The Halifax Whitecaps defeated the Crescent Beach Breakers in a barnburner of an ALCS, 4 games to 3. The series featured a Hiroki Kuroda one-hit shutout (facing the minimum 27 batters) in Game 5. Kuroda's pitching line was 9 1 0 0 0 9 and the Whitecaps won 2-0.

The Breakers ran out to an early 2-0 lead at home thanks to the strength of their hitting, with 10-8 and 16-7 victories ('football scores' as Mike said) that made me slightly despairing as we came home. But we turned it around; 4-1, 9-5 and 2-0 victories let us take the lead as both sides had held serve at home. Game 6 continued the pattern; we got thumped 6-2 and after three comprehensive losses in Crescent Beach it looked bad for us coming home. But the Whitecaps pitchers quieted the Wrigley faithful in the finale; Cole Hamels scuffled through 4 1/3 shutout innings to kick things off and then the bullpen brought it home, with Santiago Casilla, Joe Smith and Marco Gonzales delivering the remainder of the 3-0 shutout that sent Halifax to the World Series.

Andrew McCutchen was eye-popping throughout and was Series MVP. He hit four home runs in the series and was 10-for-23 with six walks, scoring 10 runs and driving in 7, with a slash lne of .435/.567/.957.

This is our franchise's fifth TRHL World Series as the Whitecaps (we also won one, the strangest TRHL WS of all time, in 2000 as the Detroit Speedsters). We lost in 2008, won 2009, lost 2011, and lost again in 2012. Looking at Bill's team, who I play tonight, it's hard to believe that I'm not looking at a fourth loss. But I know the AL will be behind me, and I'm looking forward to it.

Season will be done soon, guys. Hope to see you all back next year.