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WESTERN CONFERENCE CHAMPIONSHIP: GAME 3
After Mesa’s dramatic come from behind victory in game two, the Redbirds were happy to be home. They needed to win the next two games at home before heading back to Mesa for game 5. Glendale starter Ethan Cairns was ready for his start. He felt good in the bullpen and was excited to get started. The home ballpark was full of excited Redbirds fans who were glad their team had come home with a split.
Cairns excitement quickly turned to frustration. After retiring the first two batters, he gave up a single to game two hero Matt Bracken. Bracken stole second base while Bill Howard was batting, which allowed him to score when Howard singled into left center two pitches later. Dan Brunet followed that with a two-run home run down the right field line and the Glendale crowd had its wind knocked out before their team ever came up to bat.
Cairns settled in and pitched well for the next few innings, allowing the Glendale offense a chance to try to get back in the game. The Redbirds scored two in the bottom of the third on a Justin Winterbottom double followed by a long home run by Jordan Powell.
Then, in the bottom of the 4th, the Glendale crowd came to life when Kymani Sinclair tied the game with a home run that just cleared the fence down the line in left. Before Mesa starter Roland Radtke could get another out, he gave up another run on three consecutive singles by Robert Day, Mike Wurst, and John Barrera. Radtke settles back in and got out of the inning just down by one. He Redbirds were up 4-3 after 4.
With one out in the top of the 6th, Matt Bracken came up with another big hit, a double to kick off a Mesa rally. He scored on a Bill Howard single to tie the game. Cairns gave way to Danny Vaccaro who retired two of the three batters he saw, but did allow one inherited runner to score on a single by Kyle Vault putting the Spiders back in the lead 5-4.
Glendale put two runners on base in the 7th inning but couldn’t get a run in.
In the top of the 9th, Mesa broke the game open. Jeff Beasley came to the plate with the bases loaded and two out after a single and a couple of walks. Beasley pulled a double down the line in left that cleared the bases. He was caught trying to take third, but the Spiders had an 8-5 lead with just three outs remaining for the Redbirds.
Glendale wasn’t able to get anything going in the bottom of the 9th and Mesa came away with a 2-1 series advantage.
Bill Howard went 2-4 with 2 runs scored and 2 RBI.
Jeff Beasley was only 1-5, but his one hit was the big three run double.
Matt Bracken has two big hits in the game, including a double. He also scored two runs.
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