In yet another classic World Series tilt, the combatants took it to the limit: seven games. The Series was odd in that no team won consecutive games, and the visiting team won all seven times. Co-Series MVP's CJ and Molgs were outstanding: CJ allowed just one hit over three starts, winning all three, and Molgs was on fire with the stick, cracking five homers in the Series. Congrats to the Tribe, 2005 HRL Champions!
Game 1 - 9/26/05
Indians 4, Red Sox 0 | Box Score
CJ continues to dominate as Indians take opener
In the opener of the HRL's second World Series, it was CJ (3-0) who tossed a one-hitter to help lead the Indians to a series opening 4-0 win. CJ carried a no-hit bid into the sixth, when Dr. Jesus singled with two out. In all, the Injuns' righty walked four and struck out eight. The Indians got plenty of offense against Sox ace The Man (2-2), with Molgs opening the scoring with a second inning solo HR (he had 2 RBI in the game) and late-season addition Bourg coming up huge with a 2-run HR with 2 out in the top of the 5th to make it 4-0. The Man allowed four hits in all, walked three and fanned seven.
Game 2 - 9/26/05
Red Sox 4, Indians 0 | Box Score
Sox even the score with another 4-0 blanking
Once again, the victors walked off with a 4-0 win. Once again, the winning pitcher fired a one-hitter. This time, it was Tugboat (4-0) and the Red Sox who won 4-zip and evened the best-of-seven series at 1 game apiece. Tug's only blemish (and the only baserunner he allowed) was a single by CJ with one out in third inning. He was perfect apart from that, fanning thirteen and walking nobody. The Sox got it done with timely hits and a big homer. Three singles in the fourth inning led to two runs, and in the fifth, a majestic two-run line drive homer to straightaway center put the Sox up 4-0. Molgs (1-2) took the defeat for the Tribe, allowing six hits, at least one to each batter in the Sox' lineup. Molgs walked just one and struck out six hitters.
Game 3 - 9/26/05
Indians 3, Red Sox 1 (8 inn) | Box Score
Late HR seals fate in extra inning thriller!
CJ cracked a two run HR in the top of the 8th inning for the Indians, breaking a 1-all tie and giving the Tribe a 2-1 series lead with a 3-1 win. The Man (2-3) took his second defeat of the night and looked fatigued as the game went into extras. In all, he surrendered seven hits (four came in extra frames), struck out sixteen and walked nobody in his eight innings of work. On the other side, it was T-Bag (2-0) getting the win for the Tribe, pitching an extremely good ballgame, as one of only two hits he allowed was a game-tying solo HR in the bottom of the fifth to The Man. In all, he went 7 1/3 innings, allowed two hits, walked five and struck out thirteen. CJ came on with one out in the eighth and two runners on, strikin gout th eonly two batters he faced to get the save. Molgs opened the scoring with yet another playoff HR, this one a solo shot with two out in the top of the first inning. The Man's solo HR in the last of the fifth tied it at 1, and in the top of the 8th, Bourg led off with a single, and with one out, CJ lashed one deep into the night to send the masses into a frenzy.
Game 4 - 10/3/05
Red Sox 6, Indians 5 | Box Score
Come from behind victory evens series at 2-all
The Red Sox overcame a 5-2 deficit with a late-game rally and evened the best-of-7 series with a thrilling 6-5 win. Down 5-2 in the top of the 4th, Dr. Jesus homered over the short porch in right to lead off the frame, cutting it to 5-3. In the 5th, Little Randall led off with a double and scored on Dr. Jesus' single to make it 5-4. Tugboat walked, then Indians' starter Bork was relieved by Bourg. Bourg proceeded to strike out the next two batters, then Little Randall came up huge with a solid single to straightaway center, driving in two and giving the Sox a 6-5 lead. Tugboat came on for the Sox in the last of the 5th and went 2 innings for the save. Pitching-wise, Bork (0-1) was the starter for the Tribe and went 4 innings plus, allowing 4 hits, walking 4 and fanning 2. Bourg, who came in to stop the bleeding, instead blew the save by allowing the game-winning hit. In all, he allowed just one hit, walked one and struck out five in 2 innings of work. Offensively, Molgs had a big game, with three hits, including a 3-run HR in the second inning. Bork added a 2-run HR in the third inning. Little Randall (1-0) got the starting nod for the Sox, going 4 innings, letting up 6 hits, walking 2 and striking out 3. Tugboat pitched the last 2 for the Sox, allowing 2 hits, fanning five and no walks.
Game 5 - 10/3/05
Indians 6, Red Sox 1 | Box Score
Tribe's 6th inning power surge seals win
The bats came to life for the Indians in this one, especially in the last frame, where three homers led to four runs in the inning, putting the game away and giving the Tribe a 3-2 series advantage. Tugboat (4-1) was uncharacteristically bitch slapped, giving up five homers and nine hits in all. Tug walked zero and whiffed ten. For the Tribe, T-Bag had a homer and 2 singles, Bourg had a 2-run HR, Molgs added a pair of solo homers (5 WS HR's to this point) and CJ added a HR and a double. Pitching for the Tribe was CJ (4-0), who actually fired a no-hitter, despite giving up a run (which scored on a walk and a throwing error). CJ walked two and struck out 11 in his no-no.
Game 6 - 10/3/05
Red Sox 1, Indians 0 | Box Score
The Man bears down to force a game 7.
In a game the featured pitching dominance on both sides, it was the Sox, led by The Man, who prevailed 1-0 despite a heroic pitching performance by T-Bag. What proved to be the lone run of the ballgame came in the top of the fifth, when Tugboat singled and raced home when Washman singled him in. The hits were the only ones that T-Bag (2-1) allowed in the game. In all he walked a pair, and sent an amazing 15 batters back to the pine via the K. The Man (3-3), who had struggled in his most recent playoff starts, was en fuego in this one, allowing just a pair of singles to CJ, but blanking the Tribe with no walks and striking out 14.
Game 7 - 10/3/05
Indians 1, Red Sox 0 | Box Score
T-Bag's HR, CJ's arm deliver title to the reservation!!
The Cup was bestowed upon the 2005 HRL Champion Eagan Indians after a nail-biting 1-0 win in Game 7! The lone run of the game scored when T-Bag launched an opposite field blast over the right-field chain link with two outs in the top of the 4th inning. Tugboat (4-2) pitched valiantly in defeat, scattering five hits, walking one and striking out eight. CJ (5-0) pitched yet another gem of a ballgame, another no-hitter, to deliver the title to a team that was not exactly favored going into the playoffs. CJ fanned 14 more, walking one. The last out of the season was made when Dr. Jesus went down looking with a full count.