GLENDALE, Ariz. -- The Oakland A's are building up an impressive farm system in hopes of soon reclaiming glory in the American League West. Two of their prized prospects were in fine form Friday afternoon in Arizona Fall League action.
Starter Logan Shore, the A's No. 8 prospect, and catcher Sean Murphy (A's No. 11) both did their part to help power the visiting Mesa Solar Sox to a 5-1 victory over the Glendale Desert Dogs at Camelback Ranch.
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Shore, Oakland's second-round selection in the 2016 Draft, was efficient and resilient in his start. The right-hander, whom the A's picked out of the University of Florida, breezed through the first two innings, picking up two strikeouts along the way.
In the third inning, he encountered a spot of difficulty when the first hitter, Dodgers No. 8 prospectWill Smith, singled and Indians No. 19 prospect Tyler Krieger doubled Smith to third. But Shore bore down, striking out Edgar Cabral (Phillies), getting Ka'ai Tom (Indians) to fly out and retiring Dodgers No. 5 prospect Yusniel Diaz on a routine groundout.
"Any time you can strand two runners like that after giving up a couple of hits, that's what you're trying to do," Shore said.
Shore gave up a solo home run to Indians No. 3 prospect Bobby Bradley in the fourth inning, Bradley's second of the AFL season, but the right-hander finished four frames with one earned run on three hits while striking out three on 53 pitches. He lowered his AFL ERA to 5.25 and said afterwards that he's liking how things are progressing.
"I felt really good," Shore said. "Each outing, I feel like I've been building off each one. And these are the best hitters I've faced in pro ball yet, in the year I've been in pro ball. So it was good."
Shore's possible future teammate is Murphy, who started Friday's game at designated hitter and lived up to the position, singling in a run in the first inning and singling again in his next at-bat in the third.
"I'm just working on getting better pitches to swing at, whether it be late in the count or early in the count -- getting a good pitch and being ready for it," Murphy said.
"I got a fastball today in my first at-bat and a slider in my second, but he hung it, and I'm glad to pull the trigger on that and put a good swing on it."
Murphy, the A's third-round Draft pick in 2016 out of Wright State University, made it all the way to Double-A Midland this past season, hitting 13 home runs in 98 games between Class A Advanced Stockton and Midland in the Minor Leagues while still flaunting the throwing arm that scouts love. He said he appreciates the level of competition in the AFL.
"It obviously makes you step your game up," Murphy said. "Everyone is a 'guy' -- out of the 'pen or the starters are all top-level starters. So you've got to show up and be ready every day."
Other contributors to Mesa's 11-hit attack included Cubs No. 22 prospect Charcer Burks, who went 2-for-4 with two doubles and an RBI, A.J. Simcox (Tigers), who had two hits and scored two runs while driving in one, and A's No. 14 prospectSheldon Neuse, who had two hits, including a double, and drove in two.
MLBPipeline.com's No. 2 overall prospect in baseball and the Nationals' top prospect, center fielder Victor Robles, hit a double and scored a run for Mesa.
In addition to Bradley's homer, Smith led the way for Glendale with two hits, including a double.