AFL Game 15 Recap: Austin Goes Deep, But Scottsdale Loses Two In A Row

The Scottsdale Scorpions dropped to 7-8 on the Fall League Season on Thursday when they lost to the Mesa Solar Sox by a final score of 7-3. After the Scorpions had a 3-0 lead after the top of the fourth inning, the Solar Sox would score the final seven runs of the game over the course of the fourth thru seventh inning. Two Yankees’ pitchers appeared in this game (Kyle Haynes and Caleb Cotham). Aaron Judge, Gregory Bird, and Tyler Austin were all in the lineup yesterday, with one of these three hitting their first home run of the season.

Left fielder Tyler Austin hit a solo home run to left field in the top of the third inning off of Mesa starter Nate Smith (Angels) to extend the Scorpions’ lead to 2-0. Austin is now hitting .275 in 10 Fall League Games and has recorded a hit in five of his last six games.

Scottsdale got the scoring started in the top of the first inning when shortstop Matt Reynolds (Mets) led off the game with a solo shot to left center field, his second of the Fall League, to make it 1-0. In the top of the fourth inning, with Scottsdale already up 2-0 on the Austin homer, center fielder Daniel Carbonell (Giants) hit a RBI single to center that scored Elias Diaz (Pirates) to extend the lead to 3-0.

The Solar Sox would pick up the offense in the bottom of the fourth inning on a leadoff homer to right field by Matt Olson (Athletics). Olson’s fourth homer of the Fall cut the lead to 3-1.

In the following inning, Kyle Haynes would appear for Scottsdale and have a rough outing. After two walks and a wild pitch, Jon Berti (Blue Jays) and Boog Powell (A’s) would come thru for the Solar Sox with back-to-back RBI single to tie the game at three. Haynes would give up two runs on two hits in one inning of work, striking out two and walking two.

The Solar Sox would take the lead in the bottom of the sixth on a two-run triple by Kaleb Cowart (Angels) to take their first lead of the game, 5-3. Then, in the seventh inning, Addison Russell (Cubs) would hit a two-run homer to left field, his second of the Fall League, to move the score to 7-3. Chris O’Grady picked up the win in relief for the Solar Sox with Paul Sewald taking the loss for the Scorpions.

As for the other Yankees who played in this game, reliever Caleb Cotham threw a scoreless eighth inning, which included one strikeout. Right fielder Aaron Judge went 1-for-4 with a double, which came in the third inning. It was Judge’s third double of the Fall League in eight games. First baseman Greg Bird continues to excel as he was 2-for-4 in the game with a double in the first inning. Bird is hitting .345 in the AFL with four homers, 11 RBI’s, and four doubles.

Scottsdale will look to avoid their third loss in a row on Friday afternoon against the Surprise Saguaros at 12:35 MST. Tyler Glasnow (Pirates) will get the start for Scottsdale against Surprise’s Stephen Landazuri (Mariners).