NALB 2020 World Championship Series

K. Fields
2020-12-15T10:07:45-05:00
Baseball

2020 World Championship Series - Dayton Grizzlies (93-69) vs. Key West Corals (100-62)

Game 1: Dayton 4, Key West 3
Game 2: Key West 1, Dayton 0
Game 3: Dayton 5, Key West 4
Game 4: Key West 8, Dayton 6
Game 5: Dayton 5, Key West 4
Game 6: Dayton 6, Key West 4

Series MVP: Bubba Webb (Dayton Grizzlies)

The Dayton Grizzlies had been an up and coming team on the verge of breaking out. After three straight second place finishes, they won their first division title in 2020. This season's team was their most talented yet. They were well-balanced with skilled pitching and hitting, plus plenty of power. Proving they were no fluke, the Grizzlies dispatched the Luisville Beasts rather easily in the League 1 Series. Facing the Grizzlies in the 2020 World Championship Series was the Key West Corals. The Corals had somewhat of a dynasty from 2013 to 2016. In that span, they appeared in three World Championship Series and won two. After missing the playoffs the last two seasons, Key West led all teams with 100 wins this year.

Game 1: Rey Alvarado (20-5, 2.36 ERA) vs. Porfiro Quiñones (5-8, 3.73 ERA). Although their regular season records might indicate otherwise, this was an evenly matched game between two experienced starting pitchers. Both hurlers gave up three runs. Quiñones pitched six innings for while Alvarado lasted seven for Dayton. It came down to the closers in the ninth inning. Third baseman Jason Raynor came in to pinch hit for the Grizzlies. He delivered a solo home run off of Lowie Zuydam. Xavier Widdison closed out the game for the Grizzlies' 4-3 win.

Game 2: Jade Pradia (14-6, 2.79 ERA) vs. Alexander Sandilands (10-6, 3.70 ERA). Dayton's Pradia put on a pitching clinic for five innings, giving up only a single run. However, Sandilands was even better. He pitched 5.1 scoreless innings and the Corals' bullpen was equally as effective. The only run in Key West's 1-0 win was from a solo homer by right fielder Carlos Tehera in the third inning.

Game 3: Hartman Ivers (6-5, 4.04 ERA) vs. Eric Matts (9-10, 4.17 ERA). The series moved to Dayton for game three. The Corals had a veteran 34 year old Ivers on the mound. The Grizzlies started big 6'6" lefty Eric Matts, one of the hardest throwers in the game. An early 4-3 lead by the Grizzlies was erased in the sixth inning. Grizzlies' right fielder Rainer Rojas tied the game 4-4 with a solo home run. The game was decided in the bottom of the tenth inning when third baseman Quilvio Martínez won the game for the Grizzlies with a solo homer to left field.

Game 4: Peter Burdick (10-6, 3.61 ERA) vs. Norberto Baleazar (11-12, 4.55 ERA). The starting pitching for game four wasn't as good as previous games. Both pitchers struggled and gave up five runs each. Tied 5-5 after six innings, the seventh inning ended up as the game's decisive turning point. Key West claimed the lead thanks to a three-run homer by Adelmo Porcayo. The Grizzlies scratched out a run in the bottom half of the inning but took the loss by a score of 8-6.

Game 5: Porfiro Quiñones vs. Rey Alvarado. With the series tied 2-2, game five in Dayton had the potential to be the pivotal match-up. It featured a rematch of the game one starters. The score was different but the outcome was the same. The Grizzlies won by a single run. Although Quiñones had a quality start with three runs over six innings, Alvarado was the clear player of the game. The Dayton starter pitched seven shutout innings. With a 3-0 lead heading into the ninth inning, Dayton almost let the game slip away. Closer Xavier Widdison blew the save and gave up four runs. It took a walk-off two-run homer by first baseman Bubba Webb to give the Grizzlies the 5-4 win.

Game 6: Jade Pradia vs. Alexander Sandilands. Down three games to two, the Corals needed to win both remaining games in Key West. They hoped for a repeat of Sandilands' masterful game two start, which contributed to a shutout victory. It was not to be, however. He was pulled in the third inning after surrendering four runs. Pradia fared better with three runs given up over five innings. The Grizzlies scored two runs in the first inning and never looked back. The Corals never managed to catch up. Every time they scored, the Grizzlies answered with more runs. In the end, it was a 6-4 win for Dayton. The Grizzlies' Bubba Webb was masterful. He went 3 for 3 with a walk and 2 home runs. The victory made the Dayton Grizzlies the 2020 NALB World Champions!

Dayton's Bubba Webb was named the MVP of the World Championship Series. Webb had 4 home runs, 7 RBIs, and played tremendous defense at first base. His great play was a key factor in the Grizzlies' success over the regular season and playoffs. He was previously named as the MVP of the League 2 Series.