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AFL Update: Nov. 2, 2012

Salt River’s unbeaten streak fell with a 5-2 loss to Phoenix yesterday afternoon.

Paul Demny got the start, his first of the fall, and went two scoreless innings. The 23-year-old allowed a hit, plunked a batter, walked none, and struck out two, though he struggled some with finding the plate (32 pitches, 17 for strikes).

Brian Goodwin’s hitless streak continued with another 0-for-4 game, as the Rafters’ leadoff man struck out twice and drew a walk. Playing left field, he snared a line drive in the top of the 9th for his sole putout.

Anthony Rendon batted seventh and played third. The 22-year-old went 1-for-3 with a walk, extending his hit streak to five games and his on-base streak to seven. Defensively, he had one assist.

With the loss, Salt River falls to 11-8 but remain in first place in the AFL East as the Rafters close out the week with a visit to second-place Scottsdale tonight.

AFL Update: Nov. 1, 2012

A one-out single and a balk in the last of the 9th enabled the Mesa Solar Sox to salvage a tie with the Salt River Rafters, 2-2 yesterday afternoon.

For the second straight game, just two Nationals minor-leaguers got into the game…

• Brian Goodwin led off and played centerfield but went hitless with an 0-for-4 mark, making a single putout on defense.

• Jason Martinson played third base and went 1-for-4 with a double and a run scored. The 24-year-old snagged a lineout in the 6th and threw out two runners at first on grounders in the 2nd and 5th innings.

The tie, the second of the fall for the Rafters, enabled Scottsdale to move with a ½ game of Salt River in the AFL East. The Rafters play host to the Desert Dogs this afternoon.

Rule 5 Pick Brad Meyers Returned

Multiple online sources are reporting that Brad Meyers, who was picked by the New York Yankees in the December 2011 Rule 5 draft, has been returned to the Washington Nationals and assigned to the Syracuse Chiefs.

Meyers was placed on the 15-day DL in early April with a strained labrum and transferred to the 60-Day DL in late May. Meyers made one appearance during the year, a disastrous eight runs given up to 14 batters faced on April 9th for High-A Tampa Yankees of the Florida State League.

The 27-year-old was originally drafted by the Washington Nationals in the 5th round of the 2007 First-Year Player Draft, rising as high as AAA with 95⅔ IP for the Syracuse Chiefs in 2011 but missed most of 2010 with foot and heel injuries.

Offline sources have reported that Meyers has undergone shoulder surgery, but I have not been able to confirm this with a reputable online source.

AFL Update: Oct. 31, 2012

After falling behind 3-0 in the 3rd, a pair of runs in the 6th and 8th innings vaulted Salt River to its fifth straight win, 4-3 over Surprise. It was a light night in terms of the Nationals — just one starter on offense and one reliever made into the scorebook. Anthony Rendon batted third, …

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AFL Update: Oct. 30, 2012

Ryan Perry tossed another five scoreless innings as the Salt River Rafters paddled the Phoenix Desert Dogs, 9-2 for their fourth straight win. Perry allowed just one hit and no walks while striking out three. He needed just 42 pitches, 30 of which went for strikes, to get through the outing. Former pro scout Bernie …

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Winter League Roundup

Time for our semi-weekly look at how the Nationals farmhands are doing in the offseason/winter leagues, beginning with the Arizona Fall League. All statistics as of 10/29/2012 12:10 a.m. EDT. AFL HITTERS AFL PITCHERS VWL HITTERS VWL PITCHER DWL PITCHERS MWL PITCHERS

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Season Review: 2012 Potomac Nationals

The 2012 Potomac Nationals will most likely be remembered by those that watched them closely (*ahem*) for two things: (1) the team that couldn’t win on the road (2) underachievement. You can argue against the latter to a certain extent, but it’s pretty hard to argue against the former: A 10-26 mark in the first …

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AFL Update: Oct. 28, 2012

The Salt River Rafters scored in six of nine innings on Saturday to double up the Mesa Solar Sox 12-6 for their third straight win.

Highlights from the four Nats that saw game action…

…Paul Demny got right back on the horse and tossed a scoreless inning in the 7th, though he gave up a hit and a walk.

…Jason Martinson singled, walked, and scored a run while playing third base (no defensive chances).

…Matt Skole was on the other side of the diamond on defense (five putouts) and drew two walks and scored twice, going 1-for-2 before being lifted for a pinch-hitter in the 8th.

…Brian Goodwin pushed his average to .349 with a pair of triples. He scored twice and drew two walks while playing centerfield, where he snagged three flyouts.

Salt River resumes play with a visit to Phoenix tomorrow afternoon. Ryan Perry is expected to get the start.

AFL Update: Oct. 27, 2012

Three big innings carried the Rafters past the Javelinas as Salt River held off a late charge from Peoria for an 8-7 win yesterday afternoon. Just two Nationals got into the game. Anthony Rendon batted fifth in the lineup and played third base. He drew a walk in the and stole second, scoring a run …

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Minor-League Signings

It’s been largely quiet on the transaction front thus far in the offseason, but there were a couple of signings released in this week’s dispatch from Baseball America for the week of Oct. 16-23: • C Carlos Maldonado re-signed • C Jeff Howell re-signed Maldonado, along with erstwhile OF Brett Carroll, had elected free agency …

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