MVN: Most Valuable Network

The Scottsdale Scorpions finished their AFL schedule with a loss and a 10th inning win:

Starter Jared Hughes struggled in his last AFL start, allowing 4 runs (3 earned) in the first two innings of the game, on 5 hits and a walk.  A double and a homer accounted for two runs in the first inning, and a walk, a fielding error, a ground out, and a sacrifice fly brought in two more in the 2nd inning.  DH Jamie Romak went 0-for-3, and C Steve Lerud went 0-for-2 and was hit by a pitch.  The Scorpions were held to only 5 hits, 3 of which were by 2B Kevin Frandsen (Giants); LF Chris Pettit (Angels) and 1B Mark Trumbo (Angels) had the other two hits.

RF Josh Reddick (Red Sox) hit a solo homer in the top of the 10th inning, and then reliever Derek Hankins retired the Solar Sox in order in the bottom of the inning, to give the Scorpions a win in their final game of the season.  The Scorpions had 14 hits, to Mesa's 13, and LF Chris Pettit (Angels) had 4 hits, including a 2-run homer in the 6th inning.  CF Brian Bogusevic (Astros) also hit a 2-run homer in the 3rd inning, and C Mark Wagner (Red Sox) hit a solo homer in the 4th inning.  DH Jamie Romak went 2-for-4, and both of his hits were doubles.  He came around to score in the Scorpions' 4-run 4th inning, and he also had a walk.  

Mike Crotta pitched 2 innings, giving up 2 runs on 4 hits; he was charged with a Blown Save. Derek Hankins earned a save with his work in the 10th inning.  

The AFL Championship game was played on Saturday Nov 22nd:

The Solar Sox got onto the scoreboard first, with one run in the 2nd inning, and a 2-run homer in the 4th inning by 1B Jeff Larish (Tigers).  Phoenix got one run in the 5th inning when 3B Danny Valencia (Twins) tripled and scored, and Mesa came right back with another run in the top of the 6th on a double by 3B Van Pope (Braves) and an RBI single by 2B Will Rhymes (Tigers).  Then the Desert Dogs roared through the 6th and 7th innings.  They batted around in the 6th inning, taking advantage of a hit batter, a passed ball, and a fielding error, plus 3 singles and a double, to score 5 runs.  In the 7th inning, they sent 10 batters to the plate, and  a 3-run homer and two doubles added 4 runs to the count, giving the Desert Dogs the AFL title.

RHP Jared Hughes --  made 8 starts, 0-3 record, 10.62 ERA over 20.1 IP; 32 hits, 28 runs, 8 BB, 15 K, .360 BA against

RHP Mike Crotta --  12 relief appearances, 1-1 record, 4.76 ERA over 17 IP;  25 hits, 13 runs (9 earned), 8 BB, 14 K, .352 BA against; a run of 6 better outings in the middle of the season, though his last two were difficult.

RHP Derek Hankins --  also 12 relief appearances, 0-0 record, 1 save, 8.31 ERA over 13 IP; 17 hits, 17 runs (12 earned), 5 BB, 10 K, .304 BA against; only three of these outings were bad, and one so-so, but the rest were good: no earned runs over 6.2 innings with 8 K.

RHP Jeff Sues --  11 relief appearances, 1-0 record, 1 save, 5.65 ERA over 14.1 IP; 21 hits, 14 runs (9 earned), 4 BB, 16 K, .333 BA against

All four pitchers were giving up hits all over the place, though Sues had the fewest walks per innings pitched (0.28) and most strikeouts per inning pitched (1.13).  Sues' last two outings were better -- 6 strikeouts and 5 hits over 4.2 innings.  

C Steve Lerud --  With two other catchers on the team, Lerud only appeared in 12 games;  .250 avg, 1 double, 2 RBI, 2 BB, 11 K, 1 stolen base.  He went 5-for-12 in his last four games, and overall hit .323 against right handed pitchers.  Lerud was added to the Pirates' 40-man roster this week.

2B Shelby Ford --  Hit well, but his time in Arizona was cut short by a fracture to the tip of his right middle finger.  He is expected to be healed up and ready to go in time for Spring Training.  Hit .294 avg in 18 games, with 2 doubles, 2 triples, 3 homers, 11 RBI, 8 BB, 5 K, and 4 stolen bases.  

OF Jamie Romak --  Hit .227 in 18 games, with 5 doubles, 1 homer, 6 RBI, 8 BB, 18 K;  Romak was not added to the 40-man roster, thinking that he was less at risk for being taken in the Rule V draft.