2005 Arizona Fall League Daily: Games Of October 27

Edited by Chris Kline
October 28, 2005

Peoria Saguaros 11, Phoenix 2

Brad Eldred (Pirates) belted two homers to support a strong start by lefthander Shane Youman (Pirates) as the Saguaros cruised past the visiting Desert Dogs on Thursday.

Eldred, who hit 12 homers in 55 games in the big leagues this season, put the Saguaros on the board with an RBI double in the bottom of the first inning. In the second, he reached on an error by shortstop Stephen Drew--one of three Phoenix miscues that led to five unearned runs.

Eldred bashed a two-run homer to cap a six-run third that opened a 9-1 lead. The hulking first baseman walked in the sixth and smashed a solo homer in the eighth to push the advantage to 11-1. Eldred finished 3-for-4 with four RBIs to raise his batting average to .300.

David Murphy (Red Sox) went 3-for-5 with a double and two runs scored, while four other players--Brendan Harris (Nationals), Josh Fields (White Sox), Adam Lind (Blue Jays) and Guillermo Quiroz (Blue Jays)--each contributed two of the Saguaros' 16 hits. Ryan Roberts (Blue Jays) added a solo homer.

Youman (1-0) allowed one run on five hits in five innings, walked one and struck out three.

Dodgers righthander Eric Hull (0-1) got hit hard in the loss. In three innings, he surrendered nine runs--four earned--on 11 hits with a walk and five strikeouts.

Jarred Ball (Diamondbacks) and Matt Kemp (Dodgers) each went 2-for-4 with an RBI in the losing cause. Wes Bankston (Devil Rays) and Jonathan Schuerholz (Braves) both doubled and scored a run.

The last-place Saguaros improved to 5-15, while the Desert Dogs (13-7) fell into a first-place tie with the Peoria Javelinas in the National Division.

Surprise 12, Grand Canyon 4

Brandon Wood (Angels) and Alex Gordon (Royals) homered during a six-run fifth inning as the Surprise Scorpions pounded Grand Canyon on Thursday.

Wood increased his AFL-leading home run total to 11 with a two-run blast off Rafters lefthander Matt Smith (Yankees). After Travis Hanson (Cardinals) singled, Gordon contributed another two-run homer. It was the first professional home run for the 2005 first-round pick, who debuted with the Scorpions on Oct. 15 after signing with Kansas City.

Kendry Morales (Angels) capped the big fifth with a two-run single--his second hit of the inning. Michael Bourn (Phillies) went 2-for-4 with a triple, two RBIs and two runs scored, while Ryan Hubele (Orioles) was 3-for-4 with two runs scored in just his third game with Surprise. He replaced the injured Ryan Budde (Angels) on the roster.

Royals righthander Chris Demaria (1-1) earned the win, allowing two hits and striking out three over 2 1/3 shutout inning. Righthander Scott Mathieson (Phillies) lasted four frames, yielding two runs on three hits while fanning four to raise his AFL-leading strikeout total to 27.

Robert Andino (Marlins) went 3-for-5 with an RBI to lead the Rafters, while Michael Nickeas (Rangers) went 2-for-4 with a run scored and an RBI. The 22-year-old catcher's seventh-inning double was the lone extra-base hit for Grand Canyon.

Rangers righthander Mark Roberts (0-2) took the loss, allowing four runs--two earned--on five hits and three walks. Smith yielded all six fifth-inning runs, allowing six hits and two walks while retiring just two batters.

The first-place Scorpions snapped a five-game losing streak to improve to 11-9, while the Rafters dropped to 9-11.

Peoria 8, Mesa 3

Val Majewski (Orioles) hit his first AFL homer and drove in two runs to lead the Peoria Javelinas past the Mesa Solar Sox on Thursday.

After missing the entire 2005 season following shoulder surgery, Majewski had gone 42 AFL at-bats without clearing the fences. But the 24-year-old outfielder connected for a solo shot in the sixth inning off Solar Sox righthander David Aardsma (Cubs) to give Peoria a 4-2 lead.

Majewski also singled and scored in the second and delivered an RBI single in the eighth that made it 8-3. The three-hit game raised his batting average to .326.

George Kottaras (Padres) also homered and Vinny Rottino (Brewers) contributed two RBIs for the Javelinas, who avenged Wednesday's 8-5 loss to Mesa that snapped their AFL season-high seven-game winning streak.

Padres righthander Jack Cassel (2-1) pitched 5 1/3 efficient innings for the victory, allowing three runs on four hits with a pair of strikeouts. Andy Mitchell (Orioles), Craig Breslow (Padres) and Jim Miller (Rockies) combined on 3 2/3 innings of hitless relief.

Indians righthander Adam Miller (0-1) took the loss after giving up three runs on five hits in 4 2/3 innings. He walked two and struck out six. It was another rough outing for Aardsma, who surrendered four runs in two innings as his ERA climbed to 11.77.

Courtesy of milb.com.