The Atlanta Braves were once again well-represented by Cal Conley in this week’s Arizona Fall League action, as he put up a fantastic game Monday and tallied two home runs throughout the week. Scottsdale as a team went 3-2 and moved into second place in the league’s standings.
Justyn-Henry Malloy
Stats: 1-14, 5 K
Season stats: 56 PA, .267/.411/.356, 4 2B, 3 RBI, 10 BB, 12 K, 1 HBP
It was a truly brutal week for Justyn-Henry Malloy who could not get anything going offensively. The entire Scottsdale team struggled with just two hits and one run scored in a 9-1 loss on Tuesday, and Malloy was part of that going 0-4 with a couple of strikeouts. He got on the board with a single as part of a 1-5 effort in the next game, but finished off his week going 0-5 in the final one to complete a 1-14 stretch with five strikeouts.
Cade Bunnell
Stats: 1-6, 1 RBI, 5 BB, 5 K
Season stats: 24 PA, .188/.417/.188, 3 RBI, 7 BB, 10 K
If you have paid much attention to Cade Bunnell these past couple of seasons then this stat line won’t be much of a shock as he’s one of the most extreme two outcome players in the minor leagues. This past week Bunnell strolled to the plate 11 times, and ten of those ended in a walk or a strikeout. He was part of that two hit performance on Tuesday and contributed a strikeout in all three plate appearances. In Thursday’s shutout loss he was one of the few positive contributors on the team, drawing three walks but being stranded on base each time. Bunnell put the ball in play one time this week and managed to find grass with it to drive in a run in Saturday’s 9-7 Scorpions win. He also drew two walks in the game and scored two runs to help provide support.
Cal Conley
Stats: 5-17, 2 HR, 5 RBI, 1 SB, 6 K
Season stats: 38 PA, .286/.474/.500, 4 2B, 1 3B, 6 RBI, 8 BB, 9 K, 6 SB, 2 HBP
Cal Conley has earned himself premium plate appearances at the top of the Scottsdale order, and on Monday he was a one man wrecking crew contributing five of the six runs the Scorpions needed in a 6-4 win. Conley struck out in his first at bat, but in the second inning drove in two runs on a two-out single to give Scottsdale a 3-1 lead. He then stole second base and scored on a base hit to extend the lead. Two innings later he capped off Scottsdale’s scoring in the game by recording an inside-the-park two-run home run which was the first home run by a Braves prospect this fall. Conley struggled on Tuesday going 0-4 with three strikeouts, the only poor game he registered of the four. Conley had a 1-4 showing in the aforementioned shutout game, then capped off his week with a solo home run in Saturday’s win.
Alex Segal
Stats: 1 G, 2 IP, 2 H, 1 R, 0 ER, 1 BB, 3 K, 0.00 ERA
Season stats: 5 G, 6 IP, 5 H, 6 R, 5 ER, 8 BB, 9 K, 7.50 ERA
Alex Segal took the ball only once this week, but it came in a big moment during a tie on Wednesday. With the game knotted at seven going into the ninth Segal was brought in and struck out the first two batters he faced. He allowed a couple of base hits to get in a bit of trouble, but forced a ground ball back to himself to close out the inning. After Scottsdale failed to score in the bottom of the inning Segal had the tenth, and got off to another good start with a strikeout and a ground out. One out away from escaping and stranding the free runner Segal unleashed a wild pitch which allowed the runner to score before getting out of the inning with a ground out.
Austin Smith
Stats: 2 G, 2 IP, 3 H, 3 R, 3 ER, 3 BB, 2 K, 13.50 ERA
Season stats: 6 G, 6 2⁄3 IP, 6 H, 3 R, 3 ER, 4 BB, 11 K, 4.50 ERA
Austin Smith had been the Braves best pitcher this fall but he ran into a load of trouble this week though it fortunately did not impact the outcomes. Smith also pitched in the tie game, and was in a bit of trouble when he allowed two walks. He was able to work around those mistakes by forcing an inning ending double play, but his next appearance was not so friendly. Smith had the relatively easy task of closing out a 9-4 game on Saturday and it went awry quickly. Smith walked the leadoff batter, then after going up 0-2 on the next batter gave up a two run bomb that cut the lead to 9-6. After recording a strikeout Smith allowed another home run, then a base hit to bring up the tying run. With the game on the line now Smith was able to wriggle away with another double play ending a scoring threat.
Allan Winans
Stats: 1 G, 5 IP, 5 H, 2 R, 1 ER, 1 BB, 2 K, 1.80 ERA
Season stats: 3 G, 14 IP, 10 H, 7 R, 3 ER, 4 BB, 9 K, 1.93 ERA
Allan Winans did not pitch all that poorly, but had no run support or bullpen support and took the loss. Winans retired eight of the first ten batters he faced in the game, but Masyn Winn was a thorn in his side this game and added to his strong fall with a solo home run off of Winans in the third inning. Winans continued to rely on forcing ground balls to get through a shaky fourth inning, then came in to pitch the fifth. Winans allowed a one out single, which turned into an unearned run on a stolen base, ground out to advance the runner, and passed ball to bring him in to score. Overall Winans only struck out two batters in this game, though he forced seven ground ball outs and had solid defense behind him to work around his few spots of trouble.
William Woods
Stats: 2 G, 3 2⁄3 IP, 5 H, 2 R, 2 ER, 1 BB, 2 K, 4.91 ERA
Season stats: 5 G, 6 2⁄3 IP, 11 H, 6 R, 6 ER, 3 BB, 7 K, 8.10 ERA
William Woods was scuffling coming into this week, but he did a relatively solid job in his first chances to pitch multi-inning outings. Woods started his first outing by giving up a solo home run and then a base hit, but after a line out forced a double play to get out of the inning. He was brought out again to pitch the seventh inning and worked around a leadoff single by striking out two batters and then getting an inning-ending ground out. Woods was elected to start Friday’s seven inning game and was given an early lead. He wasted that by allowing a solo home run in the bottom of the inning, but retired five of the other six batters he faced and left the game with a lead in the second inning. Woods has been home run prone throughout his minor league career, and the two over these two outings adds to that frustration.
