CHAMPIONS!
They did it! And with all the drama anyone could stand. It started out shaping up a lot like last night with an early lead (primarily coming from a 2-run Adley Rutschman single after a Brujan/Franco double steal) they couldn't hold as Mike Clevinger ran out of gas. But Vidal Brujan, not known for his power, drilled a Chris Paddack pitch out of the park in the top of the 7th to put them ahead 4-3 and Justin Dunn held serve in the bottom of the inning. They loaded the bases in the 8th but pinch-hitter Hunter Bishop whiffed, and things really got bad for Devin Williams in the bottom of the frame as singles from Fernando Tatis Jr (glad I won't have to see him again until at least next October) and Manny Machado put men on 1st and 3rd with nobody out. But Williams fanned Jake Bauers, got Luis Campusano to ground out at the drawn-in infield, and then retired Jurickson Profar on a grounder. And the 9th wasn't much easier either when pinch-hitter Starling Marte singled with one out, stole second, but was left there when Victor Caratini flew out and Trent Grisham grounded to third to end the game and set off a raucous celebration, seen below:
Interestingly they won Game 5 3-2 to go up 3-2 and Game 7 4-3 to win the series 4-3. Incidentally Devin Williams was injured on the final pitch of the game as the PxP above notes, but it was just a 2-week sore elbow which he can ice with champagne. We also unlocked these achievements:
The Moneyball award was for winning it all with an $84M payroll, 23rd in the league.