Arizona Fall League: Mesa Solar Sox Week 5 update

There are just three games remaining for the Mesa Solar Sox in the Arizona Fall League season after this past weekend’s Fall Stars Game. They played four games this past week and went 2-2, which isn’t bad but it was enough to eliminate them from playoff contention.

In case you missed the previous week’s recaps, here are week one, week two, week three and week four.

Here’s your weekly reminder of what exactly are the Arizona Fall League and the Mesa Solar Sox. The Arizona Fall League plays over six weeks in October and November to give minor league players another opportunity to play and gain more experience. It also exposes them to coaching and teammates from other organizations. The league was designed for minor leaguers who have played in Double-A or above, but there are so many exceptions to that rule these days that it’s hardly worth mentioning.

The Mesa Solar Sox, in addition to the Cubs, have players from the Astros, Athletics, Orioles and Yankees.

This was an abbreviated week because of the Fall Star festivities. Saturday night was the home run derby and Sunday was the Fall Stars Game. We’ve got the Fall Stars Game covered elsewhere on this site.

Here are the four games that the Solar Sox played this past week. The home team is listed second.

Monday, October 30: Off day

Tuesday, October 31: Salt River Rafters 7, Solar Sox 8

Wednesday, November 1: Solar Sox 7, Scottsdale Scorpions 0

Thursday, November 2: Solar Sox 2, Surprise Saguaros 5

Friday, November 3: Solar Sox 7, Peoria Javelinas 8

The Solar Sox set an AFL record in Friday’s game with nine total stolen bases. However, they lost the game in large part because they committed six errors.

Here’s how the individual Cubs on the Solar Sox did this past week.

Kevin Alcántara

Alcántara is finishing the AFL strong. On Tuesday, he had a huge day, going 3 for 5 with two doubles and a two-run home run. For the week, Alcántara was 5 for 14 with the two doubles, a triple and the home run. He drove in seven runs. He played three games: two in right field and one in center.

Alcántara also participated in Saturday’s home run derby, but did not advance past the first round. He finished last of the eight participants with only five home runs. He was hitting the ball really hard—just on a line.

The strong week raised Alcántara’s batting average to .253 (20 for 79) with five doubles, one triple and five home runs. He has an OBP of .326 and a slugging of .532. Alcántara has stolen two bases.

James Triantos

Triantos also played three games this past week and had hits in all three, going 5 for 13 with two walks and a stolen base. He scored three runs. Triantos played two games in center field and one at third base. Unfortunately, he played third base in Friday’s defeat and made three errors at the position—two bad throws and one fielding error.

Triantos is second in the AFL in batting average at .425 (34 for 80) and second in OBP at .505. He leads the AFL in slugging at .700 and OPS at 1.205. Triantos has three doubles, five triples and three home runs. He’s stolen nine bases.

Carter Trice

Trice did not play this past week.

Trice is 1 for 12 on the AFL season.

Nick Hull

Hull started Friday’s loss and allowed four runs over just 2⅔ innings, but all four of those runs were unearned after a two-out error opened the door to six runs to a six-run third inning. Hull allowed three hits. He walked three and struck out four.

Hull has pitched five times this season, starting for times. He is 0-1 with a 7.27 ERA. Over 17⅓ innings, Hull has struck out 13 and walked nine. He’s also allowed four home runs.

Chris Kachmar

Kachmar pitched two-thirds of an inning on Thursday and allowed a run on a hit, a walk and a hit batsman. He did not have a strikeout.

For the season, Kachmar has pitched 8⅔ innings over five relief appearances, He’s given up seven runs, six earned, which translates to a 6.23 ERA. He’s allowed two home runs, has struck out eight and walked five.

Adam Laskey

Adam Laskey entered Thursday’s game in the top of the eighth after fellow Cub Jose Romero gave up a leadoff home run. Laskey then retired the next three batters in order, striking out two.

Laskey has eight innings over eight appearances. He sports a 1.13 ERA. He’s struck out 13 and walked just two over the course of the AFL season.

Jose Romero

Romero pitched 1⅓ innings on Thursday (relieving Kachmar) and as noted above, he exited after he gave up a solo home run to lead off the eighth. His final line on Thursday was one run on one hit and one walk. He struck out one.

For the AFL season, Romero has pitched 9⅔ innings over seven appearances. He has an ERA of 1.86 and has allowed just three hits. However, Romero has walked seven batters while striking out seven.

Tyler Santana

Santana started Wednesday’s win and for the second-straight win, Santana got the “W” to improve his record to 2-0. Santana held the Scorpions scoreless for 4⅓ innings, allowing just one hit. He walked one and struck out two.

Santana now has pitched five times in the AFL: two starts and three relief appearances. Over 16⅓ innings, he’s allowed six runs, five earned, for an ERA of 2.76. Santana has eight strikeouts compared to five walks. He’s allowed two home runs.