Summary: In a stunning upset, the Albany Empire not only wins the World Series against the powerhouse Rancho Cucamonga Quakes, but does it in 4 straight games. Rancho leads in every game, but Albany’s hitting comes alive at just the right times, and Empire pitching holds the Quakes’ ‘Murders Row’ offense (regular season Team OPS: .890) in check just long enough to eke out 2 one run wins (1 in extra innings), and prevail in another close game, after shaking up the mighty Quakes with a blow out win in game 1.
Analysis of the Upset:
Broadly, the Empire gets surprising results from Ballpark Home Runs (BP) (2 out of 3 on 20% (1-4 out of 20) or 25% (1-5 out of 20) chances, with all of the HR in close games), produces an Onbase Plus Slugging percentage (OPS) of .935 vs. right handed pitchers (only .572 vs. LHP), and allows no inherited runners to score. Rancho suffers from disappointing results in BP (1 of 7, with the 1 HR in blow out game 1), errors (4, with 2 critical errors determining game 3), Clutch (3 Clutch outs, none of them in blowout game 1) and pinch hits (0 for 10).
World Series MVP Aubrey Huff leads Albany with 2 HR, 4 Runs Batted In (RBI) and 8 runs, in addition to an eye popping 1.623 OPS. He is more than supported by Jason Kubel (2 HR, 7 RBI, 4 runs, 1.133 OPS) and American League Championship Series (ALCS) MVP B.J. Upton (.474 On Base Percentage (OBP), 2 runs, 4 RBI). The Albany pen is again stellar, with James Johnson, Matt Capps, John Grabow, Rafael Perez, Mariano Rivera and Billy Sadler throwing 16 scoreless Innings Pitched (IP), allowing only 7 hits, 1 walk and striking out (K) 19.
The Quakes’ offense is lead by Jay Bruce (.461 Batting Average (BA), 5 RBI), Hanley Ramirez (.369 BA, .632 Slug, 2 Stolen Bases) and Adam Dunn (OPS 1.084, 1 HR, 3 RBI), but disappointed Rancho manager Rob McQuown is not able to point to any Quakes hitters beyond the 3 who met his expectations, as Rancho strands 36 runners to the Empire’s 23, and manages an OPS of only .731 for the Series. Rancho’s starting pitching does not last longer than 5.1 IP in any game, and averages only just more than 4 IP/GS. Hong-Chih Kuo leads the Quakes bullpen with 8 K in 6 IP, but other than Zambrano’s start (6 Ks, 3 hits, 1 walk, 1 run in 5.1 IP) and Kuo, no Quakes pitcher has any consistent success against the Empire’s white hot bats.
Setting the Stage:
Rancho comes into the series well rested, losing only 1 game in the NLDS (3-0 sweep of Minnesota) and NLCS (4-1 over Casper) and fielding a team that topped the USBL in almost every offensive and pitching category (BA: .295, Runs: 1020, Home Runs: 248, BA Against: .218, ERA: 3.05, HR Allowed: 123), with an average win margin of 2.86 runs per game. Cucamonga garnered the 2 through 5 slots in USBL MVP voting, earned 3 1st team All-Stars and 4 2nd team All-Stars, and won 3 Gold Gloves. The Quakes are lead by veterans Chipper Jones (OBP: .481, Slug: .597, BA: .387), Carlos Beltran (127 Runs, 124 RBI, 29 HR, .926 OPS, CF Range 1), and Adam Dunn (49 HR, 123 BB, 125 Runs, 118 RBI, 1.023 OPS), with younger veterans Dustin Pedroia (115 Runs, 104 RBI, 21 HR, .314 BA, 2B Range 1), Joe Mauer (.420 OBP, -3 Arm, C Range 1), Ryan Ludwick (29 HR, .931 OPS)and young rising stars Hanley Ramirez (143 Runs, 99 RBI, 30 HR, .331 BA, .998 OPS) and Jay Bruce (31 HR, .541 Slug), and have no soft spots in their lineup. Their staff is anchored by undefeated ace Rich Harden, who went 19-0 during the regular season, with a Walks plus Hits per Inning (WHIP) of .97, holding opponents to a BA of .180 while striking out almost 12 batters/9 IP, and allowing only 14 HR in 188 IP. Carlos Zambrano (19-8, 1.17 WHIP, 7.4 K/9, only 8 HR in 237 IP, .199 Opp BA), Ben Sheets (18-6, 1.07 WHIP, 7.8 K/9, .229 Opp BA) and Cliff Sampson (10-2, .92 WHIP, 6 HR in 90 IP, .209 Opp BA) round out Rancho’s formidable rotation.
On the other hand, after sweeping the Indianapolis Clowns in the ALDS, Albany is not as well rested after rallying from down 2 games to none to come back and beat the Great Lakes Loons in the ALCS. It takes all 7 games and everything the Empire has. Albany does not have nearly the offensive arsenal (BA: .282, Runs: 891, Home Runs: 201, team OPS: .821) or pitching arms (BA Against: .233, ERA: 3.44, HR Allowed: 136, win margin: 1.72 runs), but are happy to have made it to the Series. Only Aubrey Huff (.970 OPS) and Manny Ramirez (.990 OPS) approach the hitting prowess of the Quakes. Albany frequently relied on a speed game during the season, but Mauer’s arm is expected to blunt B.J. Upton (.406 OPS, 55 SB) and Jacoby Ellsbury (58 SB) on the base paths. Although he went 24-3, Zach Greinke’s (1.09 WHIP, 8.4 K/9, .228 Opp BA) difficulties with left handed hitters are well known. Jake Peavy (18-2, 1.09 WHIP, 7.9 K/9, .219 Opp BA) provides a good number 2, but Albany is forced to reach deep to Gavin Floyd (14-11, 1.20 WHIP, 7.7 K/9, .235 Opp BA) as a number 3, due to a tired Dana Eveland from the ALCS, and can only count on emerging star Josh Johnson (6-3, 1.28 WHIP, 8.9 K/9, .262 Opp BA) for 1 GS in the series. ‘But anything can happen in a 7 game series’ says Manager Craig Goettsche, whose hot hand guided the Empire’s crucial wins in games 3 through 5 of the ALCS.
Game 1: at Rancho: Jake Peavy vs. Ben Sheets: Empire 11, Quakes 4:
Albany jumps on Sheets for 8 runs in the second, coasting to an easy win. Peavy lasts 6 and helps himself in the big second with a hit and a run to get the win before tiring and giving way to 3 innings of Billy Sadler’s 1 hit, no walk, 4 K relief. Jason Kubel (HR, 3 hits, 4 RBI) and Aubrey Huff (HR, double, 3 hits, 2 RBI) lead the Empire 14 hit parade.
Albany goes quietly in the first, and the home crowd buzzes as both sides of last off-season’s trade between Rancho and Albany face off. Quake fans roar as Hanley Ramirez smashes the first pitch from Jake Peavy for a lead off Home Run. Empire co-GM Dave Tolley phones Manager Craig Goettsche in the dug out: ‘Good trade, huh?’. But Peavy settles in, getting 2 easy tappers to the mound and a K, and Albany is only down by 1.
The Empire rules in the second, starting with singles by Manny Ramirez and Kelly Johnson, followed by a 3 run shot to dead center by Jason Kubel. Sheets get Evan Longoria on a routine grounder, but the wheels start to fall off with a single to opposing pitcher Peavy (Pitcher’s Card (P), Range (R) 3, Split (S) 3), single (P) to Stephen Drew and RBI single to B.J. Upton. Sheets gets Dioner Navarro to pop to 3rd for the second out, but Huff strokes a single (P) to drive in the 5th Albany run. After an intentional walk to Manny Ramirez to load the bases, Kelly Johnson drives in 2 more with another single (P), and Jason Kubel gets his second hit of the inning, a single (P) to drive in the 8th run of the inning, 4 off Sheets’ card with 2 outs. The Albany dugout is elated and Quakes fans can’t believe what they are seeing. Longoria taps his second weak grounder of the inning to end the rally, but Albany has a commanding 7 run lead.
Albany threatens again in the 3rd on a Drew single/Chipper Jones error and a walk to Upton, but Jones starts the double play on a hot grounder from Dioner Navarro to end the inning, and then gives Rancho some spark with a solo HR over the wall in right (BP 1-5, S 3). The Quakes threaten to score more on 2 walks and a line drive to center with 2 out by Ryan Ludwick, but Upton’s throw is in time to nip Adam Dunn at the plate.
Aubrey Huff gets the run right back for the Empire in the 4th on a solo Home Run (P) off of Darren Oliver. He connects again in the 6th, this time for a 1 out double after a lead off walk (P) to Upton, but Damaso Marte gets out of the 2nd and 3rd with 1 out jam with no damage. The Empire do get to Hong-Chih Kuo in the 7th on Kubel’s 3rd hit, a walk to Longoria, Peavy’s sacrifice, a sacrifice fly by Stephen Drew and a single by Upton (P, R 3, S 2), pushing Albany’s lead to 11-2.
Adam Dunn smashes a 2 run shot off of Peavy to start the 7th, but Billy Sadler comes on and holds the lid on tight, giving up only a single that is erased on a double play in the final 3 innings.
The Empire hold a muted celebration: they have managed a win, but tomorrow will bring Rich Harden, who has not lost a USBL game since 2008.
Game 2: At Rancho: Gavin Floyd vs. Rich Harden: Empire 7, Quakes 6:
In an exciting game marked by 5 lead changes, even the undefeated Harden cannot cool Albany?????s offense, and the Empire bullpen holds down the Quakes after a rocky start by Floyd. Dioner Navarro and Jason Kubel each hit 2 run Home Runs and B.J. Upton, Aubrey Huff and Manny Ramirez each get 2 hits. Jay Bruce drives in 3 runs and Carlos Beltran connects for a solo HR for the Quake, but it is not enough.
Albany gets a run with 2 outs in the 1st on a walk (P) to Huff, a Manny Ramirez double and a rare Passed Ball by Joe Mauer. The Quakes finally start to rumble in their half of the first. Hanley Ramirez manufactures a run by singling, stealing second, moving to 3rd on a fly ball to right and scoring on sacrifice fly by Adam Dunn. Rancho takes the lead when Kelly Johnson puts Carlos Beltran at 2nd on a 2 base error (P, R 3, S 7, Error) and Mauer brings him home on a single to left.
Harden and Floyd both roll through the second, but Albany breaks out again in the 3rd. B.J. Upton leads off with a double, and Dioner Navarro surprises everyone by smashing a Home Run to dead center. Huff doubles and moves to 3rd when Kelly Johnson singles (P, R 3, S 4) after a Manny strike out. Huff comes home on a wild pitch and Albany has another runner in scoring position (RISP) with only 1 out, but Harden gets Kubel on a grounder to 1st and Evan Longoria on a pop out to short (Clutch Out (ClOut)).
The Empire’s unexpected 2 run lead over Harden evaporates quickly in the bottom of the 3rd. Chipper Jones leads off with a single, Dunn walks, and now it’s the Quakes turn to produce with 2 outs. Ryan Ludwick walks (P) to load the bases, Jay Bruce drives the ball to center for a bases clearing double and the Quakes take back the lead.
Neither team scores in the 4th after Albany pulls Floyd for a pinchhitter, then squanders an RISP with 1 out, but the Empire go back ahead in the top of the 5th on a 2 out 2 run Home Run (BP 1-5, S 1) by Jason Kubel. In the bottom of the inning, Carlos Beltran ties it with a solo bomb (P). A Mauer single, 2 wild pitches from J.P. Howell and a Ryan Ludwick walk put runners on 1st and 3rd with nobody out. Quakes stadium is rocking in anticipation!! But Howell manages to strike out Jay Bruce, James Johnson does the same to pinchhitter Rocco Baldelli, and then gets Dustin Pedroia on a pop up to short (ClOut). Albany escapes a big Quakes temblor to hold onto a tie.
In the 6th, Jacoby Ellsbury comes off the bench to single and steals second. With the go ahead run on second and 1 out, B.J. Upton delivers, lacing a double that drives in Ellsbury. Navarro and Huff strand Upton at second, but Albany has a lead and calls on the best of their bullpen.
Rafael Perez gets Rancho 1-2-3 in the 6th. Manny Ramirez singles and goes to second with 1 out on Kelly Johnson’s sacrifice, but this time Kubel and Blake DeWitt strand an RISP. Now Albany goes to setup man Matt Capps, who holds Rancho in the 7th. The Empire call on Mariano Rivera in the 8th, hoping he can go 2 scoreless innings, and he comes through, getting all 6 Quakes he faces to finish the 3 scoreless tense final innings in a 1 run game. Albany floats home with a 2-0 lead, but still expecting the Quakes to breakout.
Game 3: At Albany: Carlos Zambrano vs. Zack Greinke: Empire 3, Quakes 2 in 10 innings:
Down 0-2, the Quakes turn to 18 game winner Carlos Zambrano, hoping to get back within striking distance. The Empire goes with 24 game winner Zack Greinke, and the fans do get a pitcher’s duel, although neither starter makes it past the 6th. Jacoby Ellsbury comes off the bench again to spark the Albany offense and score a critical run, and the Empire bullpen wins the duel. The Quakes are devastated by 2 successive errors by backup right fielder Rocco Baldelli that hand the game back to the Empire, after the Quakes had taken a hard earned lead in the top of the 10th. But Baldelli would not have had the goat opportunity if the Quakes had not left 12 runners on base to the Empire’s 4. Empire fans finally begin to believe they can pull off the upset!!
The first inning passes quietly. Zambrano sets up the first Rancho threat in the second with a 2 out single (P) to put runners on 1st and 2nd. But Dustin Pedroia pops to short (ClOut) to end the inning.
Albany takes the early lead in their 2nd on a walk (P) to Aubrey Huff, an Evan Longoria double and a single (P) by Stephen Drew. But with runners on the corners and only 1 out, Zambrano gets Greinke and Dioner Navarro to fly out to snuff out the rally.
Rancho again puts runners on 1st and 2nd with 2 out in the 3rd, but Greinke strikes out Carlos Beltran to hold onto the 1-0 lead.
Albany puts a runner on 3rd with 1 out in their 3rd on a triple by Kelly Johnson, but Zambrano strikes out Manny Ramirez and gets the dangerous Huff on a routine grounder to short. Neither team can get a runner past 1st in the 4th and 5th. The stadium crackles with the tension!!
Rancho rallies in the 6th to tie it up, but wastes another RISP opportunity. Adam Dunn leads off with a line drive that gets by Jason Kubel in right for a double (P, R 4, S 2). Hanley Ramirez follows with his own double to tie it up. Although Greinke has allowed only 1 run, Empire Manager Craig Goettsche has seen enough, and calls on Matt Capps early to control the damage. Capps responds by getting the next 3 hitters, leaving Hanley stranded at second. The Quakes threaten again off of Capps in the 7th. After a lead off strike out by pinchhitter Jeff Bailey, Dustin Pedroia laces a clean single and goes to 3rd on Joe Mauer’s single. Runners on the corners again with 1 out. But Capps comes through again, getting Chipper to foul out and Dunn to strike out, leaving 2 more Quakes runners on base. Albany continues to go quietly, and the home fans are restless, wondering how long the Empire can keep dodging bullets.
Albany goes to Mariano Rivera in the 8th, but the Quakes keep attacking, again putting runners at the corners with 1 out on Beltran’s triple and a walk to pinchhitter Cody Ransom. Rivera bears down and strikes out Ryan Ludwick, then gets Bailey to fly out to end another inning with 2 runners on base. The Empire again fail to get a runner on base in the top of the 9th. Chipper gets to second with 2 out on an Evan Longoria error (P, R 2, Split 4, Guarding Lines, Error), but stays there when pinchhitter Ryan Shealy taps out to short. Extra innings: the home crowd is abuzz, but the Empire haven’t had a runner in scoring position in 5 innings.
Rancho finally reaches home plate again in the 10th off reliever Phil Coke. Beltran smacks a double, and with 2 out, Ryan Ludwick breaks the RISP spell, hitting his own double to drive in Beltran. The home crowd is silent: the Quakes have finally erupted.
The Quakes go to Frank Francisco to close out the 10th and the game. Evan Longoria steps in and electrifies the crowd with a lead off gap double. Tying run on 2nd, nobody out. Francisco strikes out Stephen Drew. Jacoby Ellsbury makes his first plate appearance of the game, and keeps the crowd roaring with a single to right. They’re on their feet as Longoria rounds 3rd and heads home carrying the tying run. Rocco Baldelli winds up and heaves a throw wide of home that even Mauer can’t reach, allowing Longoria to score and Ellsbury to get to 3rd. Winning run on 3rd with 1 out. Dioner Navarro hits a fly ball to Baldelli, who sets up to make a running catch with momentum towards the plate to get Ellsbury tagging up. But Baldelli’s foot work gets tangled and he drops the ball for his second error of the inning!! (P, R 3, S 20, Error) The Empire fans go crazy as Ellsbury comes home from 3rd uncontested with the walk off winning run!! With a 3-0 lead, even the Empire skeptics are beginning to believe!!
Game 4: At Albany: Chris Sampson vs. Josh Johnson: Empire 7, Quakes 4:
Rancho jumps out to a 4-0 lead early, but the Quakes’ 4th starter Chris Sampson can’t hold back the surging Albany offense, led by home runs from Evan Longoria and Aubrey Huff, and once they are ahead, the Empire again go to their bullpen to hold the Quakes scoreless for the last 6 innings. But the key to the game is again the Quakes inability to drive in runners. Rancho leaves 9 on while scoring 4: Albany leaves 4 on while scoring 7.
The Quakes have no difficulty scoring in the 2nd. Cody Ransom (P) and Joe Mauer lead off with back to back walks. With 1 out, Dustin Pedroia keeps the rally alive with a single (P) up the middle. Josh Johnson walks (P) Chris Sampson with the bases loaded to give up the first run, one of 6 walks he gives up in only 4 wild innings. Bases still loaded, still only 1 out. Jay Bruce strokes a single (P) to right, knocking in 2 more runs. Manager Craig Goettsche considers pulling Johnson, but pitching coach Dave Tolley urges saving the tired Albany pen for a closer future game, so Johnsons is left in to ‘take one for the team’. He responds by stranding Bruce and Sampson, striking out Hanley Ramirez and getting Chipper Jones to pop to second (ClOut) to get out of the inning down only 3-0.
Rancho keeps rocking in the 3rd on a 1 out single (P) by Ransom, a walk to Mauer and single (P) by Carlos Beltran. Runners on the corners with one out. Albany sticks with Johnson, hoping to get a few more innings, and he rewards the Empire by getting Pedroia and Sampson. The Quakes have a 4-0 lead, but the 4 runners who did not score after being on base with 1 out will come back to haunt them.
Albany finally gets on the board with a brief 2 out rally in their 3rd. Stephen Drew raps a single (P, R 3, S 1) and B.J. Upton drives a double, scoring Drew. But Beltran hits the cut-off man and Upton is thrown out going to 3rd, snuffing out the rally.
The Quakes look to pour it on in the 4th. With one out, Hanley Ramirez drops a single just in front of the slow reacting Manny Ramirez (P, R 4, S 11) and steals second. Walks to Chipper Jones and Ryan Ludwick load the bases with 1 out. But Johnson gets through another 1 out jam with no damage, striking out Ransom and getting Beltran to fly to center. Three more 1 out runners left on base for the Quake!!
The Empire make it a game again in their 4th. Dioner Navarro leads off with a double (P) and Aubrey Huff follows with a double of his own. 4-2, and the Empire fans start to make some noise. 2 successive outs do not move Huff over from second. But Jason Kubel comes through with another double (P) and then Evan Longoria rocks the stadium by blasting a 2 run Home Run to take the lead!! Manager Craig orders the bullpen to warm up and pitching coach Dave is happy to concur.
After Rafael Perez retires the Quakes in order in the 5th, the Empire get an insurance run when Aubrey Huff lofts a fly to right that just gets over the wall (BP 1-4, S 2). Perez gives up a 1 out double to Hanley in the 6th, but strikes out Jones and Ludwick to strand another 1 out Rancho runner. Perez has done his job, striking out 4 in 2 innings, and holding the Quakes scoreless.
Albany goes situational with their bullpen: John Grabow comes in to get out Ransom and is immediately pulled for ‘reverse righty’ Billy Sadler, who gets Mauer and Beltran to end the 7th. J.P. Howell starts the 8th, getting Pedroia and pinchhitter Rocco Baldelli. But his control troubles continue, as he issues walks to pinchhitter Steve Holm (P) and Hanley Ramirez. After Jonny Gomes pinch runs for Holm, Albany pulls Howell (+6 hold) for Matt Capps (0 hold) to face Hanley Ramirez. With 2 outs and the tying run on 1st, Rancho Manager Rob McQuown calls for the double steal, hoping to put the tying run in scoring position. But Dioner Navarro pegs a perfect throw to nail Gomes at 3rd, leaving the bat in Ramirez hands.
Albany gets another insurance run in their 8th on a lead off Manny Ramirez double. Pinchrunner and defensive replacement Jacoby Ellsbury scores on a Longoria double and the Empire lead is 3 with only 3 outs to go.
The Empire call on Mariano Rivera for the 3rd time in 4 days. A grounder to Longoria (R 2, S 14), a strike out and a fly to center, and the Empire are USBL World Series champions for 2009!!
