Monday, October 30, 2090
IPA CHAMP VALMARA TAMES FOREST CITY IN 7 GAMES, LA CLAIRE SWEEPS WHITE RIVER; VIPERS VERSUS LYNX IN PRO CUP SERIES
Valmara, the current IPA champion played like a champion and came back and bested Pro Cup favorite Forest City in a dramatic 7-game series to take the Ruthlandian Union Title Series. This qualified the Vipers for the IPA Pro Cup Series against Tycobbian Union titlist La Claire, who swept the White River Rascals in 4 games. Valmara will get a chance to win back-to-back Pro Cup Trophies. Pro Cup repeat winners have only happen 7 times in IPA history. The last time it occurred was in 2065 and 2066. The Vipers will be seeking their 6th Pro Cup, while the Lynx will be in quest of just their 2nd IPA crown. The Far Mountain Redhawks are the only club to three-peat. They did it in 2011, 2012 and 2013.
2090 Ruthlandian Union Title Series Recap
Sparking Valmara past powerful Forest City were the timely hitting of right fielder Tavio Ortega (.280 BA/2 HR/8 RBI), third baseman Alex Adderton (.250 BA/1 HR/5 RBI), first baseman Keith Tobin (.296 BA/1 HR/4 RBI) and catcher Rutger Kreutzmann (.250 BA/1 HR/3 RBI), plus solid pitching by starters Arjan Huntsman (2-0/0.64 ERA) and Shura Azarin (0-1/2.70 ERA) and good work by the closer Paolo Portocarrero (1-0/3.18 ERA/1 save/4 games).
Game 1 went to Valmara 5-3 in 10 innings on the road... Azarin was brilliant, giving up just one run and 2 hits in 8 innings... pinch hitter Grisha Ivanoff's 10th-inning solo homer was the game winner... Yuri Voronin also doubled
in an insurance run... Forest City starter Matty O'Mara was superb with just one earned run on 2 hits in 5 innings with 6 strikeouts, but he trailed 1-0 when he left for a pinch hitter. Cale Borden and Milt Moncriffe both homered
for the Firebirds.
Game 2 saw standout pitching by Forest City's Craig Ballantyne (2-0/0.00 ERA) and Thomas Tate... Ballantyne was the 4-1 winner, working 5 scoreless innings and giving up just one hit... Tate logged the save with one run
and one hit allowed in 4 frames... Cale Border, Willie Collingham and Tate drove in one run apiece... Rutger Kreutzmann went deep in defeat for the Vipers' only score... Steve Griffeth tossed a good game for Valmara, permitting
2 runs in his 5 frames. He trailed 2-0 when he exited the game for a pinch hitter... this tied the series at one game each.
It was outstanding pitching again in game three won by Valmara at home 3-1... Arjan Huntsmann, Paolo Portocarrero and Country Corbin combined for the victory... Huntsmann (2-0/0.87 ERA) posted the win by holding
the hard-hitting Firebirds to one run and 3 hits in 5 frames... Tavio Ortega socked 3 hits and a solo homer to lead the Vipers... Shannon Slate (0-1/4.76 ERA) took the loss... he surrendered 3 runs in 7 innings.
Both teams broke loose with the bats in the fourth game... Forest City jumped out to a 7-1 lead and then held on to win 7-6 to even the series at 2 games each. Fuzz Smiley paced the Firebirds with 2 hits and 4 ribbies, including
a 3-run roundtripper. Willie Collingham and Milt Moncriffe drove in the other runs. Valmara was sparked by Alec Adderton, who slammed a 3-run homer, Ivan Jurczyk with a solo swat and Tavio Ortega batted in a pair of runs with
a two-bagger. Valmara had the advantage 11 hits to 9... Slats Slattery (2-0/4.40 ERA) got credit for the victory, but he was tagged for 4 runs and 8 hits in 6 innings... Thomas Tate notched the save, but he allowed 2 runs in 3 innings.