Prospects win in extras to force Game 5 JASON HILLS
Edmonton downs Medicine Hat 3-2 in 10 innings to stave off elimination
Playoffs can produce some unlikely heroes and the Edmonton Prospects received a performance from an unlikely source.
Braedan Alleman joined the Prospects just two days ago and the University of British Columbia pitcher saved his new team’s season.
Talk about coming through under pressure.
Alleman came on in relief of starter Josh Sieglitz and shut the Medicine Hat Mavericks down for 61/3 innings and the Prospects rallied to beat the visitors 3-2 in extra innings in Game 4 Thursday night in front of 1,242 fans at Re/Max Field.
The Western Major Baseball League semifinal series is tied at 2-2.
A decisive Game 5 is slated for Friday night in Medicine Hat.
The Prospects put together a nice rally in the eighth inning to tie the game.
Eric Crain hit a double to the wall with two out and A.J. Nitzschke drove him in with a single to left field.
Catcher Anthony Cusati scored the game-winning run in the 10th inning after a wild pitch from reliever Barry Caine.
With their season on the line, the Prospects got some big performances from their veterans and rookies.
Cusati continued his red-hot playoffs with an RBI double in the first inning as well.
Utility infielder Mathieu Brisson came up with two big hits, and while mainly being used as a pitcher throughout the regular season, Brisson has been relied on to play second base at times in these playoffs and the Edmonton product has produced.
Sieglitz has also had to change roles in the playoffs and despite not getting the win, he did his job by holding down the high-powered Mavericks offence. Primarily used in relief this year, Sieglitz was making his second start of the playoffs and the Phoenix product gave up two runs in 32/3 innings.
But after Medicine Hat’s potent offensive performance in Game 3, Prospects manager Ray Brown made the move to Alleman and he came through in the clutch.
Alleman was simply dominant, striking out seven to earn the victory. The Prospects opened the scoring for the second straight night in the bottom of the first after Cusati’s double scored Tony Olson.
After Medicine Hat took a 2-1 lead in the fourth inning, the Prospects had all kinds of opportunities to tie the game up.
Down 2-1, the Prospects had runners on second and third, but Brisson popped up to end the threat.
In the fifth, Olson got on board with a walk, but was caught trying to steal second.
After back-to-back singles from Percy Liu and Cusati, the Prospects once again were in position to take the lead, but Daylen Calicdan popped up.
In the sixth inning, Nitzschke walked, and after advancing to second, Brisson hit a single to left field — but Nitzschke was gunned down at home.
But just like all season, the Prospects didn’t quit and finally put it all together in the eighth inning to stage their big comeback.
The Prospects defence came up huge in the elimination game as well.
Cusati gunned down Salgueiro, who was trying to steal third base in the top of the eighth, to keep it a one-run game.
They also converted two doubleplays to end the first and second innings, and after they clawed back to tie the game at 2-2, they turned a third double-play to end the Mavericks’ scoring threat in the ninth inning.
With their season on the line, the Prospects got some big performances from their veterans and rookies.