Tag: Brian Leach

Losses all around in the Pirates' minor league organization:

Augusta Green Jackets  5,  West Virginia Power  3
(box) 

A 4-run 2nd inning by Augusta had the Power trying to catch up for most of the game.  With Zack Dodson getting the start, Augusta scored on two singles, a throwing error by 3B Eric Avila, a 2 RBI triple, and an RBI ground out.  Only two of the runs were earned.  Dodson retired the side in two other innings, and walked two batters in the 4th.  The Power posted 8 hits (to Augusta's 5 hits), and put runners on base in each of their first four innings but could not bring any of them around to score.  The top of the 5th began with back-to-back singles by LF Rogelios Noris and SS Gift Ngoepe.  2B Drew Maggi dropped down a sacrifice bunt, but a missed catch error by the Augusta first baseman put Maggi safe on first, moved Ngoepe to third, and allowed Noris to score.  Ngoepe scored on an RBI ground out.  

Dodson was relieved by Brooks Pounders to begin the bottom of the 5th.  Pounders surrendered another unearned run, on two singles, a passed ball, and a wild pitch in the 5th.  He retired the side in order in both the 7th and 8th innings.  Ryan Beckman retired the side in order in the 8th inning.  

The Power continued to put runners on base in each inning, and they scored again in the 8th.  RF Dan Grovatt walked, moved to second base on a ground out, and scored on DH Justin Howard's line drive single into left field.  Ngoepe also singled in the 3rd inning.  CF Mel Rojas singled three times:  in the 1st, the 3rd, and the 7th.  He also stole second base in the 1st. 

Three wins for the Pirates' lower minor league teams on Tuesday:


Altoona Curve  2,  Akron Aeros  0
(box score)

Starter Bryan Morris threw 6 shutout innings to lead the Curve over the Aeros in Akron.  Morris scattered 4 hits and a walk, while striking out 3 for his first win of the season.  The only real trouble he had was in the bottom of the 1st, when rehabbing Grady Sizemore began the inning with a walk.  After two grounder force outs, a single, Akron had runners on first and second.  A single lined into center field had the runner from second charging for home, but CF Starling Marte fired in to C Eric Fryer, who tagged out the runner at the plate.  Morris sailed through his remaining 5 innings, allowing just two more hits -- singles in the 2nd and the 5th.  Brian Leach, Michael Dubee, and Noah Krol each pitched one scoreless inning of relief.  Leach and Dubee each allowed one walk, but Dubee struck out the other three batters he faced.  Krol earned his second Save of the season.  

Both of the Curve's runs scored in the 3rd inning.  3B Jeremy Farrell began the rally by being hit by a pitch.  Fryer singled, and RF Jose Hernandez sacrifice bunted both runners into scoring position.  2B Brock Holt grounded to first, but a fielding error let him reach safely and gave Farrell the chance to score.  An RBI grounder by Marte brougth in Fryer with the second run.  Marte stole second base and moved to third on a wild pitch, but the inning ended before he could come around to score.  

Marte singled after Holt walked in the 5th inning, and both Farrell and Fryer singled in the 7th, but neither of those threats yielded any runs.  Farrell lined into right field in the 9th, and rounded second easily, but was thrown out when he tried to stretch it into a triple.  He would have scored if he'd stopped at second, because Fryer followed with his own double.  Fryer was 3-for-4 in the game, and Farrell went 2-for-3.  

It's like they said in the movie "Bull Durham":  some days you win, some days you lose, some days it rains.  Again on Saturday, the Pirates' lower minor league affiliates experienced all three. 

It rained again in West Virginia.  The Power and the Savannah Sand Gnats will try for a double header again on Sunday.  As best as I can tell, Friday's game has been "cancelled" and won't be made up.

The win:
Altoona Curve  6,  Erie SeaWolves  2
(box score)

The Curve finally put one in the win column, as they out-hit the SeaWolves 14 - 3 on Saturday afternoon.  All but one member of the starting line-up had at least one hit, and while C Eric Fryer didn't smack a hit, he contributed two walks and scored a run.  CF Starling Marte, who had been hitless in the Curve's first two games, led the onslaught with 4 hits -- 3 singles and a double.  2B Brock Holt, DH Kris Watts, and 3B Jeremy Farrell all had two hits, and Holt and Farrell each drove in two runs.  

Erie scored the first run of the game in the bottom of the 1st, on an infield single by the first batter of the game, followed by a bunt and a balk by starter Aaron Thompson, and an RBI ground out.  Thompson settled in after that, and did not allow another run nor another hit.  He walked one and struck out two in his 6 innings of work.  

The Curve tied the game in the 3rd inning.  Fryer walked, then came around to score on a wild pitch.  They took the lead in the 6th, when Marte doubled.  SS Jordy Mercer singled, driving in Marte.  Watts also singled, and he scored moments later when Farrell singled.  RF Brad Chalk added another run in the 7th -- he tripled, then came across the plate on Holt's RBI single.  The Curve rallied again in the 8th, for two more insurance runs.  Watts started with his second single.  Farrell brought him home with a double, and Holt followed up with an RBI single to plate Farrell.  

Reliever Brian Leach pitched a scoreless 7th inning and began the 8th, allowing a single.  Michael Dubee took over for Leach, but the runner scored on an RBI single.  Dubee also pitched a perfect 9th, earning his first save.  Thompson earned the win.  

Moving on up, as we look at the Pirates' minor league pitchers....

Aaron Pribanic --  R/R,  6' 4",  200 lb
Pribanic came to the Pirates in July 2009, as a part of the trade with the Mariners for Jack Wilson and Ian Snell.  He was assigned to West Virginia, where he made 6 starts and one relief appearance to finish the season, earning a 4-2 record and a 2.15 ERA.  He didn't walk many 5 (1.2 walks/ 9 innings), but didn't strike out many either (18, 4.3 K/ 9 innings).  Pribanic was promoted to A+ Bradenton to begin 2010, and he spent the whole season there.  He was a starter for the whole season, making 27 appearances, and earning a 7-6 record with an overall 3.33 ERA.  He began the season slowly, with 4 starts in April, in which he gave up a total of 12 earned runs in 17 innings (6.35 ERA).  May was a little better, with 18 earned runs in 33.1 innings (6 starts), for a 4.86 ERA.  He gave up 11 runs in his first three starts in June, but by the second half of the month, things were beginning to turn around.  Pribanic gave up 4 runs over his last three starts in June (21 innings).  July was even better:  5 earned runs in 30 innings for a 1.50 ERA.  Pribanic finished up the season with 8 runs in 44.2 innings (1.61 ERA) in August/September.  Again in 2010, he did not walk many (33, 1.9 walks/ 9 innings) and did not strikeout many  (71, 4.2 K/ 9 innings).  Pribanic was assigned to the Arizona Fall League, where he made 11 appearances, all in relief, for the Mesa Solar Sox.  He threw 18 innings and allowed 4 earned runs on 18 hits (2.00 ERA), with 6 walks and 9 strikeouts.  The low strikeout rate has been attributed to Pribanic not having particularly strong breaking pitches.  He does get a lot of ground ball outs, though, which explains why he can allow 157 hits in 154 innings and still give up "only" 57 runs.  Pribanic needs to work more on those breaking pitches, as the Pirates would really like to see more strikeouts.  He should begin 2011, at age 24, as a starter for AA Altoona.

 
Brian Leach --  R/R,  6' 3", 195 lb
Leach was chosen by the Pirates in the 25th round of the 2008 draft.  He pitched as both a starter and a reliever in his first two seasons in the Pirates' organization, but in 2010, Leach pitched almost exclusively as a starter, with just 2 relief appearances.  He was promoted to Bradenton for the season, and like Pribanic, he got off to a slow start, leading the Marauders in earned runs (15) and walks (16) for the month of April, when he made one relief appearance and four starts, for 20.2 innings, for a 6.53 ERA.  He cut back on the walks in May (9), and did a little better with runs, for a 4.70 ERA in 23 innings.  Leach too turned things around in June, when he allowed 7 runs in 30 innings (2.10 ERA), with 7 walks.  That ballooned up to a 4.75 ERA in July, though he kept the walks down to 6, and slid back to 3.26 ERA in August/Sept, with 9 walks.  Overall, Leach earned a 9-9 record and a 3.85 ERA, with 144 hits in 138 innings.  He walked 44 (2.9 walks/ 9 innings), and struck out 98 (6.4 K/ 9 innings).  Leach also participated in the Arizona Fall League after the regular season.  He made 10 relief appearances for the Mesa Solar Sox, and while he allowed 11 hits and 7 walks in his 10 innings, he did not allow a run.  Leach has been somewhat on-again-off-again with his control -- it was better during the second half of the regular season, and not so great during the AFL.  He needs to work on that in 2011, when at age 25, he should be joining Pribanic in the Altoona starting rotation.

The Arizona Fall League wrapped up with the Championship Game on Saturday.  The Scottsdale Scorpions beat the Peoria Javelinas 3-2.  Each team posted 7 hits, with RF Adam Loewen (Blue Jays) going 3-for-3 for the Javelinas.  Loewen's first single contributed to the Javelina's first run in the top of the 2nd, but the Scorpions came back with 2 runs in the bottom of the inning, which included an RBI single by RF Bryce Harper (Nationals).  Loewen also singled in Peoria's 4th run rally, when they tied the score at 2-2.  Scottsdale took the lead again in the bottom of the frame, with a pair of doubles.  Starter Sammy Solis (Nationals) earned the win for Scottsdale with 4 innings of work, and reliever Cole Kimball (Nationals) earned the save.

The Mesa Solar Sox played their second-to-last game on Wednesday, losing to Scottsdale by a score of 6-0.  The Solar Sox were held to just 3 hits.  2B Josh Harrison had one of them -- a double to lead off the 4th inning.  CF Kirk Nieuwenhuis (Mets) and 1B Josh Satin (Mets) each had a single.  Harrison was the first Mesa player to reach base in the game, after they went down in order for the first 3 innings.  But he was left on base when Scottsdale's Josh Collmenter (Diamondbacks) struck out the next three batters.  Nieuwenhuis singled and stole second base in the 5th, but the other three batters in that inning struck out too.  Satin singled in the 8th, but was left on base.  The Solar Sox had their best chance in the 7th inning, when with one out, DH Matt Rizzotti (Phillies) reached base on a fielding error and RF Andrew Lambo walked (the only walk for the Solar Sox.  But C Tony Sanchez bounced into a force out, and a line out ended the inning.  

MESA SOLAR SOX  5,  PHOENIX DESERT DOGS  5   (TIE)
 
Starter Justin Wilson pitched into the 4th inning and allowed 2 runs, but the game ended in a tie.  That means that the Solar Sox will not be able to catch up to the Scottsdale Scorpions, who have clinched the Arizona Fall League's Eastern Division.  The Solar Sox have three games remaining.  The Scorpions will play the championship game on Saturday, against either the Peoria Javelinas (1st place in the AFL West) or the Surprise Rafters (2nd place, 3 games behind with 3 games to play).

The Solar Sox got the early lead, with a run in the 1st inning.  2B Ryan Flaherty (Cubs) singled up the middle, and a wild pitch put him on second base.  1B Matt Rizzotti (Phillies) also singled up the middle, and Flaherty raced around from second base to score.  
Wilson worked around a pair of singles in both the 1st and 2nd innings, to hold onto the slim lead.  But in the top of the 3rd, Wilson hit the first batter of the inning.  Then with two outs, he gave up a 2-run homer to LF Brandon Laird (Yankees), and the Desert Dogs had a 2-1 lead.  

A pair of doubles, by 3B Josh Vitters (Cubs) and RF Andrew Lambo, drove in a run for the Solar Sox in the 4th inning, to tie the score.  A hit batter and a ground out by C Tony Sanchez moved the runners to second and third bases, but SS Jordy Mercer struck out to end the inning and leave both runners in scoring position.

Wilson began the 4th with a fly out and a walk, then was relieved by David Cales (Cubs), who got out of the inning without a run scoring.  Nicholas Carr (Mets) pitched a scoreless 5th inning for Mesa, then gave up two lead-off singles in the 6th.  A fielding error by Mercer brought in one run for Phoenix, and another single added a second run, giving the Desert Dogs a 4-2 lead.  

Jordy Mercer made up for his error in the 7th, when he led off with a solo home run.  DH Andrew Romine (Angels) singled following the homer, but was erased in a double play off the bat of Flaherty.  LF John Tolisano (Blue Jays) doubled and Rizzotti walked, but that attempt at a rally ended with a ground out.  The Solar Sox were closer, at 4-3.

Eric Neisen (Mets) finished the 6th inning for Carr, then pitched a 1-2-3 7th inning.  Brian Leach extended his perfect ERA streak with a perfect 8th inning -- two ground outs and a strikeout.  Eddie McKiernan (Angels) took over for Leach to begin the top of the 9th, and he gave up a double, then a fielding error by Rizzotti allowed that runner to score, and the Desert Dogs were back to a 2-run lead.  

Mercer began the bottom of the 9th with a line drive single into center field.  Romine walked, and Flaherty moved both up a base with a sacrifice bunt.  Mercer scored on Tolisano's RBI ground out, and Romine scored on a wild pitch.  But a strike out ended the inning and cut the rally short, and the game ended in a tie.  

Mesa Solar Sox  2,  Phoenix Desert Dogs  2  (TIE)

Runners left in scoring position was the name of today's game, which ended in a tie after 9 innings.  The Solar Sox did a little better than the Desert Dogs in leaving runners on base -- they collected 6 hits and 3 walks, and left 6 men on base.  Phoenix posted 9 hits and 2 walks, and they left 8 runners on. 

All the scoring happened in the 2nd inning.  The Solar Sox began the fun with a walk by SS Jordy Mercer.  1B Josh Satin (Mets) singled, putting runners on the corners.  C Tim Kennelly (Phillies) brought in Mercer with a sacrifice fly.  After 2B Josh Harrison was hit by a pitch, LF Ryan Flaherty (Cubs) slipped a grounder through the left side for an RBI single, scoring Satin.  Harrison tried to reach third base on the throw, but was tagged out. 

The Desert Dogs tied it up in the bottom of the inning.  Chris Kissock (Phillies) started for the Solar Sox.  He began the bottom of the 2nd by giving up three consecutive hits -- a pair of singles and a ground rule double, which plated one run.  A sacrifice fly brought in the second run to tie the score. 

And then... no more scoring.  The Solar Sox had only one batter reach base over the next six innings.  RF John Tolisano (Blue Jays) lined a single into right field in the 4th inning, then stole second base, but was out trying to steal third.  3B Brandon Wood (Angels) led off the top of the 9th with a single, then DH Tony Sanchez also singled and Tolisano reached with a walk, between a pair of strikeouts (Mercer and CF Kirk Nieuwenhuis).  But a grounder force out ended the inning, leaving 3 runners on base and 2 in scoring position.  Add to that one left on base in the 2nd, and 2 left on (one in scoring position) in the top of the 1st, and that's the Solar Sox' 6 left on.  The Sox were 1-for-4 with runners in scoring position.

Phoenix was more effective in putting runners on base, but not any better at getting them across the plate.  BJ Rosenberg (Phillies) worked around a single and a throwing error in the 3rd, and retired the side in order in the 4th.  Brian Leach pitched a scoreless 5th inning.  He gave up a single and walked a batter, but got out of the inning on a double play started by his Altoona teammates:  2B Harrison to SS Mercer to 1B Satin. 

Three more Solar Sox pitchers kept the Desert Dogs from scoring despite runners on base.  Ryan Brasier (Angels) gave up 2 singles in the 6th, and David Cales (Cubs) gave up a single and a walk in the 8th.  Justin De Fratus only had to work around one runner on base, when he gave up a double in the 9th.  That added up to 8 runners left on for Phoenix, and hitting 1-for-10 with runners in scoring position. 

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Next week will be the final week of Arizona Fall League play.  The last scheduled game will be on Thursday Nov 18th, and the championship game will be played on Saturday Nov 20th.  The Solar Sox have a 13-13 record and are 4 games behind the first place Scottsdale Scorpion in the Eastern division of the AFL.  With 5 games left to play, and assuming no more games ending in a tie, the Solar Sox are not out of it yet, but they'd better get going if they are to make the playoffs. 

The Pirates have signed reliever Justin Thomas to a minor league contract for the 2011 season.� Thomas was removed from the Pirates' 40-man roster at the end of the 2010 season.� He has been pitching for Los Bravos de Margarita, where he has made 5 appearances, for 12.1 innings.� He has a 0-2 record with a 6.57 ERA.

AFL:� Scottsdale Scorpions� 8,� Mesa Solar Sox� 3

The Solar Sox scored their runs on 3B Brandon Wood's 3-run homer in the 7th inning, and that was all the scoring they managed, despite having at least one runner on base in all but one inning.� The Solar Sox threatened in the 4th inning when C Tony Sanchez walked and RF Andrew Lambo singled, but neither came around to score.�� The Scorpions did their scoring early, with 2 runs in the 2nd and 3 runs in the 3rd all off starter Robert Carson (Mets), who surrendered 8 hits.� The Scorpions added another 3 runs in the 4th inning off reliever Eric Niesen (Mets), on a homer, a walk, a single, a double, and a sacrifice fly.� David Cales (Cubs) finished the 4th and pitched a scoreless 5th for Mesa.� Nicholas Carr (Mets) threw 2 scoreless innings, and Brian Leach followed with a scoreless 8th, with one walk.� Robert Fish (Angels) wrapped things up for Mesa with a scoreless 9th.

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DOMINICAN LEAGUE

Toros del Este� 8,� Leones del Escogido� 1 -- C Jason Jaramillo singled and doubled for Los Toros, and the double drove in a run for Los Toros in the 6th inning.� SS Pedro Ciriaco was hitless in 5 trips to the plate.� He committed one of Los Toros' 4 errors, though his error did not lead to Los Leones' run.

Tigres del Licey� 7,� Aguilas Cibaenas� 5� -- C Luke Carlin and CF Starling Marte each had one hit for Los Aguilas, who could not stand up to Los Tigres' 3 runs over the final two inning of the game.� Carlin walked and Marte reached on a fielding error in the 2nd inning, and in the 4th, Carlin singled and Marte bunted him to second base, but they did not score in either of those innings.� Marte doubled to lead off the 6th inning, and he came around to score in that inning.� C Robinzon Diaz doubled to lead off the 5th inning for Los Tigres, and he scored on two singles and a ground out.

Estrellas de Oriente� 7,� Gigantes del Cibao� 5� -- Franquelis Osoria had the win for Los Estrellas, as he was the pitcher of record when his teammates scored 4 runs in the top of the 9th.� Mike Dubee pitched a total of 2 innings for Los Gigantes.� He entered the game in the 6th inning with one on and one out, then ended the inning by picking the runner of first and then striking out the next batter.� Dubee retired the side in the 7th, then began the 8th with a ground out and a hit batter, before being relieved.� (That runner did not score.)

PUERTO RICAN LEAGUE

Gigantes de Carolina� 3,� Criollos de Caguas� 0� -- 2B Benji Gonzalez had two singles for Los Gigantes, though he was not involved with the scoring.� The only runs of the game came in the top of the 5th, on a 3-run homer for Los Gigantes.� SS Luis Figueroa had one hit, and 3B Ramon Vazquez collected 2 singles for Los Criollos.

Mesa Solar Sox� 13,� Surprise Rafters� 5

The Solar Sox started and ended the game with a bang on Friday afternoon in Arizona.� They plated 5 runs in the top of the 1st, and 4 in the top of the 9th, with 2 more in both the 2nd and 5th innings, as they recorded 16 hits.� The Sox' pitchers held the Rafters to 7 hits.

The top of the 1st began with a double by 2B Jordany Valdespin (Mets) and a single by 3B Josh Harrison, which moved Valdespin to third base.� CF Jeremy Moore's (Angels) sacrifice fly brought in Valdespin.� DH Brandon Wood (Angels) lined a single into right field, where the Rafters' right fielder made a throwing error.� That let Harrison score and put Wood on second base.� C Tony Sanchez walked, and RF/CF Kirk Nieuwenhuis (Mets) doubled, scoring Wood.� SS Jordy Mercer bounced back to the mound, and the runners had to hold.� Then 1B Josh Satin (Mets) lined another single into right field, and both Sanchez and Nieuwenhuis scored, though Satin was thrown out trying to reach second base on the throw in to the plate.

The Rafters scored one run in the bottom of the inning on a double, a ground out, and a sacrifice fly, making the score 5-1.� Mesa came right back to add 2 runs in the 2nd, again sparked by Valedspin and Harrison.� This time it was Valdespin who singled and Harrison who doubled (ground rule).� A fielder's choice and a throwing error by Surprise 1B Eric Hosmer (Team USA and Royals) allowed both runners to score.

Surprise continued to battle, scoring a run in the 3rd on a walk, a stolen base, and an RBI single.� A walk, a triple, and a single gave them 2 more runs in the 4th, and the score was 7 - 4 with the Solar Sox still ahead.� The Solar Sox got 2 runs back in the 5th.� Sanchez and Nieuwenhuisled off the inning with a pair of doubles, and Mercer followed with a single, then stole second base.� LF Tim Kennelly's ground out drove in Nieuwenhuis, to give the Sox a 9-4 lead.

Pitchers took over for the next several innings.� Aaron Pribanic pitched the 6th and 7th innings for Mesa, and he allowed the only two base runners over 4 innings for Surprise.� A single in the 6th was erased by a double play, and a walk in the 7th was left on base.� Harrison had the only hit for the Solar Sox, a single to lead off the 6th.

Peoria Javelinas� 11,� Mesa Solar Sox� 2

The Mesa Solar Sox were still dealing with the karma rebound from their blow-out win a few days ago, losing to the Javelinas by 9 runs today.� The Sox had three players who recorded two hits each:� 3B Josh Harrison, 1B Josh Satin (Mets), and C Kai Gronauer (Mets).� 2B Jordany Valdespin (Mets) and RF Andrew Lambo added one hit each to the total.� Of those hits, only one (by Satin) was for extra bases -- a double.

Justin Wilson made the start for the Solar Sox, and he struggled right away in the bottom of the 1st.� The first batter for Peoria reached base on an error by Sox 1B Satin.� The next two batters hit back-to-back singles, bringing in the first run of the game.� A wild pitch allowed the second run to score, and a stolen base and another single drove in the third run of the inning.� Wilson pitched two more innings, retiring the side in order in the 2nd, and allowing 2 walks but no runs in the 3rd.

Bradley Holt (Mets) took over for Wilson to begin the 4th inning.� He gave up another run on a double and a single, extending the Javelina's lead to 4-0.� Brian Leach pitched a scoreless 5th inning, but he was very wild -- he walked 4 batters.� The only reason no runs scored was that a double play (2B Valdespin to SS Jordy Mercer to 1B Satin) followed the first walk and erased that base runner.� Three consecutive walks on 15 pitches loaded the bases, but Leach struck out the next batter to end the inning.

The 6th inning sealed the Solar Sox' fate.� With Jacob Diekman (Phillies) on the mound for the Sox for the first time, the first 7 batters of the inning reached base safely.� A double, a single, a fielding error (1 run), two more singles (2 more runs), a triple (2 runs), and a single (1 run) gave the Javelinas a 10- 0 lead and sent Diekman to the showers.� Eric Niesen came on in relief, and got three outs to end the inning.� Peoria tacked on one more run in the 7th, with Nicholas Carr (Mets) on the mound for Mesa.� Carr also had a wild day, giving up a single then three consecutive walks to force in a run.� Ryan Brasier (Angels) pitched the final inning for Mesa, allowing one walk, but no runs.

The Solar Sox had at least one base runner on in every inning but the 4th.� They only scored in the 8th, when Gronauer singled and Valdespin walked, then Harrison loaded the bases with his second single of the game.� Mercer's sacrifice fly brought in Gonauer.� Lambo followed with a single, plating Valdespin, and that was all the Solar Sox would get.

Other Sox notes:

OF Brett Jackson (Cubs) has had to leave the Solar Sox, due to an infection in his right lower leg.� He will not be able to participate in the rest of the AFL schedule, but is expected to be healed up and ready to go in time for spring training.

The AFL's version of the All-Star game, the Rising Stars Game, will be played on Saturday evening.� It will be the East Division (the Solar Sox, the Phoenix Desert Dogs, and the Scottsdale Scorpions) against the West Division (the Peoria Javelinas, the Peoria Saguaros, and the Surprise Rafters).�� Mesa's C Tony Sanchez is the only Pirates' representative on the Rising Star team.� The game will begin at 9 pm (Eastern time), and will be broadcast on MLB tv and MLB.com.

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Scottsdale Scorpions� 9,� Mesa Solar Sox� 1

The Solar Sox could not get heated up in last night's Arizona Fall League game in Scottsdale.� The Sox were held to just 5 hits, and managed only one run, and their own 4 errors only made it worse.

Mesa put one runner on base in three of the first four innings, but could not bring any of them around to score.� Their only run came in the 5th inning, when 1B Ryan Flaherty (Cubs) singled, then advanced to second base on a wild pitch, and on to third on C Kai Gronauer's (Mets) ground out.� He scored on 2B Jordany Valdespin's (Mets) RBI single.� Only two more Solar Sox batters reached base for the rest of the game -- Valdespin singled in the 8th, but was left stranded, and DH Matt Rizzotti (Phillies) walked in the 9th, but was erased in the game-ending double play.� RF Andrew Lambo went 0-for-3 in the game.

Scottsdale scored their first run of the game off starter Bradley Holt (Mets) in the bottom of the 1st, on a walk, a passed ball by Gronauer, and a wild pitch.� Holt worked around a double, a hit batter, and another passed ball in the 2nd inning, but couldn't get out of the 3rd.� A double, and a single gave the Scorpions one run, then a dropped foul pop error and two walks loaded the bases.� Eric Niesen (Mets) relieved Holt, but Scottsdale's 3B Ryan Adams (Orioles) cleared the bases with a double, and the Scorpions had a 5-0 lead.

Niesen pitched a scoreless 4th inning, then Brian Leach came on for the 5th.� Leach gave up a double and a single, then a wild pitch to put two runners into scoring position with no outs.� Lambo made another dropped foul pop error, but Leach made it not matter, with the help of SS Andrew Romine (Angels).� He got Adams to ground to short, and the runners had to hold up.� Another grounder to short resulted in a fielder's choice, as Romine threw to the plate and Gronauer tagged out the runner trying to score from third.� A third easy grounder to short ended the inning without a run scoring.

Nicholas Carr pitched a scoreless 6th for Mesa, then errors got him into trouble in the 7th.� After a lead-off single and a walk, Adams grounded to second, and a throwing error by 2B Valdespin allowed both runners to score, and put Adams on second base.� The next batter also grounded to Valdespin, and this time he made a fielding error, allowing Adams to score.� The inning ended with a double play, which Valdespin started, no problems.� Scottsdale scored one more run, on a homer in the bottom of the 8th, off reliever Eddie McKiernan.

Mesa Solar Sox� 7,� Scottsdale Scorpions� 6

Rematch:� Brian Leach vs. Bryce Harper --� strikeout.� Way to go, Brian.

The Scorpions jumped out to an early lead this afternoon in the Arizona Fall League, but the Solar Sox did not give up -- they chipped away at the lead for a come-from-behind win.� RF Andrew Lambo and 2B Josh Harrison combined for 4 hits, with Harrison's 3 hits further boosting his average to .333.

Mesa starter Robert Carson (Mets) zipped through the first inning, but ran into trouble in the 2nd, when the first four batters reached base safely:� a walk and three consecutive singles.� That brought in two runs and left runners on the corners.� Scorpions' RF Harper (Nationals) struck out. � The next batter lined out, and the Solar Sox tried to catch the runner from first off base, but he was safe at second, and the runner from third scored.� A single scored the runner from second, and a home run by CF Charles Blackmon (Rockies) brought in the 5th and 6th runs of the inning.� Carson was relieved by David Cales (Cubs), who ended the inning with a fly out.

The Solar Sox started their comeback in the bottom of the inning.� Harrison led off with a double, and he scored on LF Kirk Nieuwenhuis' triple.� Nieuwenhuis tried to tag up and score on a fly out, but he was thrown out at the plate.

Mesa took a big step forward in the 5th, when they began the inning with 4 straight hits. 1B Joshua Satin (Mets) singled, C Tim Kennelly (Phillies) and SS Andrew Romine (Angels) both doubled, and CF Brett Jackson (Cubs) also singled, and 3 runs came in.� Jackson stole second base, then scored on DH Matt Rizzotti's (Phillies) single.� Two strikeouts (one by Harrison) and Lambo's fly out ended the inning, but the Solar Sox had come within one run of the Scorpions, 6-5.

Cales pitched a scoreless 3rd inning for Mesa.� Chris Carpenter (Cubs) retired the side in order in the 4th, then got out of a jam (double and walk) with a timely double play in the 5th.

Brian Leach took the mound for the Solar Sox to begin the 6th.� He gave up a one-out bunt single, then Bryce Harper came to the plate.� Leach struck him out on three pitches -- foul, foul, and swinging strike.� A fly out ended the inning.

Kyle Smit (Cubs), Justin De Fratus (Phillies), and Chris Kissock (Phillies) each pitched a scoreless inning to finish it up for the Solar Sox.� De Fratus walked the only Scottsdale batter to reach base over those three innings.

The Solar Sox rallied again in the bottom of the 7th.� With two outs, Lambo and Harrison hit back-to-back doubles, driving in Lambo with the tying run.� Then Nieuwenhuis lined a single in to right field, and Harrison raced around from second base to score the winning run.

Leach has now pitched in 5 games for the Solar Sox, for a total of 5 innings.� He has given up 8 hits and 5 runs, but all of those runs have been unearned.� He has walked one batter and struck out three.