The Surprise Saguaros took on the Salt River Rafters on Monday afternoon in Arizona Fall League action. The Saguaros came into the day with a 5-5 record, putting them two games back of first place in the standings. Cole Tucker, Will Craig and Bryan Reynolds were all in Monday’s lineup.
Tucker batted second in the lineup. After a lead-off triple, Tucker made it a 2-1 game in the bottom of the first inning with a sacrifice fly. In the third inning, he singled on a line drive to center field. Tucker walked in the fifth inning, then was thrown out stealing for the first time in six attempts. He grounded into a force out in the seventh inning, then struck out in the ninth to end the game, as Surprise lost 8-5. Tucker is hitting .310 with six walks and two doubles in seven games.
Reynolds was the DH today, batting fourth in the lineup. He flew out to center field to end the first inning. He lined out to center field in the third inning. Reynolds singled on a grounder to left field to begin the sixth inning, then scored three batters later on a sacrifice fly. He flew out to right field in the eighth inning, leaving him 1-for-4 with a run scored. Reynolds is 3-for-18 with six walks and no extra-base hits in six games.
Craig batted fifth in the lineup on Monday. He lined out to left field to begin the bottom of the second inning. Craig crushed a long solo home run to left field in the fourth inning. He was hit by a pitch in the sixth, putting two men on base with no outs and Surprise trailed 5-3 at the time. Craig struck out swinging in the eighth inning, leaving him 1-for-3 with a HR and HBP. He’s hitting .241 through nine games, with two homers.
As a side note in this game, Julio Pablo Martinez from the Texas Rangers, hit for the cycle. He was batting lead-off for Surprise and hit a triple, homer and single in the first five innings, before being walked in the seventh. He only got up in the ninth with two outs because of a single ahead of him, then was able to collect the double for the cycle.
The two teams shift to Salt River tomorrow afternoon for a 3:35 PM EST start.
