Tyler Glasnow got the start for Scottsdale on Friday afternoon, his fourth start of the Arizona Fall League season. After a rough first outing, Glasnow made two straight appearances in which he threw three shutout innings. On Friday, he ran that streak to three games and struck out six batters in the process. Elias Diaz and Dan Gamache were in the line for the Scorpions, who lost 2-1 to Surprise to drop to 7-9 on the season.
Glasnow began the game with a grounder to second base that was booted for an error. On the third pitch to the second place hitter, Glasnow allowed a ground-rule double. With two runners in scoring position, he struck out the next batter. Glasnow started the game with seven straight strikes. He followed up the first strikeout with another, then got a ground out to first base to retire the side without allowing a run. He threw 17 pitches in the inning, 13 going for strikes.
The second inning started off just like the first, with the lead-off hitter reaching base via error. This time it was the center fielder that made the error and the batter made it to second base. After the error, Glasnow struck out the next two hitters. He then had his only moment of poor control in the game, walking the ninth place hitter on five pitches. That brought up the lead-off hitter, who laced a single into right field and Aaron Judge came up throwing, nailing the runner at the plate to end the inning with no damage. Glasnow needed 19 pitches in the second, ten went for strikes.
Glasnow led off the third inning with a strikeout. The next batter singled on a ground ball up the middle, then stole second base. Glasnow picked up his sixth strikeout for the second out of the inning, then finished off the inning with fly ball to right field. That ended his day, giving him his third straight outing with three shutout innings. He threw a total of 53 pitches in the game, 34 for strikes.
Adrian Sampson came on in the seventh inning, making his sixth relief appearance. He struck out the first batter he faced on four pitches, then walked the next guy on six pitches. The next batter singled to left field on the first pitch he saw. Sampson got out of the inning quickly, getting a 1-6-3 double play on the next pitch. He threw 12 pitches in the inning and despite the walk, seven went for strikes.
Sampson came out for the eighth inning and just like in the seventh, he started the frame with a strikeout. The next batter grounded out to third base. With two outs, Sampson allowed a double, but he got a ground out to shortstop to end the inning. He threw a total of 26 pitches in the game, 18 for strikes.
Elias Diaz was batting eighth and he grounded into a double play in his first at-bat. Leading off the fifth inning, he flew out to center field. Diaz came up in a big spot in the seventh inning. With his team down 2-1, there were runners on first and second and no outs. He couldn’t move the runners along, flying out to right field. Scottsdale came up empty in the inning. Diaz finished the day 0-for-3 at the plate.
Dan Gamache was the designated hitter on Friday. He came into the game with a .185 average and grounded out to first base in his first at-bat. Gamache singled in the fourth inning, but was thrown out at second trying to stretch it into a double. In the seventh inning, he singled again, this time beating out a grounder to first base. In the ninth, Gamache grounded into a double play. He represented the winning run at the time. He finished the day 2-for-4 with two singles.
