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liberty-ca · 12-25-2025, 05:28 PM

BNN WORLD SERIES GAME 4 RECAP
SACRAMENTO PRAYERS AT LONG BEACH DIABLOS
Wednesday, October 19, 1988 — Diablos Park

Final: Long Beach 5, Sacramento 4
Series tied, 2–2
By Chad G. Petey, Baseball News Network (BNN) and Gemmy Nay, Sacramento Sports Chronicle

Heartbreak in Long Beach: Late Rally Falls Short as Series Knots at 2-2

LONG BEACH, CA — This World Series was never going to pass quietly. The Sacramento Prayers proved tonight they have no quit, but in the end, they simply ran out of outs. Despite a furious late-inning comeback that turned a blowout into a nail-biter, the Prayers fell to the Long Beach Diablos.

The series is now a dead heat at two games apiece. What looked like a Long Beach runaway in the fifth inning nearly became a Sacramento legend in the eighth, but the Diablos' bullpen held just firm enough to protect their home turf. On Wednesday night at Diablos Park, the Long Beach Diablos built an early advantage, absorbed Sacramento’s late charge, and escaped with a 5–4 victory, squaring the Series at two games apiece and reaffirming just how narrow the margin is between these two clubs.

Long Beach out-hit Sacramento 11–9, capitalized on a brief but decisive breakdown in the middle innings, and leaned on its bullpen just enough to withstand a frantic Prayers rally that turned the final outs into an exercise in nerve.

“This one tested everyone,” Diablos manager Frank Carrillo said afterward. “We got the lead we needed — and then we had to earn every inch of it.”

★ ★ ★

DIABLOS SET THE TONE EARLY

The home club struck first in the bottom of the opening inning.

Zach Donati singled and advanced on a sacrifice before scoring when Kyle Thomas lined a single to right, exploiting a shallow alignment and putting Sacramento starter Russ Gray immediately under pressure. The Diablos led 1–0, setting the tone for a night in which Sacramento was repeatedly forced to chase.

The Prayers answered in the third. Logan Hicks tripled into the gap to open the inning and came home on a sacrifice fly, tying the game at 1–1 and briefly quieting the crowd.

But the equilibrium never held for long.

In the fourth, Long Beach reclaimed the lead when Daniel Mele doubled and scored on Pedro Ortiz’s RBI double, pushing the Diablos back in front 2–1 and continuing a steady stream of quality contact against Gray.

★ ★ ★

THE CRUEL FIFTH INNING

The game pivoted sharply in the bottom of the fifth.

Long Beach sent eight men to the plate, stringing together singles, a pair of wild pitches, and two extra-base hits to manufacture the inning that ultimately decided the night.

With runners on, Jose Montoya delivered a two-run double to right-center. Moments later, Mele struck again, driving in another run with his second double of the game. By the time Sacramento recorded the final out, the Diablos had plated three runs, stretching the lead to 5–1 and seizing full control of the contest.

Gray departed after 4.2 innings, charged with five earned runs on nine hits, undone by a brief but costly lapse in command. While the bullpen — led by Gil Caliari — was flawless in relief, the early deficit proved just a bit too steep to climb.

“I was fine most of the night,” Gray said. “That inning got away from me. Against a lineup like that, you don’t get a second chance.”

★ ★ ★

TINOCO STEADIES THE MIDDLE

Diablos starter Arturo Tinoco gave Long Beach exactly what it needed.

The right-hander worked 5.2 innings, allowing*one run on five hits, walking two, and keeping Sacramento from building momentum through the heart of the order. Tinoco leaned on soft contact and timely pitches, forcing the Prayers to earn every baserunner.

“They were aggressive early,” Tinoco said. “So I stayed patient.”

★ ★ ★

MUSCO AND HICKS SPARK THE COMEBACK

Sacramento’s response came late — and loudly.

In the seventh inning, Edwin Musco launched a solo home run, his sixth of the postseason, cutting the deficit to 5–2 and continuing one of the most powerful October performances in Prayers history.

Then came the eighth.

An error opened the door, and Sacramento stormed through it. Hector Iniguez singled, Logan Hicks doubled, and chaos followed as two runs crossed the plate — one without a throw — trimming the lead to 5–4 and turning Diablos Park tense.

Suddenly, a game that seemed settled was hanging by a thread.

“They never stop coming,” Carrillo said. “You feel it the second you relax.”

★ ★ ★

COONEY SLAMS THE DOOR

Closer Matt Cooney bent — but did not break.

After navigating the eighth, Cooney returned for the ninth and recovered from a leadoff single to retire Musco, Hector Muniz, and Eli Murguia in order, the final out a deep fly that settled into a waiting glove in left.

Cooney secured his seventh save of the postseason, preserving the Diablos’ narrow victory.

★ ★ ★

BY THE NUMBERS

* Long Beach out-hit Sacramento, 11–9
* Diablos: 4-for-8 with runners in scoring position
* Prayers left 9 runners on base
* Edwin Musco: 3-for-5, HR, RBI
* Logan Hicks: 2-for-4, triple, double, 2 RBIs

★ ★ ★

Gemmy’s Scouting Notebook: The "Musco" Factor

We have to talk about Edwin Musco. He finished the night 3-for-5 with a double and a home run. He is currently batting .358 for the series. If Sacramento takes this title, Musco is the runaway favorite for MVP. He is seeing the ball like it’s a beach ball, and the Diablos are clearly terrified every time he steps into the box.

On the flip side, the Prayers’ defense and baserunning were a bit adventurous tonight. Jose Montoya was gunned down at the plate by Logan Hicks in the 5th, a play that kept the game within reach, but the Prayers also left 9 men on base. In a one-run game, those missed opportunities loom large.

★ ★ ★

SERIES RESET

Four games in, neither side has gained ground.

Sacramento has shown resilience and late-game fire. Long Beach has shown patience, balance, and the ability to seize brief openings. The World Series now becomes a best-of-three — and every inning looms heavier than the last.

“This is what October baseball looks like,” Prayers manager Jimmy Aces said. “Nobody’s comfortable. Nobody’s breathing easy.”

The World Series has officially become a best-of-three with momentum, pressure, and a championship hanging in the balance. The pivotal Game 5 will unfold at Diablos Park tomorrow night. The winner will head back to Sacramento just one win away from the championship.

12-25-2025, 05:28 PM	#106
liberty-ca Major Leagues Join Date: Oct 2017 Location: New Westminster, BC Posts: 321	BNN WORLD SERIES GAME 4 RECAP SACRAMENTO PRAYERS AT LONG BEACH DIABLOS Wednesday, October 19, 1988 — Diablos Park Final: Long Beach 5, Sacramento 4 Series tied, 2–2 By Chad G. Petey, Baseball News Network (BNN) and Gemmy Nay, Sacramento Sports Chronicle Heartbreak in Long Beach: Late Rally Falls Short as Series Knots at 2-2 LONG BEACH, CA — This World Series was never going to pass quietly. The Sacramento Prayers proved tonight they have no quit, but in the end, they simply ran out of outs. Despite a furious late-inning comeback that turned a blowout into a nail-biter, the Prayers fell to the Long Beach Diablos. The series is now a dead heat at two games apiece. What looked like a Long Beach runaway in the fifth inning nearly became a Sacramento legend in the eighth, but the Diablos' bullpen held just firm enough to protect their home turf. On Wednesday night at Diablos Park, the Long Beach Diablos built an early advantage, absorbed Sacramento’s late charge, and escaped with a 5–4 victory, squaring the Series at two games apiece and reaffirming just how narrow the margin is between these two clubs. Long Beach out-hit Sacramento 11–9, capitalized on a brief but decisive breakdown in the middle innings, and leaned on its bullpen just enough to withstand a frantic Prayers rally that turned the final outs into an exercise in nerve. “This one tested everyone,” Diablos manager Frank Carrillo said afterward. “We got the lead we needed — and then we had to earn every inch of it.” ★ ★ ★ DIABLOS SET THE TONE EARLY The home club struck first in the bottom of the opening inning. Zach Donati singled and advanced on a sacrifice before scoring when Kyle Thomas lined a single to right, exploiting a shallow alignment and putting Sacramento starter Russ Gray immediately under pressure. The Diablos led 1–0, setting the tone for a night in which Sacramento was repeatedly forced to chase. The Prayers answered in the third. Logan Hicks tripled into the gap to open the inning and came home on a sacrifice fly, tying the game at 1–1 and briefly quieting the crowd. But the equilibrium never held for long. In the fourth, Long Beach reclaimed the lead when Daniel Mele doubled and scored on Pedro Ortiz’s RBI double, pushing the Diablos back in front 2–1 and continuing a steady stream of quality contact against Gray. ★ ★ ★ THE CRUEL FIFTH INNING The game pivoted sharply in the bottom of the fifth. Long Beach sent eight men to the plate, stringing together singles, a pair of wild pitches, and two extra-base hits to manufacture the inning that ultimately decided the night. With runners on, Jose Montoya delivered a two-run double to right-center. Moments later, Mele struck again, driving in another run with his second double of the game. By the time Sacramento recorded the final out, the Diablos had plated three runs, stretching the lead to 5–1 and seizing full control of the contest. Gray departed after 4.2 innings, charged with five earned runs on nine hits, undone by a brief but costly lapse in command. While the bullpen — led by Gil Caliari — was flawless in relief, the early deficit proved just a bit too steep to climb. “I was fine most of the night,” Gray said. “That inning got away from me. Against a lineup like that, you don’t get a second chance.” ★ ★ ★ TINOCO STEADIES THE MIDDLE Diablos starter Arturo Tinoco gave Long Beach exactly what it needed. The right-hander worked 5.2 innings, allowingone run on five hits, walking two, and keeping Sacramento from building momentum through the heart of the order. Tinoco leaned on soft contact and timely pitches, forcing the Prayers to earn every baserunner. “They were aggressive early,”* Tinoco said. “So I stayed patient.” ★ ★ ★ MUSCO AND HICKS SPARK THE COMEBACK Sacramento’s response came late — and loudly. In the seventh inning, Edwin Musco launched a solo home run, his sixth of the postseason, cutting the deficit to 5–2 and continuing one of the most powerful October performances in Prayers history. Then came the eighth. An error opened the door, and Sacramento stormed through it. Hector Iniguez singled, Logan Hicks doubled, and chaos followed as two runs crossed the plate — one without a throw — trimming the lead to 5–4 and turning Diablos Park tense. Suddenly, a game that seemed settled was hanging by a thread. “They never stop coming,” Carrillo said. “You feel it the second you relax.” ★ ★ ★ COONEY SLAMS THE DOOR Closer Matt Cooney bent — but did not break. After navigating the eighth, Cooney returned for the ninth and recovered from a leadoff single to retire Musco, Hector Muniz, and Eli Murguia in order, the final out a deep fly that settled into a waiting glove in left. Cooney secured his seventh save of the postseason, preserving the Diablos’ narrow victory. ★ ★ ★ BY THE NUMBERS * Long Beach out-hit Sacramento, 11–9 * Diablos: 4-for-8 with runners in scoring position * Prayers left 9 runners on base * Edwin Musco: 3-for-5, HR, RBI * Logan Hicks: 2-for-4, triple, double, 2 RBIs ★ ★ ★ Gemmy’s Scouting Notebook: The "Musco" Factor We have to talk about Edwin Musco. He finished the night 3-for-5 with a double and a home run. He is currently batting .358 for the series. If Sacramento takes this title, Musco is the runaway favorite for MVP. He is seeing the ball like it’s a beach ball, and the Diablos are clearly terrified every time he steps into the box. On the flip side, the Prayers’ defense and baserunning were a bit adventurous tonight. Jose Montoya was gunned down at the plate by Logan Hicks in the 5th, a play that kept the game within reach, but the Prayers also left 9 men on base. In a one-run game, those missed opportunities loom large. ★ ★ ★ SERIES RESET Four games in, neither side has gained ground. Sacramento has shown resilience and late-game fire. Long Beach has shown patience, balance, and the ability to seize brief openings. The World Series now becomes a best-of-three — and every inning looms heavier than the last. “This is what October baseball looks like,” Prayers manager Jimmy Aces said. “Nobody’s comfortable. Nobody’s breathing easy.” The World Series has officially become a best-of-three with momentum, pressure, and a championship hanging in the balance. The pivotal Game 5 will unfold at Diablos Park tomorrow night. The winner will head back to Sacramento just one win away from the championship.