SCOTTSDALE, AZ – Pirates right-hander Angel Sanchez made his third straight appearance without an earned run (one run) and Josh Bell (PIT) and Dan Gamache (PIT) reached safely as two of only eight Scottsdale Scorpions (7-7) baserunners in a 9-3 thumping by the Mesa Solar Sox (7-6) on Wednesday night at Scottsdale Stadium.

Starter Tom Harlan (PIT) was unable to repeat his last outing in which he worked three innings with no earned runs, this time surrendering five scores on four hits and three walks in just one inning of work against Mesa.

Once Scottsdale’s hole reached 6-0 in the second, Greg Bird (NYY) offered one of the team’s few offensive highlights in the contest, ripping a leadoff single to extend his hitting streak to each of his first 12 games this fall. The reigning AFL Batter of the Week has helped carry Scottsdale’s lineup by leading the league in hits (19), homers (4), extra-base knocks (12) and total bases (35).

Bell walked to follow the one-base hit and find his way aboard, before L.J. Mazola (NYM) cut the deficit in half with his three-run shot off Cubs farmhand Ivan Pineyro. The homer was Mazzilli’s first of the season, but also represented the Scorpions’ final funs through what proved to be a six-man, seven-inning shutout from the opposing pitching staff.

Scottsdale’s counterparts in relief yielded three additional runs (two earned) through their seven respective frames.

Working in the fifth, Sanchez bore down with just two hits and one walk over his team high-tying two innings. He suffered a lone blemish when his errant pickoff throw was converted into an unearned run in the fifth inning.

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