AFL West 8, AFL East 7

Saturday night’s Arizona Fall League’s Rising Stars game showcased the All-Stars among the all-star prospects. The League teams divided into West and East, based on the teams’ location around the Phoenix area — Peoria and Surprise are suburb cities on the west side of Phoenix, and Scottsdale and Mesa are on the east side of town, with the Phoenix team joining them for the East team. Three of the six Pirates’ players participating in the AFL were invited to join the East team: OF Jose Tabata, INF Chase d’Arnaud, and reliever Danny Moskos. Starter Donnie Veal, with his 3-0 record and league-leading microscopic 0.54 ERA, was not invited, though it seems he has earned the honor; he would not have been able to pitch, since he had just made a start on Friday night, but still…. Six other members of the Scottsdale Scorpions were also on the East team: C Buster Posey (Giants), 1B Brandon Allen (Diamondbacks), OF Domonic Brown (Phillies), RHP Andrew Johnston (Rockies), RHP Toru Murata (Japan), and LHP Matt Reynolds (Rockies).

The East came charging out of the gate, sending 11 batters to the plate in the top of the 1st, and scoring 7 runs (6 earned) off West starter Mike Minor (Braves). Jose Tabata began the game with an infield single. SS Starlin Castro (Cubs) also singled, and after a fly out that allowed Tabata to tag up and move to third base, LF Grant Desme (A’s) also singled, scoring Tabata. 1B Brandon Allen blasted a 3 run homer to center field, and the East had a 4 runs start. C Buster Posey followed the homer with a single and RF Domonic Brown doubled. Posey scored on 3B Josh Bell’s (Orioles) sacrifice fly, which was the second out of the inning. After a walk to 2B Jemile Weeks (A’s), a throwing error brought Brown across the plate. Tabata singled for the second time in the game, plating Weeks. That was all for Mike Minor, who was relieved by Josh Fields (Mariners). Fields ended the inning with a fly out, but the East had a 7 run advantage.

East starter Tommy Mendoza (Angels) gave up a 2-run homer in the bottom of the 1st inning to LF Chris Heisey (Reds), and Reidier Gonzalez (Blue Jays) retired the West in order in the 2nd inning. But the West took advantage of Danny Moskos in the bottom of the 3rd. Moskos gave up a homer to the first batter he faced, SS Carlos Triunfel Mariners). Two quick outs followed, but then Moskos gave up a single and three consecutive doubles, for 3 more runs, and the West had closed the gap to 7-6.

The pitchers took over for the next four innings. The East batters managed one hit in the 4th, and went down in order against former Pirates’ draft pick Tanner Scheppers (Rangers) in the 5th. Chase d’Arnaud led off the 6th inning with a pinch-hit single into right field, but was forced out at second base on a grounder by Jemile Weeks. Bryan Petersen (Marlins), who replaced Tabata in center field, singled, and 1B Brandon Snyder (Orioles) walked to load the bases for the East, but LF Rene Tosoni (Twins) flied out to end the inning without a run scoring. The East threatened again in the 7th, when Domonic Brown walked and d’Arnaud singled for the second time, but both were left on base when Weeks struck out to end the inning.

East pitchers Matt Gorgen (Rays), Dustin Richardson (Red Sox), Andrew Johnston, and Blake Parker (Cubs) kept the West from scoring through the 7th inning, scattering 3 hits and a walk. With Drew Storen (Nationals) on the mound, the bottom of the 8th began with a single and a 2-run homer by C Matt McBride (Cleveland Indians), giving the West a one-run lead. But the East managed only a walk by Brandon Allen in the 9th, and the West got the win.

As usual, the AFL has Sunday off, and play will resume on Monday.

NOTES: Just in case you’re wondering… the 2010 Minor League season begins 5 months from today.