KOD16 World Series - Los Angeles Angels vs New York Mets

KOD16 World Series Preview

The KOD16 World Series featured 2 teams neither of which were the top seed in their league. Both the New York Mets and the Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim won their respective Expansion Franchise Division.  But each had to defeat a stronger opponent in the League Championship Series.  The Mets upset the San Francisco Giants in 6 games.  The Angels managed to get past the Chicago White Sox by winning the last 2 of their 7-game series.  There was no inter-league play in KOD16. So the Mets and Angels have never played before.   

October 20, Angel Stadium, Anaheim

The Series began with strong pitching on both sides.  Los Angeles struck first in the bottom of the 3^rd inning with a Wally Joyner RBI single off Mets' starter Doc Gooden.  New York evened the score in the top of the 6^th with a Kevin Mitchell RBI single off Angels' starter Marcelino Lopez.  With the game still knotted at 1, Dave LaRoche struck out Darryl Strawberry end the top half of the 9^thinning.  Gooden entered the bottom of the 9^th fully in control, having surrendered only 5 hits and 1 walk while striking out 9.  Yet Wally Joyner led off the inning with a single and moved up a base on David Eckstein's sacrifice bunt. Dallas McPherson then brought the hometown fans to their feet when he lined a walk-off double into the right field gap to score Joyner with the winning run.  LaRoche picked up the win as pitcher-of-record.      

Los Angeles 2, New York (N) 1  

LAA leads the Series 1-0.

October 21, Angel Stadium, Anaheim

"Tom Terrific" Seaver lived up to his nickname in Game 2.  Seaver yielded only 5 hits and 1 walk on his way to a complete game shutout.  New York scored twice on double-play groundballs, and once more on a Dave Magadan single off hard-luck losing pitcher Paul Hartzell. But these 3 runs were more than enough for Seaver to earn the victory this day.

New York (N) 3, Los Angeles 0 

Series tied 1-1.

October 23, Shea Stadium, New York

As the Series moved to the Big Apple, the Mets handed the ball to LHP Jerry Koosman, while the Angels went with their hottest starter Rickey Clark.  Los Angeles chipped away at New York scoring a run in the 3^rd on a Devon White squeeze bunt, a run in the 4^th on a David Eckstein single, a run in the 5^th on Bengie Molina single, and 2 runs in the 6^th on back-to-back RBI doubles by Garrett Anderson and Devon White. But the real star of the game was Clark, who gave up only 3 hits in 6 innings of shutout pitching.  The stellar Angels' bullpen kept the Mets off the board for the final three innings to preserve the win.      

Los Angeles 5, New York (N) 0

LAA leads the Series 2-1.

October 24, Shea Stadium, New York

Game 4s are often the most crucial in a 7-game series, as they mean the difference between a 2-2 series tie or a huge 3-1 edge for one team.  As such, perhaps this Game 4 was the turning point of this Series.

The Angels struck first off New York starter John Matlack, with Mike Trout scoring on a fielder's choice groundout. But that was all they could must off Matlack, who pitched superbly into the 8^th inning giving up only 3 hits.  Meanwhile, the Mets had a little better luck versus LA starter Dean Chance, scoring single runs in the 3^rd and 4^th innings on a Jose Reyes RBI single and a solo homer by Lucas Duda.  The score remained 2-1 New York going into the top of the 9^th inning.  The Angels managed to put runners on first and second, but were down to their last out.  Facing Jesse Orosco, Chone Figgins managed to poke a single to right field scoring Lansford from 2^nd base to tie the game. With Josias Manzanillo in from the Mets' bullpen to preserve the tie, next batter Wally Joyner smacked a double off the wall in left field to plate the go-ahead run.  Relievers Jose Arredondo and Bob Lee closed out the bottom of the 9^th to seal the dramatic come-from-behind win for the Angels.     

Los Angeles 3, New York (N) 2

LAA leads the Series 3-1.

October 25, Shea Stadium, New York

For Game 5 both teams returned to their Game 1 starters – Gooden and Lopez. New York struck early in the bottom of the 1^st when they filled the bases with no outs.  But they ended up only scoring 1 run thanks to a 6-4-3 double play.  Los Angeles could only score 1 run off Doc Gooden. That came in the 6^th inning when Mike Trout walked, stole 2^nd and scored on Garrett Anderson's single. Both starters were gone by the 8^th inning with the score still even at 1 apiece.  In the top of the 8^th the Angels mounted a rally against reliever Carlos Diaz.  Similar to the 6^th inning, this time Trout singles, was sacrificed to 2^nd and scored on Anderson's single. Anderson took 2^nd base on the throw home, which turned out to be important when Carney Lansford lines a 2-out single to center, scoring Anderson with run number 3.  Troy Percival escaped the bottom of the 8^th unscathed thanks to yet another Mets' double play ground ball.   

With Los Angeles still on top 3-1, the stage was set for the bottom of the 9^th.  LHP Dave LaRoche was called on to face the first two batters, both LHB.  But pinch hitter Benny Agbayani singled and Darryl Strawberry doubled off the wall in right, missing a game-tying HR by inches.  Nevertheless, the Mets had the tying runs on 2^nd and 3^rd with no outs.  The Angels called on their closer Bob Lee to get them out of the jam, and that he did, as he had done all season long.  Jose Reyes grounded to short scoring Agbayani, freezing Strawberry at 2^nd base.  Wally Backman walked, but Josh Thole flew out center.  With 2-outs and 2 on, Greg Jefferies grounded easily to shortstop to end the Series, and to give the Halos the KOD16 Championship. 

Los Angeles 3, New York (N) 2

LAA wins the Series 4-1.

The Series MVP was awarded to Mike Trout, who went 6-16 (.375) with 6 walks (.545 OBP) and 5 runs scored.  In such a low-scoring series where 3 of the Angels' 4 wins were by a single run, Trout led with 5 runs scored and always seemed to be on base creating havoc for the Mets.
--submitted by Douglas Zaner--