2015 Italian Series

The 2015 Italian Series featured a rematch of 2014 Italian Series champion Unipol Bologna and the team they beat in seven games that Series, ASD Rimini. This time, Rimini pulled off a four-game sweep.

Teams

• Bologna had the best record in both the first phase and second, going 38-12 overall with a 264-117 run differential. The offense was led by Cesar Suarez (.317/.348/.500, 39 RBI), Alessandro Vaglio (.317/.418/.451, 39 R) and Claudio Liverziani (.299/.434/.427). Marquis Fleming (13-5, 2.09, 113 K in 107 1/3 IP) was their ace starter, Raul Rivero (4-0, 5 Sv, 0.81 ERA, 80 K in 67 IP, .70 WHIP) moved effectively from the bullpen to the rotation for the second half and Filippo Crepaldi (3-2, 6 Sv, 1.00) was an excellent relief option. They were managed by Marco Nanni.

• Rimini was second in both halves but with a significantly worse record (27-19) and run differential (187-140). Managed by Orlando Munoz, their offense was powered by Giuseppe Mazzanti (.339/.433/.519) and former major leaguers Alex Romero (.357/.455/.471) and Ray Olmedo (.305/.383/.397). Alexis Candelario (9-4, 1.80, 135 K in 95 IP) and Carlo Richetti (10-3, 2.18) were their top starters while Jose Escalona (5-1, 10 Sv, 1.74, 61 K in 51 2/3 IP) was their bullpen ace.

Games

• September 3: Rimini 2, Bologna 1. After losing 8 of 10 games to Bologna in the regular season, Rimini kicks off the Series with a win in front of 1,100 at Gianni Falchi Stadium. They got on board in the top of the second against 2014 game 7 star Rivero, as C Riccardo Bertagnon doubled and DH Giuseppe Spinelli hit into a single that Rivero made an error on. In the bottom of the second, Bologna tied it against Candelario when 3B Suarez was plunked, 2B Vaglio singled and C Guillermo Rodriguez (2014 Series MVP) singled to tie it. That was the only run the potent Bologna attack managed, though, against Candelario (6 1/3 IP), Escalona (1 1/3) and Victor Moreno (1 1/3, Sv). In the top of the 5th, Rimini got the game's last run. Bertagnon drew a walk from Rivero and was bunted over by both Spinelli and 2B Riccardo Babini. LF Lorenzo Di Fabio then singled in Bertagnon with the winner.

• September 4: Rimini 7, Bologna 3. Bologna started quickly against Roberto Corradini. SS Juan Carlos Infante walked, stole second and scored on a one-out single by RF Liverziani. Rimini countered in the second against Luca Panerati; C Bertagnon singled to again get things going, DH Edgar Mundarain walked and 2B Babini singled in Bertagnon to tie it. LF Di Fabio bunted and 1B Leonardo Zileri made an error on the play to load the bases. CF Stefano De Simoni singled (the first of three hits) to make it 2-1. In the top of the 4th, Rimini added insurance. Babini singled with one out, Di Fabio walked and De Simoni singled. SS Olmedo hit into a run-scoring force for a 3-1 lead.

In the bottom of the 6th, Bologna closed the gap; 3B Suarez singled and moved to third on an error by 3B Mazzanti on the play. C Rodriguez singled and it was now 3-2. In the top of the 7th, Pietro Cadoni replaced Panerati for Bologna but Rimini kept up the attack as De Simoni walked and stole, advanced on an Olmedo grounder and came home on a fly from RF Romero. In the bottom of the 7th, Bologna again narrowed the margin. After Corradini walked 1B Alex Sambucci, he was relieved by Richetti. With two outs, Infante singled in Sambucci to make it 4-3, but Richetti would allow no runs in three innings of work (except the one inherited run). Meanwhile, Rimini pounced on Crepaldi for three in the top of the 8th, Romero singling in one and Mazzanti two.

• September 7: Rimini 3, Bologna 0. After being outplayed by Bologna all year long, Rimini kept on rolling in the Series with their third straight win. Escalona tossed five shutout innings, postseason reinforcement from Spain's Division Honor Leslie Nacar worked three perfect frames and Moreno tossed a scoreless ninth for the save. Bologna managed only five hits, three after the first; two of the hits were from SS Infante. Rimini's offense wasn't as explosive as yesterday but didn't have to be, capitalizing on Bologna's couple defensive lapses. In the bottom of the second, facing Fleming, 3B Mazzanti hit into an error by his counterpart, Suarez. 1B Zileri singled and C Bertagnon bunted the men over. DH Spinelli then slapped a two-run single. In the bottom of the 8th, against Salomon Marinez, Zileri hit into a one-out error by Infante and stole second. Bertagnon was intentionally walked. After two outs, 2B Babini singled through the left side to score Zileri for the final run.

• September 8: Rimini 7, Bologna 0. Rimini capped their stunning sweep in front of 2,000 fans at home. The Pirates' Candelario again turned in a gem (7 IP, 4 H, 2 BB, 8 K, 0 R), with Moreno tossing two shutout innings (one hit) to wrap it up. Bologna's best chance came in the first, which ended with Infante being caught stealing home. Rivero matched Candelario for six innings but wilted in the 7th. Romero singled, Mazzanti walked and Zileri bunted for a single to load the bases. Bertagnon singled home Romero to keep on coming through in key rallies. RP Rafael Cova relieved Rivero and allowed two more hits, retiring two, and Cadoni then relieved and walked a batter as well. Marinez finally ended the inning with Rimini now up 6-0. Candelario would win Series MVP.