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ARIZONA SERIES: GAME 5
The Turtles were in a familiar position, down 3-1 in a seven game series, needing to win three in a row to come out champions. Mesa was also in a familiar situation. The won the first round of the playoffs in 5 games.
The pitching matchup for game 5 was Tony Vasquez for Tucson and Cody Francis for Mesa.
Jaylen Lucas came to bat for the Turtles in the bottom of the 2nd inning by doubling on the first pitch. After Andy Sausser flied out, Roy Lewis lifted a fly ball just over the fence down the right field line to give Tucson a two run lead.
Tucson still led 2-0 going into the top of the 4th. Jeff Beasley reached base when Andy Lepore misplayed a ball at short to lead off the inning. Matt Bracken then tied the game with a long home run into right center field.
With two out in the bottom of the 4th, Lewis singled and Lepore doubled to put the Turtles back in the lead by one.
Vasquez was relieved by Paul Brennan in the top of the 6th. The first batter he faced was Jeff Beasley. With a 2-1 count, Beasley rapped a line drive into right center field for a double. Bracken singled, advancing Beasley to third. With that, Brennan was replaced by Gregg Sheridan. Bill Howard singled and drove in the tying run. Sheridan was able to get Dan Brunet to fly out to shallow center field. George Luedtke hit the ball hard to right center. It was caught but Bracken was able to score on the play, putting the Spiders ahead by one.
Mesa put the game, and the series away in the 7th inning. Travis Abramczyk walked and Simon singled. Fraser added to the lead with an RBI single. Then Beasley doubled in two more runs. Bracken was the next batter, and he homered to right center. Howard singled and then later scored on a single by Vault. When the inning was over, the score was 10-3.
Tucson never again mounted a serious rally and the game and series were over. Mesa won the first Arizona Series 4-1.
Matt Bracken was named the Arizona Series MVP.
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