2005 Arizona Fall League Daily: Games Of October 17

Edited by John Manuel
October 18, 2005

Grand Canyon 9, Peoria 8

Mike Nickeas (Angels) drove in three runs, two with a double that capped a four-run ninth inning, as the Grand Canyon Rafters outslugged the Peoria Javelinas on Monday.

Grand Canyon trailed, 8-5, entering the ninth against Peoria reliever Mitch Stetter (Brewers). But Drew Meyer (Rangers) scored on a sacrifice fly by Garrett Jones (Twins) before Rockies farmhand Jim Miller (1-1) came in, walked Kevin Mahar (Rangers) and gave up a single to Bronson Sardinha (Yankees).

Reggie Abercrombie (Marlins) followed with an RBI single and Nickeas doubled in Mahar and Sardinha.

The Javelinas hit four homers in rallying for seven runs in the seventh and eighth innings. Mariners prospect Jeff Clement, the No. 3 overall pick in the draft, cracked a solo shot and Prince Fielder (Brewers) launched a two-run blast in the seventh. Adam Jones (Mariners) and Corey Hart (Brewers) added solo homers in the eighth.

Grand Canyon reliever Nick Masset (2-1), a Rangers farmhand, retired the side in order in the ninth to take the win.

Rafters starter Glen Perkins (Twins) allowed one run on three hits in a five inning no-decision. His ERA climbed to 1.50.

Nickeas, Sardinha and Abercrombie collected three hits apiece for Grand Canyon, while Dan Uggla (Diamondbacks) hit his fifth homer for Peoria.

Phoenix Dirt Dogs 10, Mesa Solar Sox 2

Outfielder Josh Burrus (Braves) had three hits as the Desert Dogs coasted to their fifth straight victory.

Phoenix scored six times in the second inning against Mesa starter Brian Burres (1-1) to build a 9-2 cushion. The first six Desert Dogs reached base before Burres (Giants) was relieved by David Aardsma (Cubs).

Burrus, a 2001 first-round pick, delivered a two-run triple, while Miguel Montero (Diamondbacks), Andy LaRoche (Dodgers) and Matt Kemp (Dodgers) had RBI singles. LaRoche and Daric Barton (Athletics) finished with two RBIs apiece.

Desert Dogs starter Paul Bush (1-1), a Braves farmhand, worked five innings to nab the victory, allowing two runs on six hits with two strikeouts. Brian Stokes (Devil Rays) followed with two hitless frames as Phoenix tied the Surprise Scorpions for the longest winning streak in the AFL.

Aardsma allowed two inherited runners to score and four hits over three scoreless innings.

Brandon Sing (Cubs) raked a two-run single in the opening frame for Mesa, which had a three-game winning streak stopped.

The game was halted after seven innings due to rain.

Peoria Saguaros 9, Surprise Scorpions 2

Big leaguer Brad “Big Country” Eldred (Pirates) doubled twice and drove in five runs as the Peoria Saguaros ended a four-game slide with a 9-2 rout of the Surprise Scorpions on Monday.

Peoria used a 12-hit attack to win a matchup of the AFL's worst and best teams. The Saguaros won for just the second time in 11 games to climb within five of the first-place Scorpions (7-4), who have dropped two in a row.

Surprise starter Jered Weaver (Angels) fell to 0-2 after surrendering five runs on five hits and two walks in 2 1/3 innings. He struck out two.

Eldred, who slugged 12 homers in just 55 games with Pittsburgh this season, delivered a two-run double to cap Peoria's four-run third inning. The 6-foot-5, 270-pound DH doubled again with the bases loaded in the fourth to extend the Saguaros' lead to 8-0.

That was plenty for Nationals farmhand David Maust (1-1), who yielded an unearned run on four hits in five innings with a walk and a strikeout. The 26-year-old lefthander lowered his ERA from 20.25 to 9.00

Robert Valido (White Sox) also had a pair of doubles and scored twice for Peoria, while fellow White Sox prospect Josh Fields went 2-for-4 with two RBIs and three runs scored. Fields has hit safely in a league-leading nine straight games.

The Scorpions got on the board in the fifth on a sacrifice fly by Josh Anderson (Astros). They scored their other run in the ninth, when Corey Smith (Padres) singled in Travis Hanson (Cardinals). Smith was 2-for-3 to raise his average to .538.

Courtesy of Milb.com.