photo: In perfect symmetry, Ivan Herrera (9) and Conner Capel (10) scored on Devin Mann’s (11) eighth-inning home run (Brian Walton/The Cardinal Nation)
Monday, October 14 – Glendale Desert Dogs 9 at Mesa Solar Sox 5
Four St. Louis Cardinals prospects participated in the Glendale Desert Dogs’ first game of the second half of the Arizona Fall League season, held on Monday afternoon at the spring home of the Cubs, Sloan Park in Mesa.
Conner Capel played in right field, Ivan Herrera started behind the plate, and Roel Ramirez and Kodi Whitley each tossed one inning in relief. Capel finished 1-for-3 with a single, a walk, a run, and an RBI via a sac fly while Herrera also slapped a single, was hit by a pitch, scored two runs, and tallied two RBI in four at-bats.
On the pitching side, Ramirez allowed an unearned run without being charged with a hit or a walk before Whitley yielded an earned run on a pair of hits, including a solo home run.
Glendale broke a 4-4 tie in the eighth inning by pushing five runs across the plate to start the second half with a win.
White Sox left-fielder Blake Rutherford and Dodgers second base prospect Devin Mann each tallied a pair of hits for the Desert Dogs. Rutherford doubled, singled, and walked while Mann doubled and homered to drive in four runs. White Sox first baseman Gavin Sheets also reached base twice on a pair of walks.
Reds right-hander Jordan Johnson (CIN) started on the mound for Glendale and performed well. The 26-year-old surrendered just one earned run on five hits while fanning two. In the second, Capel made a valiant diving attempt on a hard-hit single by Mesa first baseman Alfonso Rivas (OAK). Rivas scored on a double by second baseman Jahmai Jones (LAA).
Johnson was relieved by Milwaukee right-hander Robbie Hitt, who retired the side in order in the fifth. Quintin Torres-Costa handled pitching duties in the sixth and conceded two runs (1 ER) on a hit and a walk while registering two strikeouts.
Ramirez took over in the seventh and was the victim of an error leading to an unearned run. There was a missed catch at second on a stolen base attempt, but Ramirez was bailed out by a great diving catch by Rutherford in the left-field corner on what became a sacrifice fly.
Whitley gave up his first earned run of the AFL campaign in the eighth when center fielder Brandon Marsh (LAA) took him deep. It was Marsh’s second long ball of the game. After a swinging strikeout, Whitley also yielded a single, which was erased on an inning-ending 4-6-3. Bennett Sousa (CWS) preserved the four-run lead with a scoreless ninth.
The Dogs did not help themselves on defense, with three errors that led to a pair of unearned runs. Reds infield prospect Jonathan India made a pair of throwing miscues while Herrera also committed a throwing error, misfiring to first on a wild strike three offering.
With the victory, Glendale improves to 7-13 (.350), but remains seven games out of first place in the West Division, trailing the Surprise Saguaros.
Glendale’s next game will occur on Tuesday, October 15 at 12:30 p.m. MST at home. They will again take on the Mesa Solar Sox, currently two games out of first place in the East Division. Probable starters are lefty Bernardo Torres (CWS) for the Dogs and righty Aaron Hernandez (LAA) for the Solar Sox.
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