SCOTTSDALE, AZ – Tribe catcher and AFL All-Star Elias Diaz nearly willed the Scottsdale Scorpions (9-10) to a come-from-behind victory, going 2-for-3 with a  double, run scored and RBI, but was stranded in scoring position while representing the tying run in Tuesday’s 4-3 loss to the Surprise Saguaros (8-11) at Surprise Stadium.

The backstop kept a Scorpions rally alive in the seventh, singling home the second run of the frame to make it 4-3 after fellow Pirates prospect Josh Bell walked and scored earlier in the inning. Diaz then took second on a wild pitch to move into scoring position. Comeback nearly complete, opposing reliever Josh McElwee (TEX) punched out Roman Quinn (PHI) to end the threat.

Bell knocked on the door in the ninth with a leadoff double before a lineup and double play again stranded Scottsdale’s tying run.

Starter and Pirates righty Tom Harlan bounced back form a tough outing during his most recent appearance, striking out seven in four innings of work on Tuesday. He dialed in after his lone misstep – a two run double to Hunter Renfroe (SD) in the second – to retire each of his final seven batters. With the effort, Harlan easily surpassed his two total strikeouts in his first three starts and six inning of the AFL.

Renfroe struck again in the fifth on a solo homer off reliever Paul Sewald (NYM).

Texas Rangers farmhand Sean Coyle plated what proved to be the game-winner with his two-out single in the bottom of the sixth.

Author’s Note:
This content was originally published on the Indianapolis Indians’ official blog, “The Inside Pitch.”