Minor League Ball Gameday, Nov 1: AFL Edition

Welcome prosecteers. I hope everyone had an excellent Halloween, I know I did. Out in Arizona each game started at 3:35 PM EST, making sure to end in time for the festivities. Glendale and Salt River each put up a 10 spot in their wins while Mesa held on at home. Now for the details.

League Standings

TEAM	WIN	LOSS	TIE	GB
AFL EAST
Mesa	12	7	1	-
Salt River	10	10		2.5
Scottsdale	7	13		5.5
AFL WEST
Surprise	12	7	1	-
Glendale	9	9	2	2.5
Peoria	8	12		4.5

Game Recaps

Glendale 10 - Peoria 2

The Desert Dogs got huge production out of the bottom of their line up to take home the W. The attack was led by a four RBI game from catcher Chris O'Brien who was 2-5 with a home run, run scored and a punch out. First baseman Travis Mattair collected three hits in five at bats with a double, run scored and two RBI. Yorman Rodriguez, Colin Moran and Brandon Jacobs all had two hits a piece in five plate appearances. Rodriguez scored once with an RBI and pair of strike outs, Moran scored twice with an RBI and two punch outs as well. Jacobs knocked a double, two runs in, three runs scored and worked a walk and a strike out. Point man Byron Buxton swiped his second bag of the fall, walking twice with a hit in six plate appearances with a run scored. He was also picked off by the cannon attached to Austin Hedges' right shoulder. Starting pitcher Jamie Walczak got the win throwing three excellent innings, only allowing a hit and walk with a strike out and a pick off. Jarrett Martin, Kevin Vance, and Edgar Olmos each had scoreless appearances, with Martin walking two and allowing a hit in his inning and Vance working two innings with a hit, walk and two strike outs with a hit by pitch. Olmos struck out two of the three batters he faced in his one inning. AJ Achter allowed the only runs of the game, giving up two runs on two hits and a home run. Nick Wittgren finished it off with a strike out and walk.

Other than second baseman Cory Spangenberg, Peoria's offense were dead men walking. Spangenberg was a perfect 3-3 with a walk, a home run, run scored, two RBI and his second error. Delino DeShields was 1-3 with a walk, run, stolen base and was picked off. Short stop Orlando Calixte was the only other batter to get a hit, going 1-3 with a double. Austin Hedges, Tommy Medica, and Cheslor Cuthbert were all hitless but each drew a walk with Medica and Cuthbert striking out as well. Their first two pitchers got rocked like they had front row seats at an Black Sabbath show in '75. Starter Kyle Hunter gave up four runs (three earned) on five hits, a walk, three strike outs and a home run. Mike Nesseth followed with five more runs allowed on six hits with a strike out. Noel Arguelles, Dennis O'Grady, and Alex Sogard made scoreless appearances, working an inning a piece. Arguelles walked a pair with a strike out, O'Grady allowed a pair of hits and a walk with a strike out, and Sogard struck out two with a hit. Kyle Simon took care of the 9th, allowing a run on a hit, walk and he struck out two.

Mesa 7 - Scottsdale 3

Back to back three run innings put Mesa on top of Scottsdale for good. Lead off man Brian Goodwin only had one hit in his five at bats but made it count, knocking a two-run home run in the 6th. He also struck out three times. First baseman CJ Cron and catcher David Frietas knocked three singles a piece, with Cron driving in two with a hit by pitch and punch out and Frietas scored twice with a walk and stolen base. Short stop Addison Russell was 2-4 with a walk, run scored, an RBI and was caught stealing as well. The Monster of Mesa, Kris Bryant, was 1-4 with a walk, two runs scored and two strike outs. Right fielder Jorge Soler also knocked in a run, going 1-3 with a walk. Starting pitcher Michael Roth went four innings, allowing just one run on four hits with a strike out and wild pitch. The next three pitchers averaged two punch outs an inning, with Blaine Hardy putting down four in two innings with two hits allowed while also getting the win, Armando Rivero struck out two in one inning and Jeff Urlaub punched two tickets as well in an inning. Ryan Dull finished the night with two runs allowed on three hits, striking out two in his one inning.

Scottsdale wasted a great start by Vidal Nuno who threw five shut out frames. He only allowed a walk and two hits in that span with five strike outs. From that point on though, it was all downhill. Brett Gerritse only got one out, allowing three runs on two hits, a hit batter, two walks and a home run. Fred Lewis finished out the inning with just a hit before Juan Jaime was brought in. He got just two outs (both strike outs) and gave up three runs on three hits and two walks. James Pazos followed with another run allowed on three hits, a walk, and strike out in 0.2 innings. Pazos also balked and threw a wild pitch in his short time on the hill. Chasen Bradford touched off the loss with 0.2 innings with a punch out and hit. Catcher Peter O'Brien went 2-4 with a double, two RBI and a strike out. Kyle Kubitza had a pair of hits as well, scoring once with a strike out, and so did Cory Vaughn. Vaughn had a pair of singles, his third steal and a strike out. Center fielder Jarrett Parker knocked in a run going 1-4 with two strike outs.

Salt River 10 - Surprise 0

Salt River rode a five-hit game by Tim Wheeler along with excellent pitching to shut down the Saguaros. In addition to the five hits, Wheeler scored twice, drove in one and had two doubles. Second sacker Jacob Wilson ate his Wheaties and knocked a three-run bomb to give the Rafters the lead. He ended up 2-4 with a run scored, the home run and four RBIs. Catcher Derrick Chung was 3-4 with a double, two runs scored and a strike out. Center fielder James Ramsey took sole possession of the most doubles in the AFL with his seventh tonight as part of a 1-3 day. He also walked twice, scored twice, struck out twice and drove in a pair. First baseman Kyle Parker had another rough day in the field while learning the nuances of first base, making a fielding error, his fourth of the fall. At the plate he was his usual self, getting two hits in five at bats with a run scored and a strike out. Drew Hutchison continues to be lights out this fall, throwing another five shut out inning, this time only allowing two hits and a walk with three strike outs and a wild pitch. This brings him to 15.2 innings with just a single earned run allowed with 14 strike outs to just two walks and seven hits allowed in four starts. The next four relievers only allowed three baserunners, two on hits with one walk. Cole White gave up the only walk in an inning. Tyler Matzek allowed one of the hits and struck out one. Marcus Stroman threw a perfect frame followed by another scoreless inning, allowing the other hit.

The only aspect of the game Surprise won was defense where they played error-free baseball. At the plate, Jorge Alfaro had the only performance of note really, hitting a double and single in four at bats. Brett Nicholas also added a double in four tries. Tyler Naquin extend his league lead in hits with his 24th of the fall to go with a walk. Third baseman Garin Cecchini was the only other Saguaro to reach base, working one walk in four plate appearances. Tyler Cravy got beat around to the tune of five runs in 2.1 innings on four hits and two walks with a home run allowed and four punch outs. Nick McBride followed by allowing two runs of his own on three hits and a walk and strike out. Matt West gave up one on three hits with two strike outs in an inning. Noe Ramirez notched the only scoreless performance, striking out two and hitting a batter. Keith Couch took care of the last two innings, giving up two runs on five hits.

Probable Starters

Peoria @ Mesa - 3:35 PM EST

Peoria - RHP Jason Adam (0-1, 15 IP, 17 H, 10 R/ER, 3 BB, 12 K, 2 HR, 0.68 GO/FO)

Mesa - LHP Sammy Solis (3-1, 15.2 IP, 18 H, 5 R/ER, 5 BB, 16 K, 1 HR, 3.0 GO/FO)

Scottsdale @ Surprise - 3:35 PM EST

Scottsdale - RHP Aaron Northcraft (1-3, 11 IP, 13 H, 9 R, 7 ER, 8 BB, 13 K, 2 HR, 1.0 GO/FO)

Surprise - LHP Miguel Pena (1-1, 14.2 IP, 15 H, 8 R, 7 ER, 4 BB, 8 K, 1 HR, 1.19 GO/FO)

Glendale @ Salt River - 3:35 PM EST

Glendale - RHP Michael Lorenzen (0-2, 9.2 IP, 19 H, 15 R, 14 ER, 5 BB, 3 K, 4 HR, 1.56 GO/FO)

Salt River - RHP Bo Schultz (1-0, 18.1 IP, 14 H, 5 R, 3 ER, 4 BB, 20 K, 0 HR, 2.18 GO/FO)

Links

****Joe Frisaro at MLB.com opened up his Marlins related mail bag.

****The Red Sox are going to get into a bunch of boats shaped like ducks.

****Bernie Pleskoff profiled Pirates/Scottsdale prospect Alen Hanson.

****From Yahoo! Sports, Alex Rodriguez's panties are in a bunch.

****Shelby Miller is confused why he was used only once in the postseason in an interview with Derrick Goold.

****AJ Cassavell went over a few foreign winter league matchups.