NLCS Recap:
Pittsburgh Pirates(94-68)
VS.
San Diego Padres(97-65)
Game 1:
San Diego, 2-0
Game 2:
Pittsburgh, 3-2
Game 3:
San Diego, 6-5(12 innings)
Game 4:
Pittsburgh, 10-0
Game 5:
San Diego, 5-1
Game 6:
San Diego, 7-1
The Padres took control of this series early, when ace
Carlos Lozoya tossed a 6-hit shutout in Game One. They dropped a close Game Two, and then won a wild Game Three. That game lasted 12 innings and featured 5 lead changes. San Diego's first-baseman
George Canales tied the game at 5-all with a homerun in the 9th inning, and gave the Padres the lead for good with a leadoff homer in the 12th. Pittsburgh shook off the tough loss and tied the series with a blowout win in Game Four.
Lozoya made his 2nd start of the series in Game Five, and although he gave up a run in the first inning, it would be the only run he allowed in 8 innings. San Diego produced 5 runs, and that was easily enough for victory. The series-clinching Game Six was an anticlimactic blowout: the Padres led 7-0 after 4 innings and cruised to the win.
ALCS Recap:
Denver Broncos(99-63)
VS.
Miami Dolphins(112-50)
Game 1:
Miami, 3-0
Game 2:
Denver, 5-4
Game 3:
Miami, 5-4(17 innings)
Game 4:
Denver, 5-1
Game 5:
Denver, 9-7
Game 6:
Denver, 14-1
The Broncos were helpless against Miami ace
Christian Hokusai in Game One of the ALCS.
Hokusai authored a 1-hit shutout against Denver. Game Two went much more favorably for the Broncos. They grabbed a quick 4-0 lead in the 2nd inning and led 5-1 after 8 innings. Things got a little dicey in the bottom of the 9th, when the Dolphins' second-baseman
Francisco Alvarez hit a 2-out, 3-run homerun to cut Denver's lead to 1 run. The Broncos escaped with a win, however, tie the series. If the Broncos had gone on to lose the series, Game Three would have been the game that everyone would point to as the turning point. Denver jumped out to a 2-0 lead in the first inning, and led 3-1 after 4 innings. That lead held up until the 8th inning, when Miami tied the game at 3-all. Eight innings later, in the 16th inning, the Dolphins took their first lead of the game. In the bottom of the 16th,
Brooks Branco produced his 3rd homerun of the game to retie the game. The next inning, Miami again took the lead, and this time, the Broncos couldn't rally. Despite the loss,
Branco produced just 6th 3-HR playoff game in league history and the first since 2060.
Instead of folding after the crushing defeat, however, the Broncos fought back with everything they had. A 4-run 7th inning in Game Four broke a 1-1 tie, and
Walter Ortiz pitched a 5-hit complete game to even the series at 2 games apiece. In Game Five, the Broncos rocked
Hokusai for 10 hits(including 5 homeruns) and 9 runs in 5 1/3 innings. Denver led 9-0 after 6 innings, and survived a 7-run 9th inning rally by the Dolphins. Game Six of the ALCS proved to be as anticlimactic as its NLCS counterpart. The Broncos led 2-0 after 1 inning and just kept on scoring.
Emanuel Abadia knocked in 5 runs in the 14-1 beatdown.
Thus, the 2087 World Series will pit the San Diego Padres against the defending champion Denver Broncos. The Broncos will attempt to become the first American League team win consecutive World Series since Memphis did it in 2062. Two other teams had the opportunity since then, but failed: Knoxville in 2071 and Miami in 2083.