Back to the keyboard to provide some more AFL updates. Tuesday’s games saw Pittsburgh Pirates prospect Jose Tabata have his best game as at the plate, going 3-6 with his first HR and six RBI. Tigers SS prospect Cale Iorg logged his first dinger as well, driving in three and scoring three times. Freddie Freeman went yard and looks to be emerging from an early season slump.
In Phoenix, the Oakland A’s OF tandem of Corey Brown and Grant Desme are providing ample evidence that the A’s’ present offensive woes may become a thing of the past. Desme is currently leading the league with eight dingers and, though he didn’t add to that total Tuesday, he did drive in two runs and score three times. Brown, an Oklahoma State alum, also had three RBI on the strength of his fourth HR of the season. Both Brown and Desme are highly athletic players who have the ability to hit 30 HR per season at the major league level.
Tuesday’s top star, however, is household name Stephen Strasburg. The Nationals’ franchise player bounced back big time from his lousy outing last week by tossing 4.1 innings of one-hit, one run ball walking one and striking out five for his second win of the season. Despite the poor outing last week, Strasburg’s various 2008 and 2009 cards remain white hot commodities on the eBay trading floor. A couple more outings like this will only amply that market.
AFL Player of the Day—STEPHEN STRASBURG
Other Notable AFL Performances:
Peoria Saguaros 6
- Freddie Freeman—2-4 HR(1) RBI 2R
- Matt McBride—1-4 HR(2) 3 RBI
- Cedric Hunter—2-3 3 RBI
- Zack Cozart—2-4 2B 2R SB(2)
Mesa Solar Sox 5
- Chris Parmelee—2-5 2 2B 2 RBI
- Luis Exposito—2-3 2B RBI BB
- Greg Burns—2-4 R
- Rene Tosoni—1-4 2R RBI BB
Phoenix Desert Dogs 7
- David Espinosa—2-4 2B R
- Grant Desme—1-2 2B 3R 2 RBI 2 BB
- Corey Brown—2-4 HR(4) 3 RBI 2B SB(1)
- Brad Emaus—2-3 2 RBI BB SB(2)
- Steven Strasburg—4.1 IP H ER 2 BB 5K W (2-1)
Surprise Rafters 6
- Jeff Bianchi—2-5 HR(1) 3 RBI 2R
- Mitch Moreland—2-4 2B RBI BB
- Marcus Lemon—2-4 3B 2R RBI
Peoria Javelinas 10
- Jordan Danks—2-3 3R RBI 2 BB
- Cale Iorg—3-5 HR(1) RBI 3R SB(3)
- Russ Mitchell—1-4 3 RBI
- Dustin Ackley—1-4 2R BB
Scottsdale Scorpions 9
- Jose Tabata—3-6 2B HR(1) 6 RBI
- Domonic Brown—2-5
- Cole Gillespie—3-5 2B R
- Brandon Crawford—1-2 3R RBI 2 BB
- Scott Mathieson—1.2 IP H BB 3K
