The Scottsdale Scorpions offense broke out on Saturday, scoring 12 runs in a victory over Peoria. Just one Pirates players took part in today’s game, but he played a major part on offense. Scottsdale is now 4-6 on the season. They are off on Sunday.
Alen Hanson was the only Pittsburgh Pirates player in the starting lineup today. He batted lead-off and was in at shortstop. He didn’t start yesterday, though he did enter the game late as a pinch-runner. Hanson had struggled at the plate and in the field through the first nine games of the AFL season. He was hitting .217 in 23 AB’s, with one walk and 11 strikeouts. Three of his five base hits were bunt hits. Hanson did have a couple highlights on offense, a triple and three stolen bases. On defense, he had five errors prior to Saturday, with two games in a row in which he committed both a fielding and throwing error.
On Saturday, Hanson led off the game with a ground ball single up the middle. He had a strong AB, seeing a total of eight pitches. Hanson moved to second base on a wild pitch, then to third base with no outs after a single from the second place hitter. He scored the first run of the game three batters later.
In his second AB, Hanson singled on a line drive to right field. He was caught stealing a few pitches later, though it was likely a delayed steal or missed hit-and-run as the play went 2-4-3. In the fifth inning, Hanson was hit by a pitch, a 95 MPH fastball. He was a little shaken up, but stayed in the game. Two batters later, he came around to score his second run of the game, tying the score. Hanson came up for a fourth time with two outs in the sixth, the score tied and a man on first. He flew out to right field to end the inning.
In the eighth inning, Hanson came to the plate with no outs, the bases loaded and his team winning by a 5-4 score. He had an eight pitch AB that ended with a two-run single. Two batters later, he scored his third run of the day. He came up for a sixth time in the ninth inning and popped out to shortstop. He finished the day 3-for-5, three runs, two RBI’s and a HBP. On defense, he handled everything hit his way.