2014 Minor League Ball AFL Gameday, October 16th

Welcome back to the AFL Gameday here on Minor League Ball. Salt River has gone on an early tear, winning six of the first eight games. Scottsdale has stayed on their tail though, staying within one game of the Rafters in the Eastern Division. Out in the Western division, Surprise is tied for the lead with a 4-4 record with Glendale who has a 3-3 record to go with a tie.

Check out all the stats from yesterday's action in the Arizona Fall League in the link below along with the Game Recaps, Velocity Reports, Performances of the Day, Probable Starters, and Standings further down.

Game Recaps from Wednesday, October 15th

Mesa 5 - Peoria 2

The Solar Sox jumped to the early lead by scoring twice in the 2nd inning and would not relinquish it for the rest of the game, getting a clutch three-run homer by CF Boog Powell (MSS) to add insurance for their 5-2 victory. Powell had also walked and was caught stealing earlier in the game and also struck out. 3B Cal Towey (MSS) had an eventful day, going 2-4 with a double, a stolen base, a run scored, RBI and a strike out. 1B Matt Olson (MSS) and DH Addison Russell (MSS) also doubled and walked while Russell drove one in and struck out as well. RF Bijan Rademacher (MSS) also pitched in two singles to the cause, scoring once. On the other side, LF Kyle Wren (PEJ) was the only Javelina to go for extra bases, knocking a double to right in the 7th while singling and striking out earlier in the game. 1B Jacob Wilson (PEJ) did register a pair of singles while driving in one, and 3B Breyvic Valera (PEJ) drew a bases loaded walk to plate one, stole a base after walking a second time.

RHP CJ Edwards (MSS) started for the Solar Sox and went three scoreless while working around a walk and a single while striking three out. His fastball sat in the 91-93 mph range in this outing with a cutter from 88-93 mph, a hard 87-89 mph change up, and two slower breaking balls in a 76-79 mph hook and 77 mph slide piece. His opposition, RHP Aaron Northcraft (PEJ) also threw three frames but allowed two runs on three walks and a pair of hits, taking the loss. Northcraft sat in the 87-92 mph with his four seam, sinker, and cutter. RHP Austin House (MSS) got the save by throwing a scoreless 9th with a walk and a strike out while using an 88-94 mph heater, 80-82 mph slider, and an 81-83 mph cambio. RHP Tanner Peters (MSS), and RHP Ryan Doolittle (MSS) got holds with Peters allowed a run on two hits, a hit batter, and two walks in two innings while striking out one with an 86-90 mph fastball, 76-83 mph change up, 74-77 mph curve, and 80-83 mph slider. Doolittle went two scoreless, only allowing a hit while working with a four seamer from 91-95 mph, an 85-87 mph slider, 82-88 mph change, and a 87 mph cutter.

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Glendale 7 - Salt River 5

The Desert Dogs were the first to strike, putting up five runs in three innings as they held on to beat the Rafters 7-5 with plenty of homers to go around as five home runs total were hit in the game. Glendale hit three out with 3B Hector Gomez (GDD) hitting a three-run shot to left, RF Clint Coulter (GDD), and DH Tim Anderson (GDD) each hitting two-run shots to left field as well. Coulter would also strike out twice, Gomez struck out once, and Anderson also stole a base, and singled. 2B Taylor Featherston (SRR) hit a solo blast to left field, walked, struck out, and scored twice. LF Joe Sclafani (SRR) hit a two-run shot to left center for his only hit. CF Tyrone Taylor (GDD) singled, stole a base and scored a run while C Shawn Zarraga (GDD) singled twice and crossed the plate. 3B Brandon Drury (SRR) doubled, walked, and struck out as 1B Ryan Casteel (SRR) plated two with a single, walk, and strike out as well. RF Max Kepler (SRR) swiped his second bag of the Fall, walking and scoring a run as well.

RHP Francellis Montas (GDD) was able to dance around a few mistakes to get the win, scattering four hits and two walks through three frames with no runs crossing, three strike outs and a wild pitch. RHP Chris Bassitt (GDD) followed with 2.2 scoreless relief innings, walking one with one hit allowed and four strike outs. RHP Michael Strong (GDD) earned the save after striking out one in a perfect 9th inning. Opposing starter RHP Vincent Velasquez (SRR) was tagged with the loss after allowing five runs on six hits, including a pair of home runs in just three innings. He struck out four and didn't walk anyone but Coulter and Gomez took him yard and he also hit LF Scott Schebler (GDD). There was a bright spot in the Rafter relief corps though with RHP Christian Bergman (SRR) gave them three scoreless innings of work, scattering a walk and a hit and striking out one.

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Surprise 13 - Scottsdale 11

This one escalated quickly. Three innings into the affair and 14 runs had already crossed the plate. A five run 7th inning tied it up at 11 before Surprise recieved a two-run single to left off the bat of C John Hicks (SUR). Hicks also struck out twice and stole a base. CF Roman Quinn (SCO) had a hell of a day, reaching base five times by going 4-5 with a triple, three runs scored, two stolen bases, an RBI, walk, and a strike out. 1B Kyle Waldrop (SUR) fell a homer short of the cycle, going 3-5 with his second double, a triple, two RBI, three runs scored, and he also struck out. RF Nick Williams (SUR) nearly cycled as well, falling a homer and a single short, but Williams plated two, struck out two times, and scored once. RF Aaron Judge (SCO) launched a two-run bomb in the first, driving in four on the day with a single as well. C Luke Maile (SUR) doubled, scored, and drove in two, while DH DJ Peterson (SUR) doubled, walked twice, scored twice, drove in one and punched out. SS Trea Turner (SUR) reached base once but made it count, stealing second, scoring and driving in one as well. SS Matt Reynolds (SCO) had an eventful day, hitting a double, scoring twice, stealing a bag, making two fielding errors, and driving home one. 2B Blake Miller (SCO) knocked in two with a double, scored twice, struck out and made a fielding error as well.

Both starters were torched in the game with LHP Adam Morgan (SCO) allowing five runs on five hits in 1.2 innings but only one was earned due to a 1B Josh Bell (SCO) fielding error, and he struck out two. RHP Justin Hancock (SUR) allowing five runs on six hits and a walk with one homer allowed, a strike out, and a hit by pitch in two innings. Neither pitcher was a part of the decision. LHP Ryan Dennick (SUR) got the win with 1.1 scoreless innings of relief, allowing a single hit. RHP Aaron Kurcz (SUR) earned the save after walking one and striking out one in the 9th. RHP Colton Murray (SCO) took home the loss after allowing the two-run single to Hicks in the top half of the 9th, allowing three hits total while striking out three in the inning of work.

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Velocity Reports

Surprise Stadium, home of the Surprise Saguaros and the home field for the Peoria Javelinas this year, has pitchf/x installed so we can see velocity readings for each pitcher.

Mesa -

Player	FB	CB	SL	CH	CUT
CJ Edwards	91-93	76-79	77	87-89	88-93
Tanner Peters	86-90	74-77	80-83	76-83	-
Ryan Doolittle	91-95	-	85-87	82-88	87
Drew Granier	89-95	74-77	80-81	86	-
Austin House	88-94	-	80-82	81-83	-

* denotes a left handed pitcher

Peoria -

Player	FB	CB	SL	CH	CUT
Aaron Northcraft	87-92	79	79-80	82-83	87-90
Nick Maronde*	89-93	-	83-85	85-87	-
Ali Williams	90-93	-	82	83-84	-
Brandon Cunniff	89-94	-	82-83	82-84	91
Louis Head	92-94	-	84-86	-	-
Sam Tuivailala	95-97	79	-	-	-

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Minor League Ball AFL Gameday

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Hitting Performance of the Day -

Roman Quinn (CF - Scottsdale) 4/5, 3B (1), 2 SB (6), 3 R, RBI (3), BB, K

Photo credit - Bryan Green

Pitching Performance of the Day -

CJ Edwards (RHP - Mesa) 3 IP, 1 H, 0 R/ER, 1 BB, 3 K, 3:2 GO:FO

Photo credit - Tracy Proffitt

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Probable Starters

Scottsdale @ Surprise - 2:35 PM EST

TBD (RHP - SCO) vs Nick Howard (RHP - SUR)

Glendale @ Salt River - 9:35 PM EST

Robbie Ray (LHP - GDD) vs Jayson Aquino (LHP - SRR)

Peoria @ Mesa - 9:35 PM EST

Tyrell Jenkins (RHP - PEJ) vs Ivan Pineyro (RHP - MSS)

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Standings

East Division
Team	W	L	T	GB
Salt River	6	2	0	-
Scottsdale	5	3	0	1
Mesa	2	5	0	3.5

West Division
Team	W	L	T	GB
Surprise	4	4	0	-
Glendale	3	3	1	-
Peoria	2	5	1	1.5