Pitchers unfazed by 20-second clock in third test run
Twins prospect Rosario flashes speed as Peoria, Salt River play to 11-inning draw
SCOTTSDALE -- The Salt River Rafters and Peoria Javelinas were tied at three when the game was called after 11 innings, but the Rafters may not have been in that position if it weren't for Twins prospect Eddie Rosario.
Friday night's matchup at Salt River Fields was the third game using the 20-second pitch clock, which Major League Baseball's Pace of Game Committee is testing -- along with other time-saving measures -- in the Arizona Fall League.
However, there were no pitch-clock violations in the contest. The 11-inning game lasted three hours and 12 minutes, which raised the average of "pitch-clock games" to 2:38.
"I like it," Rosario said of the new, sped-up game. "Very nice, very nice."
Rosario also had a very nice night on the field as he went 3-for-6 with a run scored and a pair of stolen bases.
Rosario, the No. 10 prospect in Minnesota's organization according to MLBPipeline.com, now has six stolen bases through nine games in the Arizona Fall League.
The three-hit night, which extended Rosario's hitting streak to seven games, was also his sixth multi-hit game.
"I looked to make contact with the ball and hit it hard," Rosario said.
With a trio of singles, Rosario was on base for much of the night, and once he got on, he made his presence felt.
Following Rosario's sixth-inning single, he promptly swiped second and third base and eventually scored.
"I see the count, 2-1, good moment to steal, so I went," Rosario said.
In 87 games this year with Class A Advanced Fort Myers and Double-A New Britain, Rosario stole nine bases while hitting .243.
The Rafters fell behind early as they had a hard time pitching to Raul Adalberto Mondesi.
The No. 1 prospect in the Royals organization tripled and scored in the fourth and added an RBI double in the fifth.
However, the Rafters fought back and tied the game in the bottom of the ninth.
"You play every day to win the game," Rosario said. "It's a good team. I like the team. The focus is to win the game."