 … (series tied 3-3) … RIC Ricky Avila 2-4; RIC Jamal White 2-3, BB, RBI; RIC Ian Van Meter 8.0 IP, 7 H, 0 R, 0 BB, 5 K, W (3-0);
Both runs score in the fifth inning. Matt Collins gets his seventh save of the playoffs and his 70th in the season.
Aces @ Rebels … 4-2 … (Aces win 4-3) … LVA Izzy Alvarez 4-5, 3B, 2B, 3 RBI; RIC Justin Cramer 2-3, BB, 2B; LVA Enrique Guzman 2.0 IP, 0 H, 0 R, 1 BB, 2 K, W (1-0); LVA Ken Chilcott 2.0 IP, 1 H, 0 R, 0 BB, 2 K;
In a 2-2 game, a lengthy rain delay knocks out both starters in the fifth inning, after which the Aces’ bullpen outlasts the Rebels’, with Ron Sakellaris soaking the Game 7 loss. Sakellaris had a 5.55 ERA in the regular season, and allows seventh-inning singles to PH Rich Arrieta, Adam Flack – who scores Arrieta with the championship-winning run – and a triple to Izzy Alvarez.
2018 WORLD SERIES CHAMPIONS
Las Vegas Aces
(1st title)