Salt River snapped a 1-1 tie with two in the 5th and added one in the 7th to take this one, 4-1.
The usual suspects — Spencer Kieboom and Christopher Bostick — started for the Rafters.
Kieboom batted fifth and was the Salt River backstop. He went 0-for-4 with two strikeouts. Defensively, he had a passed ball and was unsuccessful throwing out two basestealers.
Bostick batted ninth and was the DH. He doubled (pictured above), walked, and scored a run to go 1-for-2.
Dakota Bacus was the third National to appear, coming in during the 9th inning. He allowed the first two batters he faced to reach base with a single and a walk.
A stolen base took away the double play but the “White Ninja” high-wired out of the threat with a lineout sandwiched between two strikeouts to garner the save, his first for the fall campaign.
Salt River visits Surprise this afternoon to finish the week and the month of October.
Salt River paddled Peoria for three runs in the 6th to break a 2-2 tie and bounce back, for a 5-2 win.
John Simms (pictured) got the start and pitched four innings, giving up an unearned run on four hits, two walks, and one raspberry. He struck out three and threw 79 pitches, 45 for strikes.
In three appearances this fall, Simms has a 1.64 ERA and a 1.272 WHIP over 11 innings.
Christopher Bostick continues to get plenty of playing time, batting second last night. He singled, tripled, scored a run, and struck out in four at-bats. Defensively, he committed his second error but also took part in two twin killings, finishing with four assists total.
Bostick has a line of .242/.306/.485 in 10 games for Salt River.
The Rafters remain at home for an afternoon game against the Saguaros.
One step up, one step back as the Rafters were shut out on three hits for a 2-0 loss to Peoria on Wednesday afternoon.
Just two Nationals saw game action — Drew Ward and Wirkin Estevez.
Ward (pictured to the right) went 0-for-3 in his first appearance since last Thursday. Ward participated in four double plays, two on offense and two on defense, where he racked four assists total.
Estevez gave up a run on a home run and also walked a batter in one inning. He threw 16 pitches, 10 for strikes but struck out none for the second time in as many outings.
The two teams swap venues with Salt River playing host tonight.
Salt River put up crooked numbers in three straight innings to turn a 1-0 nailbiter into a 9-4 win on Tuesday afternoon.
Spencer Kieboom got things started with a three-run homer with one out in the 6th. The 24-y.o. backstop also walked and was 1-for-4 overall. In seven games this fall, he’s batting .333/.440/.476 with four RBI total.
Chrisopher Bostick followed Kieboom in the Rafters lineup in the six-hole and played second base, where he racked up three assists. He walked in the 7th to “drive” in a run but was otherwise 0-for-4.
Salt River (6-5) will see how it plays in Peoria, where they’ll visit the Javelinas this afternoon.
The Scorpions stung the Rafters for five runs in the first four innings as they cruised to a 10-3 win on Monday afternoon.
Nick Lee provided a break in the barrage as he got the last out in the 4th and set the side down in order in the 5th for his second scoreless outing in three appearances this fall. He needed just 16 pitches to retire the four batters he faced.
Abel De Los Santos, however, was not as effective as he was hit hard again, giving up a three-run HR in the 9th and three hits total to balloon his fall ERA to 24.00 (3IP, 9H, 8ER, 1BB, 3K, 2HR).
Christopher Bostick and Spencer Kieboom both started for Salt River. Kieboom was the DH and batted sixth, going 1-for-3 with a walk. Bostick played 2B and batted ninth, also going 1-for-3 with a walk while scoring a run.
The loss drops the Rafters back to .500 at 5-5. The two teams switch venues with Scottsdale playing host this afternoon.
Spencer Kieboom and Christopher Bostick both singled in the bottom of the 9th as Salt River rallied for two in a 5-4 walkoff win over Mesa.
Kieboom, who was lifted for a pinch-runner with one out, led off the final frame with a safety to center for his third hit of a 3-for-4 afternoon. He batted seventh and played catcher and also drove in a run.
Bostick scored the game-winner ahead of Roemen Fields’s two-run triple after he singled to right for his lone hit in a 1-for-4 game. He struck out twice and started a 4-6-3 DP in the 1st, the first of three assists he tallied at second base.
Dakota Bacus made his third appearance in the 6th, retiring two of three batters faced before he was lifted for a southpaw after giving up a single.
Salt River returns to action tomorrow with the first of three home-and-home’s against Scottsdale, Peoria, and Surprise. After two weeks of play, the Rafters are 5-4 and lead the AFL East by one game over Scottsdale.
Simms allowed the lone Mesa run on a solo shot in the 3rd and three hits total. He walked one and struck out four and threw 57 pitches during the outing, his second for Salt River.
Christopher Bostick returned the lineup and played second base. He batted ninth and reached base twice with a single in the 6th and drew a walk in the 8th to go 1-for-3 overall. Defenisvely he had a putout and four assists.
Salt River wraps up the week with a day game today at home vs. Mesa.
# # #
It’s a two-fer today, so let’s jump into the usual weekly post…
WINTER LEAGUE SIGHTINGS
The following players have appeared in Mexican Pacific League and the Dominican Winter League:
Rafael Bautista, Bruce Billings (Escogido, DWL)
Pedro Severino (Cibao, DWL)
Richard Bleier (Oriente, DWL)
Paul Demny (Culiacan, LMP)
THE POTOMAC NATIONALS
Like the Hagerstown Suns, Potomac went from contender to pretender to post a losing season for the first time since 2012. It’s tempting to compare this team to that team, but there are two key differences: (1) this team did no better on the road than it did at home (2) this team didn’t feel like it had underachieved. Obviously, #1 is objective — to paraphrase the grossly overrated Bill Parcells, your record is your record. And #2 is subjective — part of underachieving is a disconnect between expectation and actual performance, perceived or actual.
Lucas Giolito and Wilmer Difo were “as advertised”; Reynaldo Lopez was not. Drew Ward was a mixed bag. Rafael Bautista was hurt. This can be argued (and probably will be in the comments), but most of the other names either weren’t as highly regarded outside our bubble or there were reservations already about their prospect status.
The 2015 crew felt to me very much like the first couple of seasons I watched this team (2006, 2007): A couple of true prospects and a handful of maybes mixed in with “OGs” (organizational guys). This may be “old world order” returning, and with the parent club now drafting in the lower third, it might not be all that surprising.
And with that, I present the obligatory Top 5’s:
TOP 5 BATS
TOP 5 ARMS
1. Christopher Bostick, 2B, .253 GPA, .344 OBP
1. Lucas Giolito, RHP, 2.71/1.96/1.22, 11.11 K/9IP
No honorable mentions as we’re now well past the point of ignoring a player’s age or having repeated the level. Folks interested in seeing the entire team’s stats, can find them here.
Salt River suffered its third straight loss, dropping a 7-5 decision to Glendale on Thursday night.
Drew Ward was the sole Nationals position player to appear. He batted eighth and was 1-for-4 with two strikeouts and a GIDP. Defensively, he committed two errors and had one assist.
Abel De Lost Santos pitched the 8th but was rocked for three runs on three hits. He walked one and struck out two and was charged with a wild pitch, a blown save, and the loss.
The Rafters head back out on the road for a short ride to Mesa tonight. John Simms is scheduled to make his first AFL start.
Nick Lee failed to retire a batter in the 9th, giving up the lone run in a 1-0 walkoff by Glendale over Salt River.
A single, walk, and another single was the game-winning sequence as just three of Lee’s eight pitches went for strikes.
Three — yes, three — other Nationals saw game action.
Christopher Bostick led off and played 2B but went 0-for-4 with two strikeouts. Defensively, he took part in a double play, had three putouts and two assists and committed an error.
Spencer Kieboom was the DH and reached base twice with a single and a walk for an 1-for-3 game that got him off the interstate with a .200BA (2-for-10) in four games thus far.
Finally, Wirkin “For The Weekend” Estevez made his AFL debut with an inning of relief, though he walked two.
The loss drops Salt River to .500 at 3-3. The two teams switch venues and rematch tonight.
A three-run 3rd stood up for the Saguaros in a 3-1 win over Salt River.
As usual this fall, just two Nationals got into the game.
Drew Ward was the DH and batted eighth. He doubled in the 5th and walked in the 7th while going 1-for-2 overall.
Dakota Bacus was the first man out of the ‘pen and issued a walk to the first batter with the bases loaded, sending in the third Surprise run of the 3rd. He got the last out of the inning to end the threat and went two innings total, giving up no runs on two hits and striking out one.
Salt River remains on the road for an matchup tonight against Glendale.
Salt River paddled Peoria for three runs in the 6th to break a 2-2 tie and bounce back, 
One step up, one step back as the Rafters were shut out on three hits for 
Salt River put up crooked numbers in three straight innings to turn a 1-0 nailbiter into 
The Scorpions stung the Rafters for five runs in the first four innings as they 
Spencer Kieboom and Christopher Bostick both singled in the bottom of the 9th as Salt River rallied for two in a 5-4 walkoff win over Mesa.
