Pirates Prospects Help Lead Another Blowout Win in AFL
The Scottsdale Scorpions are rolling in the Arizona Fall League and a trio of Pittsburgh Pirates helped keep that going with a 12-3 win over the Peoria Javelinas.
Pirates outfield prospect Sammy Siani extended his hitting streak to 13 games after he went 1-3 with two runs scored, an RBI and three walks, while infield prospect Kervin Pichardo was 1-4 with a triple, two runs scored, one walk and a strikeout. Pittsburgh catching prospect Geovanny Planchart went 0-2, but walked twice and drove in a run on a sacrifice fly. Pirates right-handed pitching prospect Khristian Curtis pitched three innings, allowing two hits, one run, one walk and he struck out three batters.
The Scorpions (15-14) have won six in a row and are above .500 for the first time in the AFL since winning their first game. With two games remaining in the regular season, Scottsdale is one game back of the Glendale Desert Dogs (16-13) and Salt River Rafters (16-13) for the No. 2 and No. 3 seeds. Scottsdale plays the Desert Dogs at 3:30 p.m. ET for the No. 2 or No. 3 seed on Thursday in the final regular season game of the AFL for both teams.
The No. 2 and No. 3 seed play in the Play-In Semifinals on Friday at 8 p.m. ET with the winner advancing to play the No. 1 seed in the championship game on Saturday at 8 p.m. ET. The Surprise Saguaros (17-10) are currently the No. 1 seed.
Siani moved up to the leadoff spot and grounded out to begin the game before walking in his second plate appearance and coming around to score on a sacrifice fly by Toronto Blue Jays infield prospect Peyton Williams. After a sac fly from Planchart extended the Scorpions' lead to 5-1 in the top of the fourth inning, the Pirates left-handed hitting outfield prospect flew out in his third at-bat
Siani doubled in his next plate appearance and scored on a sac fly by New York Mets infield prospect Jacob Reimer to extend Scottsdale's lead to 6-2 in the top of the seventh inning. Siani walked in his final two plate appearances, the second of which was with the bases loaded and plated Pichardo in the top of the ninth inning.
Pichardo tripled in his first at-bat in the top of the second inning and scored on a single from Blue Jays infield prospect Eddinson Paulino. Pichardo grounded out twice and struck out in his next three plate appearances before walking in the top of the ninth and scoring on Siani's bases-loaded walk.
Curtis entered the game in the top sixth inning, and after striking out San Diego Padres top prospect Ethan Salas looking, he gave up a solo home run to Milwaukee Brewers infield prospect Brock Wilken and a single to Seattle Mariners outfield prospect Jared Sundstrom. Curtis bounced back to retire the next five batters in a row before issuing a leadoff walk to Miami Marlins outfield prospect Andrew Pintar in the eighth inning.
The Pirates right-handed pitching prospect stranded Pintar after getting Salas to ground out, then he struck out Wilken the second time around and got Sundstrom to fly out.
