World Series 15 Game by game recap

World Series 15 featured two evenly matched teams, both on top of ther respective league's leaders in offense and pitching. New Britain's Bombers made their second consecutiuve World Series appearance while the Indianapolis Redlegs made their first. Here is what happened...

Game 1: Indianapolis Redlegs at New Britain Bombers (Yogi Cooper, 15-7, 3.01 ERA, vs Juan Marin, 12-8 2.21 ERA)

Opening night in New Britain brought the 38yr old Cooper, a veteran of numerous post-seasons and 220 career wins, a chance to shine for his team. Marin, an ace with 210 career wins, got a chance to show why New Britain traded for him in the offseason. Both starters pitched well enough to win, but a 2-run homer by the Redlegs, 33yr old catcher Paul Lewis would be enough to win. Although the Bombers threatened with the bases loaded in the 8th, the Redlegs halted their momentum when 38yrd old reliever Torey Arnold induced a groundball double play. The Redlegs added insurance runs off of the Bombers' bullpen to win it.

Player of the Game: Paul Lewis , C, 2-4, 3 RBI, (2 R HR)
Notable performances:
Yogi Cooper, P, 6 IP, 5H, 0ER, WIN
Howie Martin, ss, 2-4, 2 RBI

Final: Indianapolis 5, New Britain 1
Indianapolis leads the series 1-0.

Game 2: Indianapolis Redlegs at New Britain Bombers (Banana Hawkins, 13-7, 2.34 ERA, vs Louie Gonzalez 13-16, 3.93 ERA)

The 34 yr old Hawkins, acquired in an offseason trade, was a key part to the Redlegs' breakthrough season. Hawkins pitched like a veteran 13 game winner, while Gonzalez got pummeled with 6 runs and 10 hits in 4 innings. Torey Arnold made his second consecutive appearance with 2 2/3 scoreless innings.

Player of the Game: Sidney Gardner, 2B, 2-3, 3RBI, HR
Notable performances:
Banana Hawkins, SP, 6 1/3, 8H, 2 ER, WIN
Ben Morris, CF, 2-4, 2 runs
Torey Arnold, RP, 2 2/3 IP, 0H

Final: Indianapolis 6, New Britain 2
Indianapolis leads the series 2-0.

Game 3: New Britain Bombers at Indianapolis Redlegs (George Crandall, 15-8, 3.34 ERA, vs Rick Ramirez, 14-8, 4.57 ERA)

With the series moving to Indianapolis, young phenom Crandall limited the Redlegs to one hit in 7 innings before being lifted for a pinch hitter, but he was matched by 7 shutout innings by Ramirez. The game would go into extra innings, where a clutch double by Ben Morris in the bottom of the 10th would bring in Howie Martin all the way from first base to score in a dramatic close call at the plate. Torey Arnold appeared once again in relief with a perfect inning.

Player of the Game: Ben Morris, CF, 1-4, 1 RBI
Notable performances:
Rick Ramirez, SP, 7 IP, 0H, 0 ER, 7k

Final: New Britain 0, Indianapolis 1
Indianapolis leads the series 3-0.

Game 4: New Britain Bombers at Indianapolis Redlegs (Mateo Colon, 16-8, 3.35 ERA vs Yogi Cooper, 15-7, 3.01 ERA)
Yogi Cooper came back on short rest to try to wrap it up in the series sweep, but despite throwing 5 solid innings and leaving with the lead, the Redlegs' bullpen was unable to hold the lead. The Bombers' bats came to live with a 4-run attack in the 8th inning and their bullpen shut down the Redlegs for good. Thomas Serrano hit a bases loaded double, followed by a 2run RBI single by Eduardo Molina.

Player of the Game: Eduardo Molina, LF, 2-4, 3 RBI, 1HR
Notable performances:
David Lee, 2B, 2-4, 1 RBI
Thomas Serrano , CF, 1-3, 2 RBI

Final: New Britain 6, Indianapolis 5
Indianapolis leads the series 3-1.

Game 5: New Britain Bombers at Indianapolis Redlegs (Banana Hawkins, 13-7, 2.34 ERA,vs Juan Marin, 12-8 2.21 ERA)

While it could be said that both starters have pitched better games, it is hard to argue that this was a very good game. The game would go into the bottom of the 9th, tied at 5 a piece when the Redlegs' offense put it away to clinch their first World Series Title. Sidney Gardner ste the table with a leadoff walk, and made it to third base with very aggresive base running on a controversial close call at third after a single to CF by Howard Robinson. Ben Morris threatened to end it, but a spectacular catch by LF Sal Greene came very close to killing the Redlegs' momentum. A walk-off single to RF by Mateo Montero drove Gardner in to clinch the World Series title. Bart Sheldon, who pitched a perfect 9th for the Redlegs, got the win. Ageless veteran Torey Arnold pitched 3 scoreless innings in relief after Hawkins hit the showers, and kept the Redlegs in the game.

Player of the Game: Mateo Montero, 3-5, 4 RBI, including walk-off single in 9th
Torey Arnold, RP, 3 IP, 0 ER, 2H, 2Ks
Ben Morris, CF 2-5
Sidney Gardner, 2B 1-4, HR

World Series 15 Promises to be a solid matchup

The teams and how they got here

Indianapolis Redlegs (NL) - The Redlegs make their first World Series appearance after a long drought. The Redlegs moved from Cincinnati and immediately found themselves at home in only the second post-season appearance for this franchise. After years of seemingly underperforming, the young core of the Redlegs finally matured enough to put it all together into a juggernaut that won 95 games in the regular season. The Redlegs have breezed through the post season, dispatching the Burlington Bison in 4 games before sweeping the Chicago Shoeless Joes in 4 games, and are fresh and rested for the World Series.

New Britain Bombers (AL) - The mighty Bombers return to the World Series to defend the ring the took last year, and finished their 6th consecutive division championship. The post-season has seen the Bombers roll over the Salem Trappers 3-1 in the series before going to a 6 game series against the Chicago Bill Goats.

Both teams are evenly matched in offense and pitching, with New Britain carrying a slight edge in both categories. However, the Redlegs have a handful of individual players who could carry their team in a short series.