As it did a year ago, it seems quiet on the minor-league front, like January before the prospect books arrive. The two major Top 10 lists — Baseball America and John Sickels — haven’t been published yet and most of the online stories center on the exploits of the AFL contingent. Yesterday, the first salvo …
A lot of this has already been discussed in the comments, but for the sake of posterity… NATS ADD FIVE TO THE 40-MAN AHEAD OF THE RULE 5 DRAFT • Matt Skole • Austin Voth • Rafael Bautista • Raudy Read • Jose Marmolejos Let’s be blunt: the Rule 5 Draft is like the pickings …
Alas, the Desert Dogs’ three-game win streak—capped by a 3-1 win over the Javelinas—to close out the 2016 AFL campaign wasn’t enough to get them to the title game, but did secure a winning record at 17-15. Five Nationals appeared in the season finale: two of the three position players and all three relievers. Andrew …
Glendale scored in each of the first four innings en route to a 10-0 shutout of Mesa. Combined with a loss by the Saguaros, the Desert Dogs remain alive in the hunt for the AFL West title.
All three Nats position players saw game action again:
The AFL regular season concludes today. Glendale must win and Surprise must lose for the Desert Dogs to play in Saturday’s AFL Title game.
Glendale got on the board first for a single run in the 1st and a quintet of pitchers, led by Austin Voth, (pictured) made it stand up for a 1-0 victory over Surprise. Voth, who was named the AFL Pitcher of the week, tossed five scoreless innings and allowed just two hits and three walks …
Mesa broke open a 1-1 game with a four-spot in the 3rd and poured it on with multiple big innings in a 13-5 romp over Glendale.
Two Nationals appeared in yesterday’s game.
Andrew Stevenson (pictured) remains red-hot as he reached base four times with a walk, two singles, and a triple while batting leadoff and playing centerfield. He had two putouts on defense and fielded five balls total.
Drew Ward started at 3B and batted sixth. He walked twice and scored a run while going 0-for-3.
The loss lowered the Desert Dogs’ elimination number to one. They visit the first-place Saguaros this afternoon, with Austin Voth scheduled to make his final start.
Glendale twice rallied back from one-run deficits to edge Scottsdale, 4-3. Drew Ward was the Desert Dogs’ designated hitter and batted third. He went 1-for-4 with a double, his sixth of the fall season. Two Nationals relievers saw game action. Jake Johansen dispatched the final two batters of the 8th inning to earn his third …
The Desert Dogs got two-spots in the 5th and 7th innings to overcome a 2-1 deficit and beat the Scorpions, 5-2. Combined with a Peoria loss, Glendale returned to within 1½ games of the AFL West lead. Osvaldo Abreu got the start at shortstop and batted ninth. He reached base three times with a single …
Glendale fell behind 3-0 after the first three outs and couldn’t catch Surprise as they lost another one, 3-1.
Andrew Stevenson and Drew Ward were tablesetters in the Desert Dog lineup, playing LF and 3B respectively. Stevenson went 1-for-4 at the plate with two strikeouts and had four putouts on defense. Ward was 1-for-3 with four assists and no errors.
Ryan Brinley (pictured) tossed a 1-2-3 eighth inning with two groundouts and a strikeout on just nine pitches, seven for strikes.
The loss lowered the Desert Dogs’ tragic number to four games with six games remaining in the fall campaign, but just one vs. the first-place Javelinas (next Thursday). Glendale visits Scottsdale tonight before switching venues tomorrow afternoon.
Led by Austin Voth, five Desert Dog pitchers combined on a six-hit shutout of the Rafters, 10-0.
Voth pitched the first five innings and allowed just three hits, no walks, and struck out three to lower his fall ERA to 6.20 even his AFL record at 2-2. He threw 74 pitches, 49 for strikes.
Three Nationals position players got the start.
Andrew Stevenson batted leadoff and played CF. He went 1-for-5 and had three putouts on defense.
Drew Ward was the cleanup man and reached base three times with a double, single, and a walk. He scored three runs and made a pair of 5-3 plays in the field.
Osvaldo Abreu batted eighth and drove in three with a two-run single and a sacrifice fly while going 1-for-4 overall. Defensively, he turned a double play and had four assists total.
Glendale hosts Surprise this afternoon and remains 1½ games behind Peoria in the AFL West.