Pittsburgh Crawfords v Detroit Motown Stars
Best of seven, Crawfords with home-field advantage.
Inarguably the matchup any neutral would want as it not only pits the two best clubs this season but also guarantees us a new first-time EL Champion.
The Crawfords have been truly all-conquering this season but those injuries to Blue and Nolasco I mentioned in the previous round put this match-up on a much more even footing than if they were taking part.
On the other side of the equation, you have by far the best player this season in Cristobal Torriente with an ensemble cast of superstars such as Rickey Henderson, Louis Santop, Joe Williams and others in a MoStars unit that, on its day, is the equal of any side currently in the EL.
So, honestly, this could go either way and I expect it will be a deep series. Crawfords with the home field advantage to
just get home in seven, for mine.
In the end it only goes five, but they are five of the craziest, most enthralling baseball games you could wish for as the Motown Stars lock down their maiden EL title in fine style.
Games 2 and 4 both go 12 innings and the first of these in particular (box score below) is the likes of which I doubt we've seen before.
It is the Crawfords' bullpen that proves the difference in all the wrong ways, giving leads in three of the four losses.
Could the MVP possibly be anyone other than Cristo? No it would not. What a year.
Game 1
Game 2
Game 3
Game 4
Game 5
