photo: Juan Yepez and Lars Nootbaar (Brian Walton/The Cardinal Nation)
Though Glendale fell on Monday, DH Juan Yepez plated two of his team’s four runs and is tied for the AFL RBI lead with 21. Lars Nootbaar walked twice, raising his OBP to .429. Andre Pallante will start on the mound Tuesday.
Results from the Arizona Fall League game played Monday, November 8, 2021.
A shaky effort by Glendale Desert Dogs’ pitchers resulted in a 7-4 road loss to the Peoria Javelinas (11-10).
Starter Bobby Miller (L, 0-1) (LAD) retired seven batters, yielding five runs on five hits and two walks, including two solo shots. The right-hander’s final tally scored under J.B. Olson’s watch ahead of two more scores, one earned, charged to the White Sox prospect via two hits and a plunked batter in 2/3 of a frame.
The contest’s final five innings were split between Landon Knack (LAD) and R.J. Freure (KC). Knack permitted two hits and a base-on-balls during his two-inning stint whereas Freure issued three free passes along with a hit allowed in three frames.
St. Louis was represented by designated hitter Juan Yepez and right fielder Lars Nootbaar, both of whom aided the Dogs’ cause. Yepez did the most damage, going 2-for-4 with a walk, one run scored and two RBI as the clean-up hitter. His 21 runs driven in (over just 17 games) ties him for the AFL lead.
As usual, Nootbaar was at the top of the order, reaching base twice via free passes and touching home plate once despite going hitless in three at bats. Lars has 13 walks in 16 games, contributing to his .429 AFL OBP.
Glendale had nine hits in all, with eight of those hits generated by their two through five batters. Center fielder James Outman (LAD) led the offense, going 3-for-5 with a triple and two runs scored.
The visitors got on the scoreboard after Nootbaar led off the game with a base-on-balls. The 24-year-old advanced to second on a soft 5-3 ground out by Outman, racing home lined a sharp single to left.
Trailing 3-1 heading into the third, the Desert Dogs pushed across two scores, knotting the score at three all. Outman singled with one gone, advancing to second when Yepez worked a walk. First baseman Grae Kessinger’s (HOU) single to left drove in Outman before Yepez scored on a ground out.
Glendale’s offense did not reach home plate again until the ninth. Outman stroked a one-out triple to right, subsequently scoring on an infield single to second by Yepez, as the ball deflected by the Javelinas’ hurler.
Tuesday’s game: Desert Dogs (13-9) vs Rafters (7-14), 12:35 pm MST/1:35 CT, RHP Andre Pallante (StL) (0-1, 2.08)
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