Seven, in eleven

Scottsdale Scorpions 2, Glendale Desert Dogs 1 (11)

Luis Basabe (leadoff, CF): 2-for-4, BB

Laz Rivera (batting ninth, 2B): 1-for-4, R, 2 K

Zack Burdi: IP, 2 K

Danny Dopico: 1 ²⁄₃ IP, unearned run, BB, 3 K ... loss! (see below)

This time, at least you can say it took extra innings for Glendale to lose.

After Laz Rivera (leadoff single) scored on a sacrifice fly in the eighth inning, the Desert Dogs held serve until the bottom of the 11th, when Glendale’s Tyler Erwin walked in the winning run.

A single fly out was sandwiched by three walks by the Baltimore Orioles farmhand, for the loss. The Desert Dogs aren’t too good.

What was good, relatively speaking, were the contributions of four White Sox prospects in the game:

• Luis Basabe had two of Glendale’s five hits in the game, and one of its three walks.
• Rivera had one of the five hits, was part of both Desert Dogs double plays on defense, and scored the only Glendale run.
• Zack Burdi pitched a scoreless seventh inning and had two Ks, throwing 12 of 20 pitches for strikes.
• Danny Dopico went 1 ²⁄₃ innings, giving up an unearned run, while striking out three and walking one. He threw 17 of 27 pitches for strikes.

Point of order: Have I missed out on the fact that the runner who starts on second base in extra innings is charged to the previous pitcher, when a new pitcher starts the inning? That’s totally bogus, man.

Per the game log, Erwin relieved Dopico to start the 11th, but the loss (and unearned run) was charged to Dopico. Huh?