World Series Recap

Game 1 - Bangor, ME - Pregame fireworks for the first World Series game in Maine since 1907 led to a 55 minute delay after Loggers mascot Loggie caught on fire and also did some damage to the bullpen golf cart (stunt gone wrong).  This would not be the only wait the fans would endure.  This baby was not decided until the wee hours of this crisp New England night.  The tired crowd went nuts as JD and JP stole the show, blasting late HR's to move this game into extras....14 innings for those counting.  Chirinos got the GW RBI in the bottom of the 14th off of Alex Wilson.....mania ensued.

Game 2 - Bangor, ME - This game was quite the pitchers duel between Hector "Code Red" Santiago and Jose Quintana.  Both pitchers made it through six w/out allowing a run.  The X factor in this game was James McCann.  McCann went off the wall twice for two doubles, accounting for two of the Men's three runs along with an RBI.  Santiago went all nine innings in the 3-0 shutout win - allowing only three hits.

Game 3 - Minneapolis, MN - The Loggers started with pants on fire (sorry mascot Loggie) as Jose Bautista sailed it into the cheap seats on the first pitch of the game against Felix Hernandez, but the Men had an answer.  Jose Abreu hit a three run jack off of Michael Pineda to give the Men a 3-1 lead. The Men continued to add to the lead in the 4th, but the Loggers scored three in the top of the sixth to make it 5-4 Men.  Little Jacoby Ellsbury came up big in the bottom of the 7th with a two run dinger...Then Men held on from there winning 7-4.

Game 4 - Minneapolis, MN - 7,981 fans came out for game 4 after a blizzard rocked the Tri City area (that is the only damn excuse).  With little fan support, the Men gave little effort.  Sonny Gray went all the way, scattering nine hits and a run in this 3-1 victory.  Ben Zobrist and Mitch Moreland went yard for the Loggers.  Series now all tied at two games a piece.

Game 5 - Minneapolis, MN - After the poor attendance game the prior night, the Men marketing team decided to wheel out the coffin of Kirby Puckett once again.  This brought over 21K to the Glad Bag Dome!

Not enough though to spur the Men on to victory.  Castellanos, Gomez and Mother Tucker all went deep for the Loggers.  The Men, down 6-1 got a strong motivational speech from the late Puckett while the horns played a somber version of God Bless America.  The came out like gangbusters following, notching three runs in the eighth and ninth, but it was not enough.  Loggers get the win and are now only one victory away from their first title since 1907.

1907 Maine Loggers

Game 6 - Bangor, ME - Loggermania is in full effect.  All three businesses in town are closed today in anticipation of an epic celebration.  Stadium capacity is 30,000, but they fit another 500 on top of that in the park for tonight's game.  Maine was ready to role, but so was Felix the Cat.  Another complete game for Hernandez, giving up just four hits and a couple of runs.  Four HR's were smacked tonight, all solo shots (Donaldson, McCann, Zobrist, A. Cabrera).  The Men were able to scrounge up a few more runs to take the game 4-2.  It had to happen, this series is going the distance.

Game 7 - Bangor, ME - 36K in the ballpark for tonight's game.  Maybe it was game 7, maybe it was the introduction of the Maine cheer squad (is that a dude on the far right?).

This incredible series had to be decided in a thrilling fashion....it just would have been fitting, but instead Minnesota ordered the "Code Red".  Not a single HR was hit in this game, but Minnesota singled, sacrificed and scraped together six runs.  Hector went five innings, giving up zero runs and two hits.  The bullpen went the final four innings, capped by Tony Sipp going 2 2/3, yielding only a walk with no hits.  Santiago finished the series pitching 14 innings, giving up zero runs, five hits, and 14 strikeouts.  He was unanimously named MVP.

Back-to-back world series titles for the upstart Minnesota franchise.  We may be seeing the start of a dynasty!