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Old 03-24-2019, 12:58 AM   #44
naterg1
Major Leagues
 
Join Date: May 2009
Location: Peoria, AZ
Posts: 381
ARIZONA SERIES: GAME 4

Josh Simpson vs. Bobby Compton round two. Tucson didn’t want to fall behind 3 games to 1 again like they did in the conference championship series. If they did, at least they would have their comeback in the previous round to look to as inspiration, but they didn’t want to go there.

Simpson and Compton kept hitters at bay through the first 5 innings. There were a couple of men in scoring position, but it never really felt like either of them was sweating. At least not until the bottom of the 6th. Jon Simon came up to bat against Simpson to lead the inning off. Simpson got ahead of him with a fastball but then threw three straight pitches off the plate.

Justin Blohm came from behind the plate to talk to him. They laughed and Blohm went back to his crouch.

Simon took a big cut and missed at a slider he thought would be a fastball. Now he stepped out.

Simpson wound up and threw his hardest fastball of the night. Simon fouled it back.

Another fastball...another foul back.

Simpson went with the slider. Simon checked his swing. The umpire called it low and Simon headed to first.

Simpson took a deep breath as Ian Fraser came to the plate. Strike one.

Fraser was ready quickly. He swung and missed for strike two.

This time Fraser stepped out. He looked around and seemed to be talking to himself. He slapped his bat and got back into position.

Fraser hit the ball hard to left center field and took off running. The ball bounced around and avoided the first fielder to get near it. Fraser rounded third and headed home. The throw was not close. The Spiders had a 2-0 lead.

Bill Howard hit a towering home run two batters later to extend the lead to three.

Andy Sausser led of the top of the 7th with a double for Tucson. He moved to third on a groundout and Andy Lepore was able to drive him in with a single. Tucson could only get one that inning but it gave them hope.

The Turtles put two men on in the 8th but were unable to score.

Matt Teter came in to pitch in the bottom of the 8th and wasn’t able to keep the game close. Dan Burnett had an RBI single and Tucson went back to the pen for Xavier Blackwell. Luedtke singles to load the bases but Blackwell returns the next batter for the second out. He then walked in a run, allowed one to score on a wild pitch and gave up a run scoring single to Simon before getting the final out.

Ben McDaniel hit a two out double in the 9th but that was all the Turtles could manage.

The Mesa Spiders won game 4 by a score of 7-1 and took a 3-1 lead in the series.

Bobby Compton got the win, pitching 6 innings, allowing 1 run on 5 hits, while walking 3 and striking out 4.

Bill Howard went 2-3 with 1 walk, 2 runs scored, 1 home run, and 1 RBI.

Ian Fraser went 1-5 with a two run home run.
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