[FuzzyRussianHat]

Boston was abuzz for the sixth World Series, a rematch of the 1886 battle between the Red Sox and Braves. The first meeting went to the Red Sox, the first of their repeat titles. After a playoff miss in 1888, the Red Sox are back in 1889 looking to resume the dynasty for a historic third title in four years. The Braves are looking for their own history with their 114-48 record, 12 wins better than the next best. Capping that off with a ring would certainly give them an easy claim for being the best team ever for years to come.

The Braves opened the series with a 6-0 win as Jim Devlin had his best outing yet of a stellar postseason. The 23-year old lefty tossed a four-hit shutout with two walks and six strikeouts. Mike Tiernan went 3-4 with a homer, three RBI, and two runs.



The Red Sox countered with their own 7-0 shutout win in game two to even the series. Bill Sowders was an unlikely stud, considering he tossed only 31.2 innings in the regular season. He pitched eight shutout innings in game two, scattering seven hits and one walk with four strikeouts. 1B Cap Anson homered twice and singled with three RBI and two runs.



Game three was another shutout, this time 5-0 in favor of the Red Sox on their home diamond. Larry McKeon threw a five-hitter with zero walks and five strikeouts. Chicken Wolf doubled and singled, scoring twice.



Both offenses finally succeeded concurrently in game four, which was tied 6-6 after the fifth inning. John Peltz’ two RBI single in the seventh inning put the Braves up 8-6, which held for the road win to even the series. Peltz was 4-5, doubling twice with four RBI.



The Red Sox snagged a 4-1 road win in game five, taking the 3-2 series lead back to the Braves’ South End Grounds. Someone finally got to Braves ace Jim Devlin in the postseason, who allowed 11 hits and four runs over his complete game. Bill Wise gave up one run over seven innings for the Red Sox, while Billy O’Brien tossed the final two innings clean in relief. Bill Stemmyer were 4-4 with a homer and three RBI.



The 1889 World Series was the first to not need all seven games. The Red Sox completed the upset of the 114-win Braves, denying them the top prize in their record-setting season. This also resumed a dynasty run for the Red Sox with their third title in four years. Game six had a 7-3 final score with the breakaway moment a four-run eighth inning that included a three-run Sam Thompson homer, which just snuck by the left field foul pole at 293 feet.

Thompson homered twice in game with four RBI and two runs. Cap Anson also was 3-4 with a solo homer, two runs, and two RBI. Anson was the World Series MVP just as in 1887, becoming the first player to earn the honor twice. In the series, the 37-year old was 11-23 with three homers and five RBI.



In other playoff notables, Braves MVP Mike Tiernan had six home runs for a new postseason record; he and Thompson both had the previous high of five. Jim Delvin was the third pitcher with four CGs and the seventh with three wins in a playoff run. Meanwhile, New Orleans 2B Frank Grant had a .954 slugging in the NLCS, which ties the playoff record (20+ plate appearances required).