Astros Arizona Fall League Eyewitness Report: Game 9

Much like those of us who have watched Andrew Aplin play in person, Wallee is quickly becoming a fan of the Astros outfielder ~

For the past four or five years there has been a continual debate throughout major league baseball as to just how much a team should rely upon the new, highly technical, measures to evaluate their personnel versus scouting observations and traditional measures and techniques … your Astros being one MLB club that is ‘all in’ for the science.

Just looking at his past performance, Glendale Desert Dog catcher and Baltimore Oriole prospect Mike Ohlman does not appear to be a particularly gifted defender … but for seven innings last night your Salt River Rafters, at least the two Astro members of that crew, made Ohlman look like Yadier Molina reincarnate as he killed potential Rafter rallies with his accurate throwing arm.

But in the eighth inning your Astros were once again front and center as the Rafters overcame a 1-0 deficit by scoring five runs on five hits … and our own Andrew ‘Babe’ Aplin drove in the tying run with a double to right and then scored the go ahead marker on the way to a 5-1 Rafter victory over the visiting Desert Dogs.

Oh, and along the way in the eighth Andrew evened the score with Ohlman by successfully stealing third, thus setting up the potential for scoring the winning run on a simple sacrifice fly … it proved unnecessary however as the Colorado Rockies Ryan Casteel singled to left, plating Aplin. The league’s leading hitter finished 2-for-3 with a walk, a single to go with his clutch double, the stolen base, a run scored and an RBI … and while he was also caught stealing and struck out once as well, Andrew is well on his way to a November first ‘Fall Star’ game selection with his lofty .529 batting average.

Rio Ruiz pitched in a single during the eighth inning rally and played his usual solid defense … Rio trapped a runner off third in the first inning to take the steam out of a Glendale rally and keep the game from once again getting out of hand early. Rio finished the evening 1-for-3, with a run scored and a walk in addition to striking out once and getting thrown out attempting to steal second in the seventh inning.

Your Rafters are now 7-2 and lead the Arizona Fall League East by two games over the slumping Scottsdale Scorpions. The Surprise Saguaros have moved back ahead of the Desert Dogs by virtue of their win over Scottsdale and Glendale’s loss. Salt River hosts the 2-6 Peoria Javelinas tonight … this will also be the last game I attend until next Tuesday because of a Taco Tasting Festival, or Hot Air Balloon Festival or Octoberfest – some kind of festival – but have no fear as we will still bring you the latest until Dustin gets back in the saddle early next week.

~ Wallee Wright ~