Jun 18, 2013; San Jose, CA, USA; Carolina League center fielder Tyler Naquin (6) during the home run derby of the California League vs Carolina League All Star Game at San Jose Municipal Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Kelley L Cox-USA TODAY Sports
Apologies for today’s abbreviated summary: it’s been a busy week and weekend for me.
Game 1
Cameron Perkins led the Peoria Javelinas to a 5-4 win over the Mesa Solar Sox on Friday. The Philadelphia Phillies prospect went three for four and fell just a home run short of the cycle, with a single, double, triple to go with three runs scored and an RBI. Lane Adams and Cameron Rupp also had a pair of hits with Rupp hitting a double, scoring once, driving in a run and taking a walk. Starter Jason Adam was excellent, going five scoreless innings, giving up just two hits and two walks while striking out three in earning the win.
For Mesa, the Nationals’ Sammy Solis took the loss but wasn’t all that bad, going four innings and giving up two unearned runs from three hits and walk with four strikeouts. R.J. Alvarez gave up two more runs in his inning and Seth Frankoff surrendered one run but struck out the side in the fifth. Tigers’ Devon Travis had a double and a home run in the losing cause while Dixon Machado, also from the Tigers’ organization, had two singles and two RBI. The Cubs’ Alberto Almora had a single, a double and a walk but never scored, nor did he drive in a run.
Game 2
The Surprise Saguaros beat the Scottsdale Scorpions 6-3 thanks to an early lead coming off of Braves prospect Aaron Northcraft. Northcraft gave up six hits and two walks to add up to four runs in just two innings of work. In relief, Zack Thornton had an excellent outing, going two perfect innings and striking out four. Despite only scoring three runs, the Scottsdale crew spread nine hits throughout the game. Yankees’ outfielder Mason Williams had a pair of singles and a stolen base and drove in a run while Jarrett Parker and Aderlin Rodriguez each had two singles.
Getting ten hits were the Surprise Saguaros, led by Indians outfielder Tyler Naquin. Naquin went three for five (including a double), scored three times and drove in two runs. The Brewers’ Mitch Haniger had a single and a double and drove in a pair while Tony Wolters went two for four and scored a run. Starter Miguel Pena (Boston) earned his second win of the AFL with a five-inning, one-run performance in which he struck out five.
Game 3
The Salt River Rafters won again, taking a 6-2 victory over the Glendale Desert Dogs. The Rafters jumped out to a lead by scoring four in the bottom of the third inning after training 2-1 until then. The Blue Jays’ Kenny Wilson seems to have regained his mojo after a slump last week going three for five with a triple and scoring a run but was caught stealing on the bases. The Cardinals’ Stephen Piscotty went two for four with an RBI and a run while Mike Freeman (Arizona) had two singles that drove in three runs. Bo Schultz (Arizona) gave the club a good start, giving up two runs over five innings while Matt Ramsey struck out all three batters he faced in the eighth inning.
Glendale starter Michael Lorenzen (Cincinnati) walked four of the eight batters he faced and was lifted after just an inning and two-thirds. His successor, A.J. Achter, was touched for four runs (three earned) in just two-thirds of an inning. The Glendale bullpen quieted things down after that but the offense wasn’t able to get any more against Salt River. The Marlins organization accounted for five of the team’s seven hits. Shortstop Danny Black drove in both runs and went three for four while center fielder Brent Keys, went two for four.