SCOTTSDALE, AZ – Adrian Sampson (PIT) pitched a perfect fourth inning and Dan Gamache (PIT) collected a pair of hits for the Scottsdale Scorpions (11-18), before a tightly-contested matchup got out of hand late in an 8-4 Salt River Rafters (17-9) win on Monday afternoon at Salt River Fields.

Gamache also drew a walk in the ninth to reach base in three of his four trips to the plate. The showing, which was one of only two multi-hit efforts for Scottsdale, marked the Bucco prospect’s first game with two or more knocks since finding his ay on base four times on a 2-for-3 night with a pair of walks on Oct. 25 agains the Glendale Desert Dogs.

Sampson took over in relief of struggling Pirates righty Tom Harlan, who saw his ERA swell to 9.64 after surrendering three runs on six hits in three innings pitched. Sampson struck out one in a 1-2-3 fourth.

Since converting to his role in relief this fall, 2014 Indians starter Sampson has registered a 2.25 ERA (3 ER/12.0 IP) out of the Scottsdale bullpen. He has tossed eight consecutive shutout innings over his current seven-game scoreless streak.

Gamache helped Scottsdale respond to the perfect fourth by doubling and scoring one inning later to cut the deficit to 3-1.

The Rafters then answered with a run in the sixth before erupting for a four-run eight to seemingly put the game away.

However, Scottsdale battled back to score three runs of their own in the ninth on back-to-back doubles from Matt Reynolds (NYM) and L.J. Mazzilli (NYM) and a Salt River miscue. Closer Enrique Burgos (ARI) stemmed the tide by retiring the next two batters to lock up his fourth save.

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