AFL Recap - Week 2: Quiet Week For The Hitters

(links provided to each player’s overall stats by clicking their name)

Stephen Gonsalves – Did not pitch.

Although Gonsalves was listed as the probable starter leading up to Wednesday’s game against Scottsdale, he did not pitch in the game, nor make any appearances during the week due to a mild strain in his back. Hopefully he’s back in action this week!

Nick Gordon – 3 games, 2-11, 2B, 2 RBI, 2 BB, 2 K’s.

Gordon wasn’t nearly as hot in week two as he was in week one, but his first extra-base hit of the AFL season was a big one.

It came in Monday’s 3-1 win over Salt River in the third inning. With two outs and runners on first and third, he ripped a double to center field to score them both and put his team ahead 2-0. It was one of just six hits on the day for the Saguaros, and Gordon also drew a walk in the game.

Back to hitting third in the lineup on Wednesday, Gordon was 0-3 but hit a couple of balls hard right at defenders. One of those turned into a double play as the runner at first was doubled off by the second baseman. Gordon drew a walk in the fifth inning that helped load the bases with nobody out, but they scored just one and he was left stranded at third.

In Thursday’s 6-4 loss to Peoria, Gordon batted second and was 1-5 on the day. His hit came in the third inning when he got an infield single on a grounder into the hole at shortstop. Unfortunately he was then picked off on a steal attempt, and went down swinging in his final two plate appearances.

Mitch Garver – 3 games, 1-13, RBI, 3 K’s.

Garver also had a week far less productive than his first, as he collected just one hit in his three games out of the cleanup spot in the lineup. Like week one, he caught two games and was the designated hitter in the other.

On Tuesday he picked up his lone RBI on the week in the first inning, and it would be his team’s only run on the game. His fielder’s choice ground ball to third brought in Yoan Moncado and gave them the early lead, but they got nothing else from there. He also reached base in the sixth due to an error, but ended up stranded on third. He also threw out the only runner who attempted to steal on him.

In Thursday’s loss Garver was 0-5 with a couple of strikeouts in the loss, but again threw out a runner at second base from behind the plate.

As the designated hitter on Friday, Garver finally picked up a hit for the week and it came in the third inning after Surprise had scored a run. His single was their third consecutive hit on the inning, and they loaded the bases with two outs but pushed across no more. He finished his day with a pair of groundouts in the fifth and seventh.

Tanner English – 4 games, 1-13, 1 R, 3 BB, 8 K’s.

Monday’s game was one English surely would have liked to forget as soon as possible. Batting sixth, he was 0-3 on the day with three strikeouts.

Tuesday’s game was better, as he picked up a single to lead off the seventh inning, but would be left at second base and this was his only hit on the week. He struck out twice in this one.

After a day off he batted leadoff on Thursday, but was 0-4 with another pair of strikeouts. These two came in his last two plate appearances, but at that point his entire team wasn’t faring much better. Over the final four innings that included those two K’s, he and his teammates went a combined 0-12 with seven strikeouts.

He finished his week with his best game on Saturday, where he drew three walks and scored a run in the Saguaros win over Glendale. He led off the game for Surprise with a walk, and moved to third on an errant pickoff attempt before being thrown out at home on a fly ball to center field.

His walk in the third inning was part of their five run burst, and he came around to score on a bases-clearing double. His walk in the fourth loaded the bases again, but he would end up only reaching third.

Mason Melotakis – 2 games, 2.0 IP, 1 ER, 2 H’s, 1 BB, 1 K, 2.25 ERA (overall).

Melotakis pitched in two games on the week, getting the sixth inning in both of his squads two losses to the Salt River Rafters.

On Tuesday, he had a quick one-two-three inning, throwing eleven pitches and inducing a flyout, groundout, and pop out. At the time the game was tied at one.

On Friday, Melotakis ran into his first trouble of the AFL season and it came after he retired the first two hitters of the inning, including a strikeout. A single and a walk put a runner in scoring position, and the next hit a single that brought him home for a 3-2 Rafters lead. He got the third out of the inning on a ground ball back to himself to limit the damage, but his run allowed held up as the game winner and Melotakis was saddled with the loss.

Randy Rosario – 2 games 3.0 IP, 2 ER’s, 5 H’s, 0 BB’s, 2 K’s.

Rosario pitched two important innings in the Saguaros 2-1 victor over Scottsdale on the 19th, holding them scoreless in the sixth and seventh. He allowed two hits and no runs, while striking out two to keep the game 2-1 going into the late innings.

On Saturday he wasn’t as lucky, but was thrown into a bad situation by Trey Ball, who had started the inning but walked all five men he faced before Rosario was summoned. He got a sac fly out, and allowed an RBI single before he was tagged for a three-run home run. He got the final two outs around a single to finish off the seven-run inning for Glendale, but luckily for his team that outburst only left the game tied.

Surprise scored two in the bottom of the seventh and would hold on to win 10-8.

John Curtiss – 2 games started, 2.2 IP, 0 R’s, 3 H’s, 0BB’s, 2 K’s.

In Wednesday’s win, Curtiss pitched the eighth inning with his team up 2-1. It didn’t start out that well as he gave up a leadoff double, but he retired the next three hitters to preserve the lead. Of his twelve pitches, ten of them went for strikes.

In Saturday’s 10-8 win, Curtiss came on in the middle of the fourth inning to relieve starter Josh Staumont, who got a little wild to start the frame. With runners on first and second and one out, Curtiss allowed one inherited runner to score on a single, but got a fly out and strikeout to end the inning with his team up 6-1.

He came back out for the fifth and pitched a scoreless inning, allowing just a single and picking up another strikeout.

Please feel free to ask questions and discuss the performances during the week!