For the second year in a row the World Series came down to the last batter in Game 7, and once again the Rockies came through when the pressure was on. This time they defeated the Athletics, four games to three, to claim their second consecutive Redwood SOM title. The Chico Escuela Trophy stays in Colorado for another year, as the Rockies gear up for a run at a three-peat!
Game One: Athletics (Shane Bieber) at Rockies (Gerrit Cole). The Athletics get to the usually untouchable Cole early in Game One. George Springer starts things off with a first-inning dinger, as the Athletics put up single runs in the first, second and third innings, including a solo shot by Kris Bryant. They add two more in the fourth, on doubles by Donovan Solano and Eugenio Suarez. Meanwhile Bieber spins together a masterpiece, with a complete-game six-hitter. The Rockies' only run comes in the fourth inning, when David Freese scores on Max Muncy's triple. Final score Athletics 5, Rockies 1. Bieber gets the well-deserved win, Cole takes the loss. Athletics lead series one game to zero.
Game Two: Athletics (Yu Darvish) at Rockies (Jacob deGrom). This one is quiet until the top of the fifth, when the Athletics score on consecutive doubles by Mookie Betts and Jorge Polanco. The lead doesn't last long, though, because in the bottom of the inning Muncy launches three-run dinger, scoring Mark Canha and Yusiel Puig ahead of him. The Athletics tie it over the next couple of innings, featuring an RBI pinch-double by Bryce Harper in the sixth and a Polanco solo shot in the seventh. But in the bottom of the eighth, Christian Vasquez puts the Rockies back in front with a solo shot of his own off Athletics reliever Roberto Osuna. Final score Rockies 4, Athletics 3. DeGrom picks up the win scattering eight hits over eight innings, Osuna takes the loss in relief, and Brandon Workman picks up the save with a scoreless ninth inning. Series tied one game each.
Game Three: Rockies (Charlie Morton) at Athletics (Kyle Hendricks). Morton dominates the Athletics in their home park, allowing just four hits and one run through eight great innings of work. The Athletics' only run comes on a Bryant dinger in the home half of the seventh; otherwise Morton is untouchable. Meanwhile the Rockies get to Hendricks with solo home runs by Matt Chapman and Trevor Story, and add a couple of insurance runs on a two-run single in the ninth by Tommy Pham. Rockies 4, Athletics 1. Morton gets the win; Hendricks gets the loss. Rockies lead series two games to one.
Game Four: Rockies (Madison Bumgarner) at Athletics (Rich Hill). The Athletics even up the series behind a strong outing by Hill. Betts starts off the scoring with a solo shot in the third inning, and the Athletics put up two more runs in the fourth as they load the bases and MadBum walks in a run before another run sneaks home on a double play groundout. Puig gets the Rockies on the board with a dinger in the fifth, and Pham adds a two-run shot of his own in the top of the seventh to make it even at three runs apiece. In the bottom of the seventh the Athletics send seven men to the plate but score only one run, on a bases-loaded walk by Rockies reliever Jose LeClerc. They add two insurance runs in the eighth when Adam Eaton singles home Solano and Polanco. Athletics 6, Rockies 3. Bass gets the win in relief; LeClerc gets the loss, and the Athletics' Brad Hand picks up the save. Series tied at two games each.
Game Five: Rockies (Cole) at Athletics (Bieber). In this pivotal Game Five, both teams send out their ace, and both teams score early off of them. In the top of the first the Rockies score on Freese's RBI double, driving in DJ LaMahieu, who has doubled himself. The Athletics, in the bottom of the inning, roar back on a three-run shot by Springer, scoring Betts and Bryant ahead of him. The Rockies match that feat in the top of the second, on a Pham dinger scoring Puig and Cole ahead of him, making it 4-3 Rockies. The Athletics then tie it up in the bottom of the third, when Betts scores from first on a Bryant double. But the Rockies score again in the top of the fifth, when Story scores on a Canha sacrifice fly. And there things stay, as both offenses go radio silent the rest of the way. Rockies 5, Athletics 4. Cole, although giving up some runs, strikes out 17 in a complete-game win; Osuna takes the loss in relief. Rockies lead series three games to two.
Game Six: Athletics (Darvish) at Rockies (deGrom). As the series moves back to Colorado, it's win-or-go-home for the Athletics, and they have to beat deGrom if they are going to force a seventh game. Darvish and the Athletics' bullpen rise to the occasion, holding the mighty Rockies offense to just two runs, on a Chapman dinger and a Pham triple both in the bottom of the third. Meanwhile the Athletics manage a two-run top of the first against deGrom, on singles by Betts, Springer and Luke Voit. In the fourth they score on yet another bases-loaded walk, this one to pinch-hitter Michael Conforto, and add a little breathing room in the fifth on doubles by Springer and Voit. Athletics reliever Liam Hendriks holds the Rockies in check the rest of the way. Final score 4-2 Athletics. Osuna gets the win in relief, and Hendriks picks up the save; LeClerc takes the loss. Series tied at three games each.
Game Seven: Athletics (Hendricks) at Rockies (Morton). A classic Game 7; right up there with some of the best in Redwood SOM history. It isn't close at first, as the Rockies' power gets them a 5-1 lead after five innings: a LaMaheau dinger in the first; a Vasquez dinger in the third; and a three-run shot by Freese in the fifth. Meanwhile Morton again stymies the Athletics, giving up only a single run in the fourth on a Betts single and Polanco double. Then, in the bottom of the sixth, Vasquez does it again, hitting yet another solo shot to stake the Rockies to a 6-1 lead after six innings. Morton's mastery continues, as the Athletics manage only one additional run in the top of the eighth on an Alex Avila dinger. Entering the top of the ninth, the Athletics face elimination down by four runs.
They quickly make things interesting. Betts and Polanco both draw walks, chasing Morton. Reliever Zack Britton comes in, and immediately walks Springer. Voit then doubles, scoring two; the score is all of a sudden 6-4, and the Athletics have runners on second and third with no outs. Out goes Britton, and in comes Workman.
And Workman efficiently puts out the lights. He strikes out Bryant, he strikes out pinch-hitter Suarez, and he strikes out pinch-hitter Harper to clinch the series for the Rockies. Final score: Rockies 6, Athletics 4. Morton gets the win and Workman the save; Hendricks absorbs the loss. Rockies win series four games to three.
A year ago the Rockies won their first title by taking Game Seven in extra innings against the Giants. This year they repeat with another nail-biter Game Seven against the Athletics. In both cases the Rockies came through under pressure and are now one title away from dynasty status.
Charlie Morton was awarded MVP honors, going 2-0 while pitching 16 innings with an ERA of just 2.25 and a remarkable WHIP of 0.625. The Rockies had many other suitable candidates, and an honorable mention goes to Christian Vasquez, who won Game Two with a home run, and who hit two more dingers in Game Seven--which the Rockies won by two runs.
The Rockies and Athletics gave us a another series to remember!
Congratulations to the 2020 Redwood SOM Repeat Champion Rockies!
Larry Division
- x-Rockies (44-36), .550, 0.0 GB
- Yankees (35-45), .438, 9.0 GB
- Red Sox (33-47), .413, 11.0 GB
Moe Division
- x-Mets (45-35), .563, 0.0 GB
- y-Reds (43-37), .538, 2.0 GB
- Pirates (38-42), .475, 7.0 GB
Curly Division
- x-Athletics (43-37), .538, 0.0 GB
- Giants (40-40), .500, 3.00 GB
- Cardinals (39-41), .488, 4.0 GB
x-Clinched divisional championshipy-Clinched wild card
2020 Post-Season Madness
Divisional Playoffs
Mets (Number 1 seed) versus Athletics (Number 4 seed)
Athletics sweep series 4 games to 0
MVP: George Springer
Rockies (Number 2 seed) versus Reds (Number 3 seed)
Rockies sweep series 4 games to 0
MVP: Mark Canha
World Series
Rockies (Number 2 seed) versus Athletics (Number 4 seed)
Rockies win series 4 games to 3
MVP: Charlie Morton
2021 Draft Order
- Red Sox
- Yankees
- Pirates
- Cardinals
- Giants
- Reds
- Mets
- Athletics
- Rockies
Next action: Hot stove action starts now! See you at Bodega Bay in April!
