The 2072 Daily Keg - Brewmasters Cup Preview

October 30, 2072

Import League Championship: Baltimore Bulldogs def. Phoenix Roadrunners, 4-2

Baltimore came out swinging, winning the opener 8-1 behind Grant Henry, who was dominant across the series (16 innings, 12 strikeouts, 1.69 ERA over his two starts, including a 2-run outing over 8 innings in Game 5). Baltimore followed that with a tight 3-1 win in Game 2 behind Tommy Humes, with Anton Anthony closing it out. Cole Good came out of the bullpen to win Game 3, a 7-4 slugfest, putting Baltimore up 3-0 in the series.

Phoenix answered. Franklin Pennell beat Baltimore 3-1 in Game 4, and DeAndre Hart picked up the win in relief in a 3-2 Game 5, cutting the series to 3-2. But Baltimore closed it out in Game 6, another 3-2 win with Humes getting the decision and Anthony back on the mound for the clinching save.

Landry Longstreth was named series MVP, batting .500 with 2 home runs, 4 RBI, and 4 runs scored over the six games. Aaren Hernandez was right behind him at .364 with 2 homers, 7 RBI, and 2 stolen bases. On the mound, Baltimore’s top two arms were nearly untouchable across the series: Henry’s 1.69 ERA and Humes’ 1.42 ERA with 7 strikeouts, picking up wins in both Game 2 and the clincher.

Phoenix got a strong series from Israel Elpers (.350) and Andrew Kelley (.200 with 2 homers and 4 RBI), but the middle and bottom of the order went cold at the wrong time, with Kole Herber, Andy Thornton, Keaton Ang, and Phil Wells combining for almost nothing at the plate. Cory Dorman took the loss twice in the rotation, unable to find his footing across two rocky starts.

Domestic League Championship: New Orleans Voodoo def. Montreal Exports, 4-1

Montreal stole Game 1, 5-4, behind a Brandan Caldwell relief win, but New Orleans took the next four in a row. The Voodoo blew the doors open in Games 2 and 4, winning 11-7 and 11-2, and took a tighter 7-5 decision in Game 3 with Cole Shelton locking down the save. Landon Robinette closed it out in Game 5, a 5-1 win, allowing just 1 run over 8.1 innings with 6 strikeouts to finish the series 4-1.

Isaac Paulk was named MVP for the second straight round, and this time he was even better: .421 with 4 home runs, 12 RBI, and 7 runs scored over five games. Rayford Kimmons set the table in front of him at a scorching .526 with 2 stolen bases, and Edgar Pollert chipped in 2 homers despite a quieter batting average. Payton Baxley didn’t hit for much average but drove in 6 runs in clutch spots.

On the mound, Robinette was the workhorse, going 14.1 innings across two starts with 13 strikeouts and a 3.14 ERA, and Cole Shelton was automatic out of the bullpen with 2 saves and a 0.00 ERA. Peyton Grenier and Tommy Myers each picked up a win as well, helping cover for a Voodoo staff that leaned on volume as much as dominance.

Montreal got a monster series from Harrison Holly, who hit .500 with 2 homers and 7 RBI in limited action, and Tommy Dunham chipped in 5 stolen bases, but the pitching staff couldn’t hold up. Andy Blake, who’d been excellent in the divisional round, had his worst start of the postseason (4.1 IP, 12.46 ERA) in a loss, and Brandon Flynn took the deciding Game 5 loss after a rough two-start stretch of his own.

Brewmasters Cup is set: Baltimore Bulldogs vs. New Orleans Voodoo, first pitch details to follow.

Brewmasters Cup: Baltimore Bulldogs (91-71, Away: 37-44) at New Orleans Voodoo (96-66, Home: 57-24)

Baltimore took the season series 3-0, but New Orleans still owns the stronger overall resume: the best offense in the Domestic League by nearly every measure (943 runs scored, .841 OPS) built around Edgar Pollert’s 49 homers, and a pitching staff that leads the division in strikeouts (1,179) and fewest walks allowed (424) even with a modest team ERA (4.32).

Both League Championship MVPs are locked in right now. Isaac Paulk is riding an incredible stretch, .435 with 5 homers over his last 6 games, and hit .421 with 12 RBI in the clincher over Montreal. Landry Longstreth is matching him blow for blow at .500 with 2 homers over the same window after his own MVP run against Phoenix. Rayford Kimmons is also locked in for New Orleans (.478, 2 steals), and Aaren Hernandez and Ethan Burke give Baltimore more thump behind Longstreth.

The concern for Baltimore is that its lineup is split right down the middle. While Longstreth, Hernandez, and Burke are hot, four regulars are ice cold at the same time: Marshall Borchelt (.192), Wyatt Helmuth (.150), Peter Hinchman (.211), and Brian Hermes (.174). That’s a lot of automatic outs for a lineup that already ranks below New Orleans in OBP and slugging.

Where Baltimore has a real answer is the rotation. Grant Henry has been dominant (1.69 ERA, 12 K over his last two starts, and an 8-inning, 2-run League Championship clincher against Phoenix) and Tommy Humes has quietly been just as good (1.42 ERA, 7 K over his own last two turns). That gives Baltimore two frontline arms right now to New Orleans’ one in Landon Robinette, who himself just threw a gem to close out Montreal (8.1 IP, 1 ER, 6 K, 1.08 ERA). Both bullpens are airtight at the back end: Cole Good for Baltimore and Cole Shelton for New Orleans have each posted 0.00 ERAs over their recent outings, and Anton Anthony is still riding his 17-game save streak.

Prediction: New Orleans in 6. The offense and home field are enough to overcome the season series and Baltimore’s rotation edge, but it won’t be one-sided.