01-09-2026, 06:12 PM
The 2024 ALCS pitted two titans, with Higglytown having won 118 regular season games, and Portland winning 105 (and that’s with bad luck, as they underperformed their pythag by 11 games). Pitching was the focus for both clubs, with each holding opponents to barely three runs a game.
The festivities kicked off on a balmy Higglytown evening, with home town ace Chris Sale (18-5) facing off against Portland’s Tyler Glasnow (8-7). Ian Happ put the home team up with a homer in the first, but NRI Christian Yelich played longball to even the score in the 4th. The Heroes reclaimed the lead on a passed ball in the 7th, and a blast by Hero star Jose Ramirez sealed the 6-2 Higglytown victory.
Portland looked for revenge, sending Max Fried (15-7) against Sean Manea (17-6) in a battle of portsiders. This time the visitors took the lead in the first, but an Alex Call tater staked the Heroes to a 2-1 advantage in the second. Higglytown added runs in the next two innings, but the game remained very much in the balance until Christian Walker broke things open with a grand slam, to propel Higglytown to an 8-1 decision.
Portland headed home with hopes of reversing the series momentum, and with good reason – they had the league’s best regular season home record, at 63-18. Draft Kings was predicting a pitcher’s duel with NRI ace Cole Ragans (18-8) opposing league wins leader Dylan Cease (22-2). The under was indeed the right play as both hurlers were splendid. Higglytown’s Carlos Santana plated one on a double in the first, but that was the only scoring until a dinger by Hero Ramirez in the 6th. Cease and two Higglytown relievers made that hold up, scattering seven baserunners to take a 2-0 win, and to send the series to the brink.
Facing elimination, Portland turned to late season call-up Rhett Lowder to turn the tide. Higglytown countered with 19 game winner Bailey Ober, but it was Lowder who came out of the box hot, surrendering only one hit over five innings, as the home nine rode bombs by Jose Iglesias and Teoscar Hernandez to take a 2-0 lead. The series seemed destined to head to game five until Ian Happ smashed a two-out, two-run roundtripper to tie the game in the 7th, and a Wilyer Abreu blast gave the Heroes the lead in the 8th. The NRI put two men on in the bottom of the 8th, but Hero Joe Jimenez got Iglesias tom end the rally and retired the side in the final frame to secure the series for Higglytown.
As is often the case with sweeps, only one game was lopsided, and a couple of plays the other way would have had the series tied – or Portland ahead – after four. Indeed, the difference for the Heroes was a few extra feet on their flyballs, as 15 of their 19 runs scored on home runs. The pitchers were the real stars, with Portland’s Lowder and Ragans turning in dominant performances, matched by Higglytown’s Sale, Manea, and Cease. The Hero bullpen was outstanding, surrendering only one run in 14 innings of work.
Standouts were harder to spot at the plate, but NRI star Mookie Betts hit .353 (and saw time at three positions in the field), and Hero Ian Happ launched two key home runs in limited playing time. But it was Higglytown stalwart Jose Ramirez who took series MVP honors, hitting .313 and slugging .750, with two homers and six RBI.
rs were harder to spot at the plate, but NRI star Mookie Betts hit .353 (and saw time at three positions in the field), and Hero Ian Happ launched two key home runs in limited playing time. But it was Higglytown stalwart Jose Ramirez who took series MVP honors, hitting .313 and slugging .750, with two homers and six RBI.
The festivities kicked off on a balmy Higglytown evening, with home town ace Chris Sale (18-5) facing off against Portland’s Tyler Glasnow (8-7). Ian Happ put the home team up with a homer in the first, but NRI Christian Yelich played longball to even the score in the 4th. The Heroes reclaimed the lead on a passed ball in the 7th, and a blast by Hero star Jose Ramirez sealed the 6-2 Higglytown victory.
Portland looked for revenge, sending Max Fried (15-7) against Sean Manea (17-6) in a battle of portsiders. This time the visitors took the lead in the first, but an Alex Call tater staked the Heroes to a 2-1 advantage in the second. Higglytown added runs in the next two innings, but the game remained very much in the balance until Christian Walker broke things open with a grand slam, to propel Higglytown to an 8-1 decision.
Portland headed home with hopes of reversing the series momentum, and with good reason – they had the league’s best regular season home record, at 63-18. Draft Kings was predicting a pitcher’s duel with NRI ace Cole Ragans (18-8) opposing league wins leader Dylan Cease (22-2). The under was indeed the right play as both hurlers were splendid. Higglytown’s Carlos Santana plated one on a double in the first, but that was the only scoring until a dinger by Hero Ramirez in the 6th. Cease and two Higglytown relievers made that hold up, scattering seven baserunners to take a 2-0 win, and to send the series to the brink.
Facing elimination, Portland turned to late season call-up Rhett Lowder to turn the tide. Higglytown countered with 19 game winner Bailey Ober, but it was Lowder who came out of the box hot, surrendering only one hit over five innings, as the home nine rode bombs by Jose Iglesias and Teoscar Hernandez to take a 2-0 lead. The series seemed destined to head to game five until Ian Happ smashed a two-out, two-run roundtripper to tie the game in the 7th, and a Wilyer Abreu blast gave the Heroes the lead in the 8th. The NRI put two men on in the bottom of the 8th, but Hero Joe Jimenez got Iglesias tom end the rally and retired the side in the final frame to secure the series for Higglytown.
As is often the case with sweeps, only one game was lopsided, and a couple of plays the other way would have had the series tied – or Portland ahead – after four. Indeed, the difference for the Heroes was a few extra feet on their flyballs, as 15 of their 19 runs scored on home runs. The pitchers were the real stars, with Portland’s Lowder and Ragans turning in dominant performances, matched by Higglytown’s Sale, Manea, and Cease. The Hero bullpen was outstanding, surrendering only one run in 14 innings of work.
Standouts were harder to spot at the plate, but NRI star Mookie Betts hit .353 (and saw time at three positions in the field), and Hero Ian Happ launched two key home runs in limited playing time. But it was Higglytown stalwart Jose Ramirez who took series MVP honors, hitting .313 and slugging .750, with two homers and six RBI.
rs were harder to spot at the plate, but NRI star Mookie Betts hit .353 (and saw time at three positions in the field), and Hero Ian Happ launched two key home runs in limited playing time. But it was Higglytown stalwart Jose Ramirez who took series MVP honors, hitting .313 and slugging .750, with two homers and six RBI.