AFL Update: Nov. 4, 2016
It’s now a winning streak as Glendale took its third straight, 2-1 over Scottsdale, yesterday afternoon.
Austin Voth turned in a more Voth-like outing — 5IP, 3H, 0R, 2BB, 2K — to win for the frst time in five fall starts. He threw 65 pitches, 37 for strikes.
All three Nats position players got the start in their usual defensive positions.
Andrew Stevenson led off and went 1-for-3 with a walk and had one putout in center.
Drew Ward batted second and was hitless for the first time this fall. He combined with Voth on a 1-5 DP in the 3rd and started a 5-4-3 DP in the 6th.
Osvaldo Abreu singled twice and scored a run while batting from the No. 7 slot in the lineup. He also took park in double play (there were four total) taking a relay from left field to gun down a runner at the plate.
Jake Johansen also appeared in the game, retiring the only batter he faced to get the last out in the 7th.
The last-place Desert Dogs finish the shortened week with a trip to Peoria this afternoon to visit the first-place Javelinas.
Well, that’s a relief. It’s never too late to right the ship for Austin Voth.
Pretty telling that this is the first time that Drew Ward has gone hitless.
Although I’ve questioned why Voth is in the AFL, I did have a thought (besides allegedly working on his change-up) — to build up his innings so he can get to 200 or so next season (around the standard MLB load). He threw 157.1 in 2015 and 157.0 at Syracuse this season. A 20% increase would be 31 more innings. He has 19.2 thus far in the desert, giving him 176.2. He could get to 200 innings in ’17 from there with less than a 20% increase.
Voth lost IP to some of those projects and rehabbers