Arizona Fall League: Mesa Solar Sox rally past Surprise Saguaros, 5-3

The Mesa Solar Sox put up three runs in the bottom of the eighth inning to give them the 5-3 lead in the win over the Surprise Saguaros during Arizona Fall League play earlier today.

Cubs prospect Dan Vogelbach hasn’t had much luck at the plate, finishing today 0-3, and watching his batting average drop to .167 through six games. Vogelbach grounded into a double play during the bottom of the first inning with Daniel Robertson on base to end the frame.

He walked during the bottom of the eighth inning and scored on a three run bomb by Sean Ochinko to give Mesa (4-5) the 5-3 lead late in the game. Ochinko finished the game with all five RBIs while recording a RBI double in the sixth to bring his team within one run.

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Surprise (5-5) jumped out to a 2-0 lead during the top half of the second inning on back-to-back home runs back D.J. Peterson and Seth Mejias-Brean. They would add another run during the top of the fifth inning to extend their lead to 3-0 on a triple by Jace Peterson.

Starter Nate Smith (1-0, 2.84 ERA) worked through 3 1/3 innings before handing the game over to the bullpen – giving up two runs (both earned) on two hits (home runs) with three walks, and one strikeout.

Reliever Gerardo Concepcion (0-0, 11.25 ERA) worked a scoreless frame but issued a walk and carries a heavy 11.25 ERA moving forward.

Outfielder Jacob Hannemann went 0-4 with two strikeouts, dropping his batting average down to a miserable .056. Prospects Addison Russell, Zach Cates, and Bijan Rademacher did not play.