SCOTTSDALE, AZ – Powered by Dan Bichette’s (NYY) 3-for-5, two-RBI performance on Thursday, the Scottsdale Scorpions (12-20) came full circle to close out the 2014 campaign in identical fashion to their 2014 AFL opener – with a victory over the Salt River Rafters (17-11).

Bichette helped lead a Scottsdale comeback which overcame a 4-0 deficit to triumph 8-5. The Yankees prospect plated a run with RBI singles in the third and fourth and the Scorpions erupted for each of their eight total scores in those two frames. Aaron Judge (NYY) and Greg Bird (NYY) also chipped in back-to-back, run-scoring doubles, and Daniel Carbonell (SF) capped a five-run fourth with an RBI triple that gave Scottsdale an 8-4 advantage.

Buccos prospects Josh Bell and Elias Diaz each collected a base knock and free pass in the surge. Bell, on respite from action at his new position of first base, singled and walked as the DH to hit .214 (18-for-84) with a .320 OBP this fall. Tribe backstop Diaz singled with a pair of walks to produce a final clip of .260 (13-for-50) with a .383 OBP in 15 games as Scottsdale’s primary catcher.

Fellow Pirates farmhand Joely Rodriguez made the start in the finale and stumbled for his first time in the AFL, allowing twice as many earned runs (4 ER/5 R) over his 3 2/3 innings than his first six starts combined. The southpaw’s body of work was otherwise dominant and weathered the setback to sustain a 3-0 record with a cool 2.38 ERA (6 ER/22.2 IP) through seven total starts.

Top Pittsburgh arm Tyler Glasnow was absent from Scottsdale’s finale after turning in a 3.72 ERA (8ER/19.1 IP) and striking out the second-most batters per-nine innings in the league (9.31) through his seventh total starts in the rotation.

In addition, other notable Pirates absentees included 2014 Indians starter Adrian Sampson, who concluded the fall with two earned runs in 12 innings of relief, and righty reliever Angel Sanchez, who tossed 10 consecutive innings without an earned run before concluding the campaign with two earned scores in his final two innings on Nov. 12.

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