2014 Minor League Ball AFL Gameday, November 8th

Welcome back to the Minor League Ball AFL Gameday. Be sure to check out all the stats from yesterday's action in the link below along with the Game Recaps, Velocity Reports, Performances of the Day, Probable Starters, and Standings further down. Also be on the lookout for John's Top 20 Prospects lists which kicks off with the Minnesota Twins.

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Minor League Ball AFL Gameday

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Game Recaps from Friday, November 7th

Peoria 5 - Salt River 4

An exciting 9th inning saw the Rafters tie up the score in the top half with two runs before the Javelinas came back to score with pinch hitter 2B Jacob Wilson (PEJ) coming through in the clutch with an RBI single to right. C/1B Peter O'Brien (SRR) launched a pair of solo home runs in a losing effort for Salt River while his defensive counterpart C Justin O'Conner (PEJ) went 3-4 with two doubles, two runs batted in and he scored a run as well. RF Edward Salcedo (PEJ) moved into a tie for second place with his eighth double, also singling with an RBI and two strike outs. He also gunned down a runner at second base and was caught stealing. CF Bubba Starling (PEJ) finally put together a solid day with a double and a single, scoring once and driving home one, but made a fielding error as well. DH Brandon Drury (SRR) reached base three times and drove in two, drawing a walk, singling twice and striking out while also getting caught stealing. RF Max Kepler (SRR) doubled and struck out, and 2B Taylor Featherston (SRR) doubled and laid down a sacrifice bunt.

Peoria starter RHP Aaron Northcraft (PEJ) handled the first three frames with aplomb, striking out two with a pair of walks and a hit allowed. RHP Brandon Cunniff (PEJ) took the win despite blowing the save, allowing an unearned run with a walk and two hits allowed and a strike out. RHP Archie Bradley (SRR) gave up three runs in four innings, surrendering six hits and walking one with three punch outs. RHP Tyson Perez (SRR) was tagged with the loss after pitching 1.1 innings, allowing a run on two hits with a strike out.

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Surprise 5 - Mesa 2

A late rally from the Saguaros propelled them to a 5-2 win over Mesa. 2B Jace Peterson (SUR) led the way reaching base three times with a walk and two singles, stealing a base, scoring once, and striking out. DH Seth Mejias-Brean (SUR) drove in two with a double and a single, also striking out once. 1B Patrick Kivlehan (SUR) went 2-4 with a pair of runs scored and an RBI. SS Daniel Robertson (MSS) doubled home one with a single and a run scored, also striking out. LF Boog Powell (MSS) and DH Jon Berti (MSS) each singled two times but both were stranded on the bases with Powell getting caught stealing once and Berti also struck out. RF Jacob Hannemann (MSS) reached base three times on the heels of two walks and a single, scoring one of the two runs while also getting caught stealing like Powell.

RHP Ivan Pineyro (MSS) tossed three scoreless innings in his start, striking out three and scattering a pair of hits without issuing a free pass. His opposition, RHP Nick Howard (SUR) surrendered one run in his four innings of work, allowing three hits and two walks while striking out three. RHP Carlos Gonzalez (SUR) was credited with the win after tossing an inning of relief with a strike out, dancing around two hits and a walk to not allow any runs to score. RHP Josh McElwee (SUR) worked the save with a scoreless 9th, giving up just one hit. RHP Neil Holland (MSS) coughed up the lead and was hit with the loss when he allowed four runs in just 0.2 innings, surrendering five hits and a walk with one punch out.

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Scottsdale 1 - Glendale 0

This pitchers duel went down to the wire with the only run of the game scoring in the 8th inning on a crucial error by the Glendale second baseman. C Elias Diaz (SCO) kicked off the late rally with one of his two singles before getting sacrificed over to second base by CF Roman Quinn (SCO) who finished the game 1-3 with a strike out and his 14th stolen base. LF Tyler Austin (SCO) then smoked one to 2B Darnell Sweeney (GDD) who couldn't handle it as Diaz came in to score. Austin also walked twice, stole a base, was caught stealing, struck out and also threw out a runner at home. Despite his defensive shortcoming, Sweeney did well with the lumber, racking up two doubles, a single, wearing a pitch, and striking out in his only other at bat. RF Aaron Judge (SCO) kicked in two singles and a strike out, also gunning down a runner trying to reach second base. SS Corey Seager (GDD) tallied a pair of singles, as did LF Garabez Rosa (GDD), and 3B Hector Gomez (GDD) reached two times with a walk and a single. The Desert Dogs as a whole were dreadful with men in scoring position, going 1-14 in the game.

The pitching was the highlight of the game as a pair of southpaws dueled with each starter putting together a scoreless performance. LHP Wei-Chung Wang (GDD) went five innings, striking out five while walking one and allowing three hits. LHP Joely Rodriguez (SCO) lasted four innings, striking out four with four hits allowed, a walk and he also hit a batter. Neither was a factor in the decision as RHP Tyler Wagner (GDD) gave up the lone run in two innings of relief, striking out one with three hits allowed. RHP Angel Sanchez (SCO) was credited with the W as he scattered two hits in 1.1 innings, striking out two.

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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.

Salt River -

Player	FB	CB	SL	CH	CUT
Archie Bradley	93-96	80-83	87	87-89	88-89
Brian Ellington	91-94	74-76	85	84	-
Jason Adam	88-91	-	81-83	79-84	-
Tyson Perez	88-91	79-81	-	-	88-90

Peoria -

Player	FB	CB	SL	CH	CUT
Aaron Northcraft	88-91	79-80	78	81-83	89
Daniel Stumpf*	90-93	-	81-84	83-84	-
Mitch Harris	93-94	-	-	86-89	88
Ryne Harper	91-93	72-78	79	81	92
Nate Hyatt	90-93	80	81	84	-
Brandon Cunniff	92-95	-	82-84	83-84	-

* denotes a left handed pitcher

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Hitting Performance of the Day -

Peter O'Brien (C/1B - Salt River) 2/3, 2 HR (5), 2 RBI (11), 2 R, BB, K

Photo Credit - Bryan Green

Pitching Performance of the Day -

Wei-Chung Wang (LHP - Glendale) 5 IP, 3 H, 0 R/ER, 1 BB, 5 K, 6:2 GO:FO

Photo Credit - Derral Chen

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Probable Starters

Peoria @ Salt River - 3:35 PM EST

Miguel Almonte (RHP - PEJ) vs Anthony DeSclafani (RHP - SRR)

Scottsdale @ Glendale - 3:35 PM EST

Adam Morgan (LHP - SCO) vs Brooks Hall (RHP - GDD)

Mesa @ Surprise - 9:08 PM EST - MILITARY APPRECIATION GAME

Tanner Peters (RHP - MSS) vs Justin Hancock (RHP - SUR)

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Standings

East Division
Team	W	L	T	GB
Salt River	16	8	3	-
Mesa	14	11	1	2.5
Scottsdale	11	16	0	6.5

West Division
Team	W	L	T	GB
Surprise	13	13	1	-
Peoria	12	13	2	0.5
Glendale	10	15	1	2.5