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Rockies first base prospect Kyle Parker hit a two-run single with the bases loaded in the first inning to give the Salt River Rafters a 2-0 lead in a game they went on to win, 4-2, over the Scottsdale Scorpions in Arizona Fall League play on Thursday.
Colorado minor-league outfielder Tim Wheeler was one of the runners who scored on Parker's hit. Wheeler went 1-for-2 with a pair of walks and also flashed his arm by gunning down Mets prospect Cory Vaughn at the plate for the second out in the fifth.
Parker also drew a walk as part of his 1-for-3, two-RBI performance.
Rockies relief farmhand Cole White pitched a scoreless sixth inning, notching a strikeout while allowing one hit. Rockies minor-league catcher Dustin Garneau went 0-for-4 at the plate.
Parker has been on fire in his last 10 AFL games, posting a .385/.442/.615 line with a homer and eight RBI during that time. Wheeler isn't far behind, hitting .324/.444/.514 with a homer, seven RBI and eight walks during the same stretch.
Cristhian Adames didn't play on Thursday but has put up decent numbers, hitting .277/.314/.468 with a team-leading 13 RBI in 47 at-bats spanning 13 games. Garneau is hitting only .171 with a .292 on-base percentage, but his team-leading three homers has resulted in a .439 slugging percentage and an impressive .268 ISO.
Dan Houston has the most innings and best ERA of any of the Rockies farmhands pitching in the AFL. Houston sports a 1.86 ERA in 9⅔ innings, though he has walked as many batters (six) as he has struck out. White has a similarly mediocre strikeout-to-walk ratio (7/7), but has managed a 2.84 ERA in 6⅓ innings.
Tyler Matzek has been a little better in terms of not walking as many batters as he's punched out, but the 2009 first-rounder has allowed a couple of home runs in 8⅔ frames, resulting in a 5.19 ERA. Matzek has eight strikeouts and has issued six free passes.
Kraig Sitton has actually been the best of the Rockies' AFL relievers in terms of throwing strikes (nine strikeouts, five walks), but he's allowed eight runs on 11 hits in seven innings, resulting in a 10.29 ERA, which is the second-worst mark on the team.