On Friday night in Arizona Fall League action, the Scottsdale Scorpions lost 3-1 to Surprise, dropping their record to 7-8 and
putting them 3.5 games back of the division leading Mesa Solar Sox.
Gift Ngoepe was the only Pittsburgh Pirates player in the starting lineup. He batted ninth and was at second base. He came into the game just 2-for-22 on the season. In his first AB in the third inning, Ngoepe came up with a man on first and no outs. On the sixth pitch, he grounded into a double play. In his second at bat leading off the sixth inning, Ngoepe lined out to left field. In his third plate appearance, he grounded out to for the first out of the eighth inning.
Ngoepe came up in the ninth with his team down by two runs. There were runners on first and second with one out. He grounded out to the shortstop, who went to second base for one out, but Ngoepe was able to reach, putting runners on the corners with two outs. The next batter struck out to end the game.
Tyler Waldron came in to begin the fifth inning. He retired the first batter on a line drive to left field. The next hitter reached on an error. Waldron then gave up a triple to bring home the first run of the game. He then gave up another run on a single, before retiring the last two batters of the inning.
Waldron came out for the sixth inning and got two quick outs, then allowed a double. He got out of the inning without any damage, picking up the last out on his first strikeout. Waldron threw a total of 33 pitches, 24 for strikes. He allowed one earned run on three hits.
Matt Benedict came in to pitch the eighth inning. He got the first batter on one pitch, getting a ground out to third base. Benedict then issued a four pitch walk to the second hitter. He picked off that runner, then struck out the third hitter. Benedict threw a total of ten pitches, four went for strikes.
