Previewing tonight’s Rising Stars Game in the Arizona Fall League

By Nov 6, 2010, 5:55 PM EDT
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Already missing real-live baseball? Of course you are. Well, fear not, as some of the game’s best prospects will be on display in the Arizona Fall League’s annual Rising Stars Game, which will be broadcast live on MLB Network and MLB.com at 9 p.m. ET tonight.

According to Jonathan Mayo of MLB.com, 28 of last year’s 50 Rising Stars played in the major leagues during the 2010 season, including Buster Posey, Ike Davis, Mike Leake and Starlin Castro, just to name a few. In other words, here’s your chance to catch some of next year’s sensations right now.

Manny Banuelos, a prospect in the Yankees’ organization, will start for the East while Mike Montgomery, a prospect in the Royals’ organization, will pitch for the West.

Banuelos, who turns 20 in March, posted a 2.51 ERA and 85/25 K/BB ratio over 15 starts between three different levels in the minor leagues this past season, reaching as high as Double-A Trenton. The left-hander was named as the Yankees’ No. 3 prospect by Baseball America this week. Montgomery, a 21-year-old southpaw, compiled a 2.61 ERA and 88/31 K/BB ratio over 20 starts between three different levels this season, including 13 starts with Double-A Northwest Arkansas. The former 2008 supplemental first-round pick was ranked as the team’s No. 1 prospect by Baseball America coming into the season.

Rising Stars East lineup: CF, Trayvon Robinson (Dodgers), 2B Charlie Culberson (Giants), 1B Brandon Belt (Giants), LF Brandon Laird (Yankees), C Austin Romine (Yankees), RF Marc Krauss (Diamondbacks), DH A.J. Pollock (Diamondbacks), 3B Ryan Adams (Orioles), Tyler Pastornicky (Braves)

Rising Stars West lineup: CF Ben Revere (Twins), LF Caleb Gindl (Brewers), 2B Dustin Ackley (Mariners), 1B Eric Hosmer (Royals), C Ryan Lavarnway (Red Sox), RF Leslie Anderson (Rays), DH Eric Thames (Blue Jays), 3B Zack Cox (Cardinals), Jose Iglesias (Red Sox)

I know, I know. Where’s Bryce Harper? Unfortunately, he is ineligible for tonight’s game because he is a member of the “taxi squad.” Bummer. Still plenty of reasons to tune in, though. I’m mostly looking forward to watching Brandon Belt and Dustin Ackley play, as I have only seen a handful of at-bats from either until this point.

Nationals blow 6-run lead, rebound to beat Phillies 8-7

Associated PressJun 3, 2023, 12:55 AM EDT
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WASHINGTON (AP) Lane Thomas singled in the go-ahead run in the eighth inning and the Washington Nationals sent the Philadelphia Phillies to their fifth straight loss, winning 8-7 after blowing a six-run lead.

The defending NL champion Phillies have just five victories in their last 18 games and are tied with the Nationals at the bottom of the NL East at 25-32.

“We’ve got to overcome it,” Phillies manager Rob Thomson said. “We’ve got to play better, get consistent in all phases and keep moving forward.”

Alex Call drew a two-out walk against Connor Brogdon (2-1) in the eighth, stole second on a low pitch that catcher JT Realmuto couldn’t make a throw on and scored on Thomas’ single to right center.

“The way Lane’s swinging the bat, if you can get on second base, we can win the game,” Call said. “I look over and the ball’s in the dirt, he doesn’t catch it. Now I’m saying: ‘All right, Lane. Come on!’”

Kyle Finnegan (3-2) pitched 1 2/3 innings for the victory, stranding the tying run on second in the ninth.

Nick Castellanos homered twice, singled, doubled and drove in five runs for Philadelphia, which had scored just three runs in its past three games.

“There’s definitely a lot of positives as a group,” Castellanos said. “Showing some fight. It would have been really, really easy to lay down and allow the way the game started to be the way that it finished.”

Down 7-1 after four innings, Philadelphia tied it at 7 in the eighth. Brandon Marsh worked a nine-pitch walk against Mason Thompson leading off, and Drew Ellis singled with one out. Finnegan came on to face Kyle Schwarber, who hit a ground ball up the middle. Shortstop CJ Abrams fielded it behind it behind second base, touched second for one out, but threw wildly to first and Marsh came home with the tying run.

Castellanos’s second homer, a two-run shot to center in the sixth, pulled the Phillies to 7-3 and Marsh added an RBI single in the inning.

In the seventh, Schwarber doubled with one out and Bryson Scott reached on an infield single. Hunter Harvey came on and walked Bryce Harper to load the bases. Castellanos singled to center scoring two runs to make it 7-6.

Luis Garcia homered and Jeimer Candelario doubled twice and drove in three runs for the Nationals, who have won seven of 12.

Philadelphia starter Zack Wheeler, coming off eight shutout innings against Atlanta, allowed seven runs on eight hits in 3 2/3 innings.

“This one’s on me really,” Wheeler said. “Guys battled back. Just couldn’t finish it out. We know who we have in this room and what we’ve got to do.”

Josiah Gray gave up four runs on six hits in 5 1/3 innings for Washington.

Candelario doubled just beyond the reach of left fielder Schwarber to drive in the first of Washington’s two runs in the first.

In the second, Abrams hit a one-out drive to deep center that Marsh misplayed into a double. With two outs and two on, Candelario doubled off the wall in right center to make it 5-0.

Garcia ended Wheeler’s night with a solo homer in the fourth.

“When you come out the way we did, you’ve got to tack on,” Nationals manager Dave Martinez said. “It didn’t happen tonight, but we got one more than the other guys.”

CANDY MAN

Candelario is 9 for 26 (.346) with four doubles, a home run, nine RBIs, five walks, and seven runs scored in his last seven games.

TRAINER’S ROOM

Phillies: Thomson said RHP Taijuan Walker played catch Friday and there are “no worries about his next start.” In a four-inning outing against the Mets on Thursday, Walker’s sinker velocity averaged 90.6 mph, down from 92.7 mph for the season. His fastball, splitter and curveball velocity also dropped.

Nationals: OF Victor Robles (back spasms) took batting practice on the field for the first time since going on the injured list. … LHP Sean Doolittle (elbow) gave up a run on two hits and struck out two batters in 2/3 of an inning working his second straight night for Class A Fredericksburg.

UP NEXT

Phillies: LHP Matt Strahm (4-3, 3.20) will start a bullpen game on Saturday.

Nationals: LHP MacKenzie Gore (3-3, 3.57) went seven innings and struck out a career-high 11 batters in his previous outing – a no decision against the Royals.

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