[Dukie98]

Frontier League: The 119-win Buffalo Fighting Elk were heavy favorites against the Ottawa Parliamentarians, who limped into the postseason after blowing the Great Lakes Division title by ending the season in a 4-14 tailspin. As expected, Buffalo dominated the overmatched Parliamentarians, winning four straight games, with only one game decided by less than three runs. Buffalo left fielder Dale Mitchell was named MVP after hitting .500 and slugging 1.000, with 2 homers and 9 RBI's. Second baseman John Knight hit .444 with a homer and 7 runs scored, including a 4-hit, 4-run performance in the clincher. First baseman Don Hurst hit .313, slugging 2 homers and driving in 7 runs. Reliever Mike Naymick had a win and a save in 4 shutout innings, fanning 8. Ottawa was lead by catcher Ron Karkovice, who hit .313 with 3 homers and 5 RBI's in defeat. In the only wild-card series to go the full seven games, the Kansas City Mad Hatters and Seattle Whales alternated wins, with the Mad Hatters prevailing 3-2 in a 16-inning Game 7 finale, with Paul Goldschmidt drawing a bases-loaded walk to plate the winning run. Left fielder Kirk Gibson earned MVP honors after hitting .440 and slugging .880. with 3 homers, 9 RBI's, 5 runs scored, and 2 steals. Right fielder Bernie Carbo hit .387 with a series-high 12 hits, 3 homers, and 6 RBI's. Righthander Paul Derringer was 1-0 with a 1.54 ERA in 11.2 innings. Seattle was led by right fielder Harry Rice, who hit .407 and drove in 2 runs, and by shortstop Mickey Stanley, who hit .280 with 3 homers and 4 RBI's. The Detroit Purple Gang ousted the pesky Pittsburgh Golden Gorillas in six games, holding Pittsburgh to just 15 runs in the series. Third baseman Nolan Arenado took home the hardware after hitting .273 with 2 homers and 4 RBI's. Second baseman Jim Lefebvre hit .304 with a homer and 2 RBI's. Crafty southpaw Scott Olsen went 1-0 with a 0.75 ERA in 12 innings, while Johnny Beazley garnered a crucial Game 4 win, allowing just one run in 6.1 innings. Third baseman Bill Madlock led Pittsburgh, hitting .400 with a stolen base in a losing effort. Marty Bystrom posted a 1-0 mark for Pittsburgh with a 1.35 ERA in 13.1 innings. The Minneapolis Penguins ousted the shorthanded Milwaukee Raccoons in five games, as MVP candidate Larry Walker missed the series with a sprained ankle. Milwaukee scored just nine runs in five games. Penguins catcher Javy Lopez took home MVP honors after hitting .444 with 4 homers and 6 RBI's, while Mike Trout hit .294 and slugged .706, with 2 homers, 3 RBI's, and 2 steals. Righthander Frank Smith dominated, going 2-0 with a 1.29 ERA and 12 strikeouts in 14 innings, while Tex Pruiett hurled 7.1 shutout innings in Game 4, allowing just 3 hits. Walker's replacement, Dixie Walker, led Milwaukee with a .333 average, a homer, and 3 RBI's.

The Fighting Elk dominated the Mad Hatters in the Division Series, outscoring them 21-8 on their way to another four-game sweep. Buffalo third baseman Eric Chavez was tabbed MVP after hitting .375 with a homer and 4 RBI's, while right fielder Chris Latham hit .300 with a homer, 3 RBI's, and 4 runs scored. Jordan Zimmermann hurled 7 innings of 2-hit ball, yielding just 1 run in a Game 2 victory, while Triple Crown-winner Don Wilson yielded one run in seven innings in a Game 1 no-decision. None of the Mad Hatters starters hit over .250 or drove in more than 2 runs in the series. Reliever Grant Roberts hurled 4.2 shutout innings, yielding just one baserunner. The Detroit Fighting Elk earned a position in the League Championship Series for the first time in 13 playoff appearances, ousting the Minneapolis Penguins in 6 games. Detroit right fielder Sherry Magee added a MVP trophy to his Hall of Fame resume by hitting .481 with 13 hits, 2 homers, 5 RBI's, 7 runs scored, and 2 steals. First baseman Gail Hopkins hit .375 with 2 homers and 7 RBI's, and third baseman Nolan Arenado hit .364, slugged .818, and pounded 3 homers with 6 RBI's. Righthander Art Mahaffey went 1-0 with a 2.92 ERA, while relievers Turk Wendell and Mike Parrott combined for eight hitless innings. Javy Lopez continued his dominant postseason for the Penguins, hitting .360 with 3 homers and 9 RBI's, while ace Jose Rijo went 1-0 with a 2.45 ERA in 11 innings. In the League Championship Series, Buffalo took the first three games - extending its postseason mark to 11-0 - before finally dropping a game, on its way to eliminating Detroit in five games. Second baseman John Knight took MVP honors after hitting .571 with 12 hits, including 5 doubles, 5 runs scored, and 2 RBI's. Center fielder Tris Speaker hit .348 with 3 doubles, 2 homers, 8 RBI's, and 7 runs scored. First baseman Don Hurst popped 2 homers and drove in 6 runs. Buffalo's bullpen dominated, as Gregg Olson, Jose Lima, and Bob Chakales yielded just 4 hits in 11.1 shutout innings, combining for 2 wins. Left fielder Rafael Palmeiro and first baseman Gail Hopkins each popped a pair of longballs for Detroit, and Palmeiro plated six runs in a losing effort.

Continental League: The 103-win Washington Ambassadors outlasted the Hartford Huskies in six games. First baseman Lee Stevens was named MVP, leading Washington with a .375 average, 2 homers and 7 RBI's. Center fielder Andre Ethier hit .300 and slugged .500, popping a homer and driving in 6 runs. Righthander Jeff Tesreau earned a win in the decisive Game 6, yielding a 2.19 ERA in 12.1 innings. First baseman Justin Bour led Hartford, hitting .280 with 3 homers and 4 RBI's in a losing effort, while Chris Carpenter split two decisions, yielding a 1.50 ERA while fanning 16 batters in 12 innings. The Jacksonville Gulls, returning to the postseason for the first time in seven years, dropped the first two games to the New Orleans Crawfish before sweeping the final four games; New Orleans scored 41 runs in six games in a losing effort. Jacksonville right fielder George Harper took home the MVP trophy after hitting .385 with a walk-off homer in Game 5 and 9 RBI's. Center fielder Edd Roush hit .526 with 5 runs scored and 4 steals before suffering an arm injury. First baseman JT Snow hit .381 with 2 homers and 7 RBI's. Weldon Henley had one of the few bright spots for the Gulls' pitching staff, earning the win in Game 3, allowing just one run in seven innings. Catcher Pat Donahue led New Orleans with 3 homers and 8 RBI's, while left fielder Tommy Davis hit .481 with a homer, 5 RBI's, 8 runs scored, and 4 extra-base hits. The defending-champion Los Angeles Kangaroos upended the hard-hitting Austin Mustangs by a single run in Games 1 and 2, but Austin took the final four, scoring 8 runs in Games 4, 5, and 6. Austin second sacker Ryne Sandberg earned MVP honors after hitting .455 with 2 homers and 4 RBI's. Third baseman Hans Lobert hit .357 with 3 homers and 9 RBI's, and catcher Keith Moreland and right fielder Ernie Banks each smacked three longballs apiece and drove in a combined 13 runs. Red Ruffing threw 8 shutout innings in Game 4, allowing just 3 hits, while Ed Reulbach won the decisive Game 6, posting a 2.08 ERA in 13 innings. Los Angeles center fielder Adam Jones hit .478 with 4 RBI's in a losing effort. After dropping Game 1 to the Anaheim Antelopes, the Charlotte Aviators stormed back to take the next four games. Left fielder Dick Wakefield was named MVP after hitting .500 and slugging .833 with a homer, 3 doubles, and 4 RBI's. Eight separate Aviators homered in the series. Third baseman Wayne Garrett hit .316 with a homer and 3 RBI's. Ray Narleski earned two wins in relief, as Charlotte's bullpen yielded just two runs in 15.2 innings. Center fielder Dale Murphy led Anaheim, hitting .300 with a homer and 6 RBI's in defeat.

In the Division Series, Washington edged Jacksonville in seven games, winning Game 7 on a walk-off homer by third baseman Willie Jones. Catcher Ryan Doumit led Washington, hitting .333 with 3 homers and 12 RBI's. Center fielder Andre Ethier hit .367 with a round-tripper, 3 RBI's, and 4 runs scored. Jones had just 5 hits in 27 at bats, but three of them were longballs, and he drove in six runs. Relievers Chris Short and Guy Cantrell combined for 2 wins, 11 strikeouts, and a 1.00 ERA in 9 innings.
Jacksonville shortstop Robin Yount took home MVP honors in a losing effort, however, hitting .633 with an incredible 1.167 slugging percentage, with an incredible 19 hits -- including three 4-hit games -- 7 doubles, 3 homers, 8 runs scored and 11 RBI's. Yount set a playoff record with 4 doubles in a Game 5 victory. Austin dispatched Charlotte in 5 games, holding the Aviators to just 12 runs in 5 games. MVP Ernie Banks led Austin, hitting .300 with 4 homers and 12 RBI's. Second baseman Ryne Sandberg hit .333 with 2 homers and 5 RBI's. Right fielder Wally Post hit .412 with 3 doubles, 4 runs scored, and 3 RBI's. Righthander Willie Adams went 1-0 with a 1.50 ERA in 12 innings. Right fielder Delmon Young popped 2 homers and drove in 4 runs for Charlotte. In the League Championship Series, Washington nearly blew a 3-1 lead, but held on for a wild 9-7 win in Game 7. Catcher Ryan Doumit took home MVP honors, hitting .464 and slugging .750, with 2 homers and 5 RBI's. First baseman Lee Stevens hit .333 and slugged .704, popping 3 round-trippers and plating 12 runs. Second baseman Danny Murtaugh hit .433 with 13 hits, scoring 5 runs and driving in a pair. Jeff Tesreau earned a Game 4 win, yielding just 1 run in 7 innings, while Franklin Morales split 2 decisions with a 1.35 ERA in 13.1 innings. Austin DH Jimmie Foxx hit .321 with 3 homers and 7 RBI's in a losing effort, and Ernie Banks popped 3 solo homers.

World Series: The World Series was a matchup of the two 100-win teams in baseball- the heavily-favored 119-win Buffalo Fighting Elk and the 103-win Washington Ambassadors. While Buffalo raced through the Frontier League with a 12-1 record in the first three rounds, Washington went the distance in its last two series. Buffalo jumped out to a quick 2-0 lead before Washington evened the score, but Buffalo romped in Game 5 and won Game 6 comfortably, taking the series in six games.

Buffalo came from behind in Game 1 to win 9-3, scoring 7 runs in the bottom of the seventh inning. Washington starter Jeff Tesreau departed with a 3-2 lead, but instead of turning to relief aces Chris Short or Guy Cantrell, the Ambassadors called on Chris Leroux, Cecil Upshaw, and Joe Price, in the fateful seventh inning, who surrendered homers to Buffalo's Tris Speaker, Eric Chavez, and John Knight. Knight led Buffalo with 2 hits and 3 RBI's. Right fielder George Hendrick popped a two-run homer for Washington. Buffalo dominated Game 2, 10-0, as Don Wilson hurled a 3-hit shutout, fanning 7. Chavez went 4-for-5, with another homer, 3 runs scored, and 3 RBI's. Don Hurst homered and drove in two runs for Buffalo. Washington's Chris Haney got blasted for 8 earned runs in 3.1 innings. Washington stormed back in Game 3, however, prevailing 5-1. Franklin Morales outdueled veteran Brett Oberholtzer, allowing one run in 6 innings. Catcher Ryan Doumit led Washington with 3 hits, including a homer and 2 RBI's; Lee Stevens and Willie Jones also homered for the Ambassadors. Although four Fighting Elk had multiple hits, Buffalo garnered zero extra-base hits for the game.

Washington squared the series with a 5-4 win in Game 4, as Willie Jones hit 2 homers, including a 2-run blast in the bottom of the eighth to give the Ambassadors the lead for good. Les Teitje yielded just one run in 5 innings, and DH Lou Novikoff popped 3 hits, including a double. Hurst led Buffalo with 2 hits and drove in a run, while left fielder Dale Mitchell had a two-run triple. Buffalo seized control of the series in Game 5, romping to a 14-0 victory. DH Ryan Thompson starred, popping 2 homers and driving in 6 runs -- exceeding his season totals in each category. Buffalo drilled 7 doubles in addition to 3 homers. Chavez had 3 hits, including 2 doubles, and drove in 3 runs. Jordan Zimmermann hurled a 4-hit shutout, fanning nine. Buffalo clinched the series in Game 6, prevailing 5-2 behind another dominant outing from Don Wilson, who yielded one run in 7 innings. Center fielder Tris Speaker had 2 hits, including a solo homer, while catcher Hal Wagner drove in 2 runs. George Hendrick led Washington, popping a double and a triple, and driving in a run.

In a controversial decision. Chavez was named MVP, after hitting .462 with a series-high 12 hits, including 2 homers and 8 RBI's. But Wilson went 2-0 with a 0.56 ERA, allowing just 7 hits in 16 innings with 15 strikeouts. Speaker and Knight hit .304 and .296, respectively, with 2 homers apiece and a combined 11 RBI's. Willie Jones led Washington, hitting .300 and slugging .750 with 3 homers and 4 RBI's.