Williams leads 5 Scottsdale pitchers in 1-hitter

Scorpions fan 18, don't allow hit until 10th inning in AFL win

October 23rd, 2018

MESA, Ariz. -- On a day dominated by pitching, Scottsdale outlasted Mesa to come away with a 2-1 win in 10 innings in Arizona Fall League action at Sloan Park on Tuesday.
Five Scottsdale pitchers combined to throw a one-hitter. Mesa didn't record its first hit until the 10th -- a leadoff single by Jhonny Pereda (Cubs) off Mets farmhand .
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Left-hander Garrett Williams (Giants' No. 20 prospect) started for Scottsdale, striking out seven over four innings. He walked three and lowered his Fall League ERA to 0.90.
"The first two outings were a little struggle for me," Williams said. "So I really wished to speed up my tempo, pound the zone and attack the strike zone."
2018 Arizona Fall League rosters
After entering extras tied at zero, Phillies No. 11 prospect Arquimedes Gamboa hit a two-run double in the 10th. Mesa scored a run in the bottom of the inning on a Scottsdale throwing error, but the Solar Sox left a runner on second to end the game.
The rest of Scottsdale's pitchers built off Williams' hot start as Trent Thornton, Stephen Nogosek, Matt Blackham and combined for 11 strikeouts, boosting the Scorpions' total to 18 for the game.
"I think that's a big, big role for [the starter] to set that tempo and the tone of the game." Williams said. "The guys behind me did an awesome job. An all-around great performance from the pitching staff."
Williams, who the Giants selected in the seventh round of the 2016 Draft, wanted to focus on his control during the start.
"Right now, it's just command for me," Williams said. "Command on all my pitches, trusting my stuff, relaxing, enjoying the game and trying to find the strike zone again."
If it was up to Williams, he wouldn't have exited after throwing four hitless innings. But nonetheless, he's enjoying his time in the AFL.
"It is October, so, I'm on a pitch limit," Garrett said. "So it's up to them, but honestly, I would have stayed in if they had let me. ...
"This is awesome. It's a lot like summer ball, honestly, in college. Pretty relaxed, laid back. Great competitiveness going around. Really good guys at the plate and on the field. Some great guys out here, and I'm really enjoying this one."