Dogs take revenge on Scorpions

Phoenix 6 at Scottsdale 5

W: A. Swarzak (1-0, 1.59); L: M. Prochaska (2-2, 8.47); SV: B. McCrory (5)
HR: PDD: N. Morgan (1). SCO: R. Patterson (2).

Minnesota's Anthony Swarzak pitched 4 innings of 3 hit baseball, allowing 1 unearned run and striking out 1 to help the Phoenix Desert Dogs back into the win column against the Scottsdale Scorpions on Wednesday.

The unearned run came when Manny Burriss (San Francisco) hit a soft ground ball to shortstop Blake Davis (Baltimore), who overthrew first and put the ball into the dugout. That allowed Burriss to advance to 2nd. Aaron Cunningham (Arizona) then singled out to left, and a fielding error by Njyer Morgan (Pittsburgh) allowed Burriss to score. With 1 out, Snider would steal second, but Swarzak got Caleb Stewart (NY Mets) to fly out and Mike Carp (NY Mets) to ground out to end the inning.

Morgan, at least, made up for his error in the 3rd. After Chris Getz (Chicago White Sox) and Raul Padron (Oakland) had singled their way onto base, Morgan hit an in-the-park home run to center field, giving the Dogs 3.

Phoenx added 2 more in the top of the 5th after Scorpions' starter Mike Prochaska (Tampa Bay) hit Morgan with a pitch, he'd then steal 2nd and with one out, came home on Ryan Sweeney's (Chicago White Sox) ground ball to center. That would do it for Prochaska, who was replaced by Nick DeBarr (Tampa Bay). Sweeney stole 2nd, and then scored on Jason Delaney's (Pittsburgh) line drive. Andrew McCutchen (Pittsburgh) would reach on a fielding attempt, and Matt Macri (Minnesota) would walk to load the bases, but Getz flew out and Padron ground out to end the inning.

Former Dunedin center fielder Ryan Patterson (Toronto) homered in the bottom of the fifth for Scottsdale off reliever David Haehnel (Baltimore).

Scottsdale make an effort to get back into the game in the 5th, with Adam Russell (Chicago White Sox) on the mound. Cunningham would walk to lead off, and Snider's grounder deflected off Macri to roll out into left field, moving him to 3rd. Stewart would strike out swinging, but Carp would reach on a force attempt that saw Cunningham score. Davis committed his second error of the game, when he missed the catch on the play. Sergio Santos (Toronto) then plated Snider before Patterson stuck out and Mike Nickeas (NY Mets) flew out to end the inning.

The Dogs threatened in the 8th when Donny Lucy (Chicago White Sox) made it to 3rd base, but Ricky Romero (Toronto) got Nolan Reimold (Baltimoer) to fly out to end retire the side. It wouldn't be until the 9th inning with Carlos Muniz (NY Mets) on the mound, that Sweeney would single his way onto first, then steal 2nd. Delaney moved him to 3rd on a fly out, and McCutchen and Macri would both walk to load the bases. Getz's force out plated Sweeney for what would prove the game winning run.

Scottsdale threatended in the 9th when Reid Brignac (Tampa Bay) doubled off Bob McCrory (Baltimore), moved to 3rd on Burriss' single to short and came home on a Cunningham sac-fly. But Snider and Stewart both hit into ground outs to end the game. The win puts SCottdale back 4.5 games in the East Divsion, they had made up some ground when they defeated the Dogs on Tuesday. Mesa remains in second place, 4 game back with 7 games left to play.

Phoenix takes on the Solar Sox at Mesa, Thursday at 7:05 PM, MST, and again on Friday at the Phoenix Municipal Stadium at 12:35 PM. Mesa fell to the AFL West Divsion leading Surprise Rafters Wednesday, 7-4. Mike Aubrey (Cleveland), Kila Kaaihue (Kansas City), Taylor Teagarden (Texas) and Brad Snider (Cleveland) all hit home runs for the Rafters. Sarasota native Tim Dillard (Milwaukee) gave up 2 in .2 innings worth of work.

Peoria Saguaros picked up a 6-2 win over the Peoria Javelina's Wednesday at the Peoria Sports Complex. Detroit's Scott Sizemore was 2-for-5 in the game with 1 run and 1 RBI, while Jeff Larish, who played for Lakeland in 2006, was 2-for-4 with 1 RBI. San Diego's Will Venable went yard for the Saguaros off Colorado's Ching Lung Lo.

The top teams in each division meet for the AFL Championship game on November 17th.

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