Congratulations, Monarchs!!

The Boston Monarchs got their well-deserved 2nd World Series title in team history, defeating the Baltimore Orioles in 3 games in what could have been the most entertaining World Series in Franchise Ball history.

The first game alone had 4 times the number of runs as the entire Season 81 World Series, with the Orioles winning, 17-15, in an absolute thriller. Both teams completely emptied the bullpen, and every hitter on each team with at least 3 at-bats got at least one hit. A true shootout.

The second game was quite different, as both offenses calmed down a bit, but the Monarchs put in a strong showing, especially on defense, winning game 2, 7-1. It would come down to game 3.

The Monarchs had an amazing start, scoring 6 runs in the second inning and forced starter Marshall Starling out of the game, having only completed one full inning. The Orioles were forced to go into their already exhausted bullpen. It looked over already.

But you’d be quite foolish to count this Orioles team out. They fought back, scoring 4 runs in the third to make it 6-4. They added another in the fourth, and scored 4 more in the fifth, and in the blink of an eye, it was 9-6! The Orioles were back on top, they seemed to have their pitching situation under control, and now it was the Monarchs who would have to go into their bullpen. The Monarchs did score one in the bottom of the 5th to make it 9-7. Then, surprisingly, both bullpens came up big, and both teams went scoreless for the next 3 innings. In the 9th inning, it was still 9-7, Orioles. They were just 3 outs away from their third world title, and as the Shimakaze noted, it would be their 3rd straight title that came after a 9-season drought. They won in Season 64, Season 73, and were 3 outs away from winning in Season 82.

But it just wasn’t to be.

The Monarchs’ offense did what they were known for...scoring runs when it mattered most. Two solo home runs tied the game at 9-9, and to extras we went. “This World Series deserves some extra baseball! To the 10th we go!” was the call of the announcer, as everyone was on the edge of their seat. Anything can happen now. Extra innings in the deciding game of the World Series. It doesn’t get better than this.

The Monarchs’ pitching was strong yet again in the 10th, holding the O’s scoreless for the 5th straight inning. Any run scored in the bottom of the 10th would be a walk-off. Could the Monarchs get just one more run?

They sure could.

Fausto Soria, who was batting over .420 this season, came in and hit a walk-off single to send the entire team, the entire stadium, the entire country, into pandemonium. THE BOSTON MONARCHS ARE WORLD CHAMPIONS!!!

And very well deserved.

Congratulations to both teams on an incredible season, and especially to the new World Champs, the Boston Monarchs.