Minor League Ball Gameday, Oct 29: AFL Edition

Good afternoon everyone. This has been a great World Series to watch but don't forget about the guys plugging away in the desert. Lets dive right into the goodies.

League Standings

TEAM	WIN	LOSS	TIE	GB
AFL EAST
Mesa Solar Sox	10	6	1	-
Salt River Rafters	8	9		2.5
Scottsdale Scorpions	7	10		3.5
AFL WEST
Surprise Saguaros	11	6		-
Glendale Desert Dogs	8	8	1	2.5
Peoria Javelinas	6	11		5

Game Recaps

Surprise 8 - Glendale 7

Surprise held off a late push by Glendale yesterday to win by one. They used 11 hits, five walks and four hit batsmen to push eight runs across the plate. Their offensive stars were their 7,8,9 hitters, comibining to go 4-9 with four runs, a double, home run, five RBI and three walks. Short stop Jonathan Schoop was 2-3 with a walk, two runs scored, an RBI and a strike out from the 7 hole. Third baseman Ryan Rua, who has been struggling mightily in the AFL with a .114 batting average, hit his first home run in a 1-4 day with two RBI's and strike outs. He also made his fourth error of the fall booting a grounder. Joe Wendle played and batted second and went 2-5 with an RBI. Fellow Indians farmhand Tony Wolters turned the line up over in the 9 spot three times with a double, two walks, a run scored and he drove in two in four trips to the plate. Jorge Alfaro continued to hit well, going 1-4 with two runs scored, two strike outs and his fourth passed ball. Nobody attempted a steal on him. Lead off man Tyler Naquin was 0-3 but did get hit twice by a pitch and he knocked in one with a strike out. The first four innings on the mound were handled by members of the Orioles and they were hit hard. Lefty Eduardo Rodriguez allowed a pair of runs on two hits in three innings, including a homer and four punch outs. Branden Kline followed and was torched for three runs on two hits and two walks in an inning of work. He allowed a long ball as well, hit a batter, uncorked a wild pitch and struck out one. Noe Ramirez, Matt West and Keith Couch covered four innings of relief with Ramirez handling two innings, allowing a hit with a strike out for the win. Both West and Couch did not allow a hit and struck out one but West also walked a man. David Goforth got the save even though he allowed two runs on two hits with a homer in the 9th. He did punch out two though.

The Desert Dogs tried to rally behind offensive star of the night Marcus Semien but couldn't quite finish the come back. The second baseman hit a pair of two-run bombs with a strike out in five at bats. He also committed his first error of the fall on a bad throw. Right fielder Yorman Rodriguez went yard as well; a stark contrast to his other three at bats where he struck out each time. Center fielder and lead off man Byron Buxton was 1-4 with a run scored, RBI and a strike out. He committed a throwing error as well, his second error of the fall. Max Kepler reached base twice, walking once and hitting a double with a run scored. Catcher Tucker Barnhart was 1-3 with a walk and run scored as well. The heart of the Glendale order was horrible yesterday with their 3, 4, 5, and 6 hitters combining to go 1-16 with 7 strike outs. They got five innings out of starter Alex Meyer who gave up four run (three earned) on six hits and a pair of walks with a home run allowed and six punch outs. He also hit a pair of batters. Yimi Garcia came on in relief and allowed his first run of the fall giving up two on two hits and a walk with a strike out in an inning, taking the loss. Nick Wittgren got the final four outs, allowing a hit, walk and hit a batter but did not allow any runs to score.

Peoria 4 - Scottsdale 0

The Peoria staff that had allowed 20 runs in their previous outing shut down Scottsdale all game long, only allowing five base runners all game. It started with three innings from righty Matt Heidenreich, who has still not allowed an earned run this fall, striking out two and giving up one hit getting the W. Dennis O'Grady followed with two shut out frames, allowing a hit and walk with two punch outs. Southpaw Alex Sogard went a pair of innings as well, giving up just a hit with a strike out and Kyle Simon finished it off with two hitless innings with a walk and strike out for the save. At the plate they got a pair of doubles from Chris Taylor, also driving in two with a run scored, stolen base, and strike out. Lead off man Delino DeShields worked three walks and scored twice in four plate appearances. Big man Japhet Amador was 2-4 with double, RBI and run scored. Right fielder Jorge Bonifacio also drove in a run with a 1-4 day.

One silver lining to the tough day at the office for Scottsdale is that 67% of their hits went for extra bases. Second baseman Tommy La Stella had one of them with a double and his first strike out of the fall. Right fielder Cory Vaughn had the other with his third triple in the AFL and a walk in three plate appearances. The other hit was a single by Mason Williams. Cam Maron was the only other player to reach base and he did it with a walk, also striking out in three trips to the dish. On the mound, they were finished after starter Adalberto Mejia only lasted 2.1 innings, giving up three runs on three hits, three walks and two strike outs getting stuck with the loss. Matt Benedict followed with 1.2 scoreless innings, allowing a single hit with two punch outs and a wild pitch. Shae Simmons and Chasen Bradford each went a hitless innings, with Simmons walking one and Bradford striking out one. Zack Thornton kicked in a pair of perfect innings with one strike out. James Pazos finished it off allowing a run on three hits in the 9th with a wild pitch to boot.

Salt River 3 - Mesa 2

This was a pitcher's duel up until the 7th innings when Salt River broke it open. They got a great start from Aaron Sanchez, working 4.1 scoreless frames with just one hit and three walks allowed with four punch outs. Tyler Matzek followed and got the next five outs and the win with just a hit allowed and a strike out. Marcus Stroman only gave up a hit in one inning. Portsider Lee Stoppleman gave up a pair of runs in an inning on a walk and home run to Kris Bryant along with a strike out. Jake Barrett finished it off with a scoreless 9th, allowing a hit and striking one out to get the save. Jake Lamb and Andy Burns accounted for five of the Rafters eight hits in the game with Lamb getting three, including a double and a run scored. Burns was 2-4 with an RBI, run scored, strike out and a stolen base. Right fielder Stephen Piscotty drove in one with a two out single. Short stop Cristhian Adames knocked in the other run with a sacrifice fly. Lead off man Kenny Wilson was 0-3 with a walk , strike out and was caught stealing for the fourth time.

Mesa got the benefit of another outstanding start by Tommy Collier yesterday, going five strong with three hits allowed, no runs, one walk and a strike out. Jeff Urlaub followed with a scoreless inning of his own, allowing a hit, striking one out and he was called for a balk. Kenny Faulk got the loss when he allowed a pair of runs on two hits in an inning of work. Armando Rivero gave up a run as well, allowing a walk and two hits. Ryan Dull capped it off with a perfect 9th, striking out one. Unfortunately for Mesa, the longball from Bryant was just not enough. That was his only hit in four plate appearances, with two RBI, a walk and strike out. The homer was Bryant's league leading fifth of the fall. Addison Russell, Brian Goodwin, Jorge Soler and Devon Travis each managed one hit in four plate appearances. Russell and Travis also struck out twice, Goodwin had a sacrifice and was caught stealing, and Soler worked a walk. Third baseman Matt Skole was hitless with a walk and catcher David Frietas was 0-2 with a walk, strike out and scored on Bryant's bomb.

Probable Starters

Scottsdale @ Peoria - 3:35 PM EST

Scottsdale - RHP Hansel Robles (0-1, 8 IP, 8 H, 3 R/ER, 2 BB, 6 K)

Peoria - RHP Johnny Barbato (0-2, 7 IP, 11 H, 7 R/ER, 4 BB, 6 K, 1 HR)

Surprise @ Glendale - 3:35 PM EST

Surprise - RHP Will Roberts (0-1, 11 IP, 15 H, 8 R, 7 ER, 4 BB, 4 K, 2 HR)

Glendale - LHP Andrew Heaney (1-0, 10.2 IP, 9 H, 3 R/ER, 4 BB, 11 K)

Mesa @ Salt River - 9:35 PM EST

Mesa - LHP Matt Purke (2-0, 12 IP, 3 H, 1 R, 0 ER, 3 BB, 12 K)

Salt River - LHP Grayson Garvin (1-2, 12.1 IP, 14 H, 8 R, 7 ER, 5 BB, 11 K)

News

The AFL Fall Stars Game is coming up this Saturday, November 2 at Surprise Stadium. The game will be played at 8:10 PM EST and will be broadcast on MLB Network so we can all get a look. The rosters have been announced so lets take a look.

East Roster -

Right Handed Pitchers - Jake Barrett, Cam Bedrosian, Kyle Crick, Jeurys Familia, Corey Knebel, Aaron Sanchez, Shae Simmons, Matt Stites and Marcus Stroman

Left Handed Pitchers - Tyler Matzek and Mike Montgomery,

Catchers - Peter O'Brien and Andrew Susac

Infielders - Kyle Parker, CJ Cron, Devon Travis, Taylor Lindsey, Kris Bryant, Addison Russell and Alen Hansen

Outfielders - Albert Almora, Brian Goodwin, Stephen Piscotty, Jorge Soler and Mason Williams

West Roster -

Right Handed Pitchers - Chris Bassitt, Jonas Dufek, Yimi Garcia, Ken Giles, David Goforth, Alex Meyer, Chad Rogers, Keyvius Sampson, and Carson Smith

Left Handed Pitchers - Tim Berry and Eduardo Rodriguez

Catchers - Jorge Alfaro and Austin Hedges

Infielders - Brett Nicholas, Mookie Betts, Eddie Rosario, Garin Cecchini, Colin Moran, Corey Seager and Marcus Semien

Outfielders - Jorge Bonifacio, Byron Buxton, Delino DeShields, Tyler Naquin and Stefen Romero

Links

****Jonathan Mayo spoke with a few players selected for the Fall Stars game and got their reactions.

****Jim Callis went over Michael Lorenzen's transition from a closer to a starting pitcher, along with notes on other Reds players.

****Javier Baez's four home run game on June 10 was awarded the MiLBY for Best Game in the minors this year. They include a cool story about Kevin Trembley, bat boy for the Daytona Cubs.

****Another installment of Ask BA with JJ Cooper centered around Carlos Martinez.

****The Yankees may be on their way out of Tampa. Their High A class affiliate has reached an agreement with the city of Ocala, FL.

****Baseball America announced its 2013 Rookie of the Year along with their All-Rookie Team.

****They also looked at the top farm systems to produce impact talent the soonest.