Scottsdale Scorpions 8, Phoenix Desert Dogs 4

Scorpions’ starter Donnie Veal made his 5th start and earned his 3rd win in AFL play on Friday afternoon. Veal pitched 4 innings and struck out 5 batters, while allowing only one unearned run on 3 hits. Veal gave up a single to the first batter he faced in the game, then retired the next 6 batters. He gave up another single to begin the 3rd inning, but erased that runner with a double play. The only run Veal allowed came in the 4th inning. A double opened the inning, and that runner moved to third base on a ground out. He scored on a passed ball by C Wilin Rosario (Rockies).

Japan’s Kenta Abe, who had just joined the Scorpions this week to replace pitcher Ken Nishimura, relieved Veal to begin the 5th inning. Abe struggled, as the first batter he faced blasted a solo home run. He then gave up two walks and a double, before being relieved by Tom Layne (Diamondbacks). A sacrifice fly brought in the third run of the inning, all charged to Abe. Layne pitched a 1-2-3 inning in the 6th. Three more pitchers, Daniel Turpen (Giants), Steve Edlefsen (Giants), and Michael Schwimer (Phillies) each pitched a perfect inning, and each struck out one batter.

Wilin Rosario began the Scorpions’ scoring with his third home run in two days in the 2nd inning. DH Hector Gomez (Rockies) followed the homer with a double, and he scored on a fielder’s choice complicated by a fielding error. 1B Thomas Neal (Giants) doubled in the 3rd inning, and scored on LF Cole Gillespie’s (D’backs) RBI single.

The 4th inning brought another two runs. 2B Pedro Ciriaco (D’backs) led off with a single, and he moved up to second base when SS Troy Hanzawa (Phillies) reached on an error. The two pulled off a double steal, and then CF Jose Tabata walked to load the bases. RF Domonic Brown (Phillies) also walked, forcing in Ciriaco, and Hanzawa scored on a ground out by Thomas Neal.

The Scorpions added two more runs in the 5th inning. Three consecutive singles, by Rosario, Gomez, and Ciriaco, began the inning. Troy Hanzawa’s sacrifice fly plated Rosario. 3B Chase d’Arnaud hit a fly for another sacrifice, scoring Gomez, but it turned into a double play when Ciriaco was out at second on the throw in from the outfield (Gomez had already scored). D’Arnaud and Tabata both singled in the 8th inning, and because d’Arnaud had stolen second base, he was able to come around to score from second on Tabata’s hit. Tabata and d’Arnaud each had a hit, a walk, and an RBI in the game.