MARYVALE - GAME RECAP

The AFL lost a number of pitchers to Team USA's entry in the World Cup, so they decided to play only 7 innings on Monday, Wednesday and Friday. The game we saw was held on a Monday, and featured Jason Standridge as the Maryvale starter - we had seen Standridge, a Tampa Bay prospect, pitch in his first major league start back in August. His mound opponent that day was Roger Clemens, who we had seen the night before in Game 7 of the World Series. Would this have any meaning? Yes! Standridge pitched four innings, yielding only a walk, before being replaced by another Devil Ray prospect, Devlin James. James went two innings with a walk, and suddenly we were in the last inning and the Mesa Solar Sox had yet to get a hit.

Meanwhile Milwaukee prospect Bill Hall supplied the offense with an RBI single in the 4th and a solo homer in the 6th. With the score 3-0, another Brewer prospect, Brian Mallette came in to preserve the no-no. After a lead-off walk to Cub hopeful Nic Jackson, Mallette caught Met prospect Earl Snyder looking for the first out. Mario Valenzuela came up and promptly hit the first pitch to second base, a tailor-made 4-6-3 double play, and the no-hitter was complete.

I know it was a 3-pitcher, 7-inning affair, but it still counts in my book - one day after the World Series, we saw a no-hitter. Pretty cool!

JR House signs

Tim Raines Jr.