[FuzzyRussianHat]

Entering the 83^rd Eurasian Professional Baseball Championship, Novosibirsk was the only EPB original team still in the league without a ring, having lost in their prior two tries. Krasnodar, founded in 2008, was the defending champ and had also won in 2017. The Nitros had home field and scored two runs in the bottom of the first inning of game one. No more scoring happened until a solo homer for the Steamers in the ninth. They got another man on, but he was stranded as Novosibirsk survived for the 2-1 win.

Game two was 2-1 after the second inning and stayed there the rest of the way as Krasnodar evened the series. The Nitros matched with their own 3-1 road win. Two pitchers held Novosibirsk to two hits as the Steamers won game four 3-0 to even the series. Game five came down to the final at-bat as Yacub Hristov’s walkoff single pushed Krasnodar to a 5-4 win and the 3-2 series lead. Krasnodar controlled most of game six on the road, up 6-1 entering the ninth. Novosibirsk tried to rally, but the hole was too deep and the Steamers survived 6-3.

Krasnodar is EPB’s first repeat champ since Chelyabinsk in 20119-20. Azamat Kurbanow was also finals MVP, going 11-25 with 4 RBI. He set an EPB playoff record with seven triples and had 28 hits, 10 runs, 4 doubles, 1 homer, and 13 RBI overall. The 28 hits were the second-most in EPB playoff history. The 32-year old Turkmen 1B proved a big signing, joining the Steamers in 2037 after previous stints with Krasnodar, Krasnoyarsk, and Kazan.



Other notes: In hitting milestones, Erik Farkas became the 13^th to 600 home runs and Asif Hajiyev was the 30^th to 500 dingers. Farkas and Khazbulat Dukhu both got to 2500 hits, now met by 42 EPB players. Vardan Aslan was the 63^rd pitcher to 200 wins. 3B Olzhas Vorsul won his 8^th consecutive Gold Glove, tying the EPB position record.