Braves AFL Update: Tyler Tolve leads Salt River comeback.

Tolve had two extra base hits and accounted for four runs in a critical comeback win for the Rafters.

It was a light week for Salt River as they had Thursday off, so there are only two games to update on. Fortunately the Rafters took home wins in both, pushing them above .500 and half a game out of the final playoff spot. Atlanta Braves prospects contributed to both games with four total in action.

Dylan Dodd

Cumulative stats: 15 IP, 16 H, 6 R, 6 ER, 3 BB, 16 K, 3.60 ERA

Dodd did not play in these past games.

Patrick Halligan

Cumulative stats: 5.2 IP, 8 H, 8 R, 8 ER, 5 BB, 7 K, 12.71 ERA

In Friday’s game the Braves only had action on the mound, and Patrick Halligan was the first of two pitchers to appear. Salt River jumped out to an early 5-2 lead in the game and Halligan received the fourth inning assignment to cover the middle to back end of the Scorpions lineup. The first batter of the inning jumped on Halligan for a double, and one wild pitch later he was 90 feet away from cutting into the lead. Halligan struck out the next batter before a sacrifice fly brought home the run to score. Halligan struck out the next batter, but it came on a wild pitch so Halligan had to end the inning with his third strikeout to escape.

David McCabe

Cumulative stats: 15-57, 4 2B, 17 BB, 24 K, .263/.427/.333

Strikeouts are starting to pile up for McCabe, and this game was impacted by that as he took two strikeouts. McCabe finished the game 0-3, drawing a walk in the seventh inning that would be inconsequential. McCabe has racked up 24 strikeouts in 75 plate appearances this fall, relying heavily on his walk rate to produce value.

Jake McSteen

Cumulative stats: 8.1 IP, 4 H, 4 R, 4 ER, 0 BB, 10 K, 4.32 ERA

Did not play

Keshawn Ogans

Cumulative Stats: 17-55, 1 2B, 2 HR, 3 BB, 12 K, 2 SB, .309/.356/.436

Did not play

Tyler Tolve

Cumulative Stats: 9-43, 1 2B, 1 3B, 2 BB, 13 K, .209/.277/.279

Opposite McCabe above Tolve has been able to avoid strikeouts after having them plague his first couple of weeks, and he’s been able to string together some good games. Today he started his game off by striking out in his first plate appearance, but he would be a key contributor to a come-from-behind Rafters win. Down 4-0 going into the fifth inning the Rafters needed a spark, and Tolve got the ball rolling by leading off with a triple. He would then score on a sacrifice fly to get his team on the board for the first time. In the sixth inning Salt River got a good start, and Tolve came up to the plate with two runners in scoring position and no outs. Tolve split the left field gap, driving in both runners to tie the game at four. He then advanced on a fly out before scoring the go ahead and eventual winning run on a wild pitch. Tolve’s overall numbers in Arizona are poor, but his turnaround since his awful start give confidence he can put an injury-riddled 2023 behind him and rise next year.

Darius Vines

Cumulative stats: 8.1 IP, 6 H, 3 R, 3 ER, 3 BB, 13 K, 3.24 ERA

Did not play

Brooks Wilson

Cumulative stats: 5.2 IP, 6 H, 7 R, 7 ER, 6 BB, 9 K, 11.12 ERA

In the aforementioned Friday game the Scottsdale Scorpions ultimately made a comeback, tying the game in the bottom of the seventh inning. This put Brooks Wilson into a tie game in the eighth inning, and he got off to a speedy start. Wilson struck out the first two batters on seven total pitches, getting four whiffs on five swings. Carter Howell then roped a triple into the right center field gap, but came around third too far and was beaten back to the base by a cut off throw to end the inning. Salt River took the lead in the top of the ninth and held on to win, giving Wilson his first win and decision of the fall.