photo: Matt Svanson (Brian Walton/The Cardinal Nation)
Four Cardinals contributed to Glendale’s Friday home win over Mesa. Matt Svanson dominated, taking over with the bases loaded and striking out all four batters faced. Thomas Saggese had three hits including a double and stole a base. Leonardo Bernal singled and hit a two-run home run. Nathan Church had an RBI single.
Results from the Arizona Fall League game played Friday, November 1.
Glendale Desert Dogs 5, Mesa Solar Sox 2
At home on Friday afternoon, the Desert Dogs defeated the Solar Sox by the score of 5-2. Four Cardinals contributed. Second baseman Thomas Saggese hit second. Catcher Leonardo Bernal batted seventh. Center fielder Nathan Church hit eighth. Matt Svanson pitched in relief.
Saggese went 3-for-4 including a double with an RBI and a stolen base. In his first at bat in the bottom of the first, Saggese struck out swinging.
In the third, Saggese smacked an RBI double to left field. He was stranded at third base. Saggese singled to center in the fifth but was eliminated on a double play.
Saggese hit his second single and third hit of the game in his final at bat in the seventh. He stole second base but was left there.
In the third inning, Saggese made the defensive play of the game. On a chopper down the line past first base, Saggese dived to knock down the ball and threw the runner out at first base.
Bernal was 2-for-4 including a home run and two RBI. In his first at bat in the third, Bernal popped out to the shortstop. In the fourth, he singled to right field but was later eliminated in a double play.
Bernal thumped a two-run home run to right field in the sixth. His first longball in the AFL gave the Dogs a four-run cushion.
In his final at bat in the eighth, Bernal grounded out to the shortstop.
Church was 1-for-3 with an RBI. In his first plate appearance in the third inning, he lined out to center field.
Church hit an RBI single to left field in the fourth inning. He grounded out to second base in the sixth, his last at bat of the game.
Svanson entered in the seventh inning, with one runner already in and the Dogs’ lead reduced to 5-2. The bases were loaded and two out. Svanson struck out the first batter faced, who represented the potential lead run, to escape the jam.
Svanson returned for the eighth and struck out the side. He allowed no hits, no runs, and struck out four in 1 1/3 total innings. With a lot of swing and miss from the Mesa batters, 14 of his 18 pitches went for strikes. Svanson received his first hold of the AFL campaign.
No other Cardinals appeared on Friday.
Glendale is 12-9 in the AFL season.
Saturday’s game: Off.
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