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Salt River’s losing streak extended to three as they dropped a second straight game to second-place Mesa, 7-2.

Four Nationals got into the game – two starters and two relievers:

• Carter Kieboom was the DH and went 1-for-5 while batting fifth
• Tres Barrera batted seventh but was 0-for-4 at the plate and 0-for-2 against Mesa’s base thieves
• Jordan Mills (pictured) allowed two of three inherited runners to score on a single and balk in the 5th and struck out three total over two innings
• Taylor Guilbeau worked around a one-out walk to pitch a scoreless inning in the 7th

The gap between the Rafters and the Solar Sox is down to 1½ with four games left to play. The two teams do not play each other this week.

Peoria got two in the 8th to tie and pushed across the winning run in the 9th for an 8-7 win over Salt River.

Just two Nationals appeared in the game.

• Jake Noll reached base four times with three singles and a walk, scored a run, and drove in a run. He also stole a base and turned a 5C-3 double play (pictured above).

• Like Taylor Guilbeau on Tuesday (sorry) Ben Braymer (pictured yesterday) was the first man out of the ‘pen and was Shawn Kelley’d by the first batter he faced for a solo HR. He recovered to strike out the side – all caught looking.

The loss dropped the Rafters’ lead over the Solar Sox to 3½ games going into today’s off day.

With single runs in the 1st, 6th, and the 8th innings, Salt River overcame an early 2-1 deficit to edge the Scorpions, 3-2 for their fourth straight win. Carter Kieboom and Daniel Johnson both got the start—at shortstop and centefield, respectively—but both were 0-for-3 with a walk. Johnson dis steal his 5th base of the …

Daniel Johnson (pictured) got the Vlad Guerrero Sr. treatment in the 10th as he held the free runner at third base in the top of the 10th to hold the score at 3-3 and set up the Rafters’ 4-3 win over the Sagauros in the bottom of the 10th. Not coincidentally, Johnson threw a runner …

No Luis Reyes—maybe today, AFL’s not so good about probables—but two Nationals appeared in the Rafters’ 14-3 demolition of the Desert Dogs.

• Daniel Johnson (pictured) reached base four times and scored four times as he went 3-for-4 with three singles while playing left field. He also stole two bases and had two putouts.

• Carter Kieboom came back to earth with an 0-for-4 afternoon but played error-free at second base and turned a double play for the assist among his three putouts.

Salt River visits Surprise this afternoon to close out Week 4 of the AFL. Tomorrow is the Fall Stars Game, which will be televised. If you enjoy broadcasters reading off their media notes, it’ll be televised on the MLB Network and streamed on MLB.com.

Salt River rallied to tie it at 6-6 with a run in the 9th, then collapsed in the 10th as the Rafter relievers gave up six runs in a 12-6 loss to the Mesa Solar Sox.

Carter Kieboom (pictured) extended his hit streak to five games with a another three-hit game, as he singled twice, doubled once, and scored twice. Alas, he also committed two errors while playing second base, so Daniel Murphy returning for his favorite promotion at Nationals Park in 2019 may still be possible.

Tres Barrera also made the start at catcher and reached base twice with a double and a walk. He did not throw out the only baserunner who attempted to steal against the Rafters battery.

The loss dropped Salt River to 11-8 but they still lead the AFL East by two games. Luis Reyes is expected to make his fifth start this afternoon at Glendale.