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WESTERN CONFERENCE CHAMPIONSHIP: GAME 4
Game 4 was set to be a rematch between Bobby Compton for Mesa and Ernesto Osorio for Glendale. Osorio was much better than Compton in game 1 and the Mesa hurler was out to prove something in game 4.
Both pitchers were strong through the front three innings. Osorio had allowed one hit and two walks, but thanks to a couple of double plays, had faced only one over the minimum. Compton had also walked two and given up one single with two double plays mixed in. They were matching each other seemingly pitch for pitch.
In the top of the 4th with one out, Bill Howard and Matt Bracken got back to back singles. A Dan Brunet sacrifice fly sent Howard across the plate and the Spiders took a 1-0 lead.
JD Romagnoli led off the bottom of the 5th with a single and scored two batters later when Kymani Sinclair doubled to left-center field. After 5, the game was tied at 1.
Osorio got into trouble again in the 6th, walking Howard and giving up another single to Bracken. He was removed from the game and replaced by Danny Vaccaro, who struck out the first man he saw. Third baseman George Luedtke then doubled down the right field line and drove in a run. The inning ended with Mesa in the lead 2-1.
Compton continued to shut down the Redbirds through the 7th before being lifted to start the 8th. Carlos Curiel and Jonathon Jones allowed one hit without letting Glendale score over he next two innings to preserve the win.
Mesa won game 4 by a score of 2-1 and took a commanding 3-1 lead in the series. Game 5 would be back in Mesa.
Bobby Compton picked up the win, pitching 7 innings, allowing 1 run on 5 hits and 2 walks while striking out 2.
George Luedtke was 3-3 with 1 double and 1 RBI.
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