The Mesa Solar Sox are the champions of the Arizona Fall League with three A's prospects helping lead the way in a 6-1 win over the Surprise Saguaros, Saturday at Scottsdale Stadium.
A's pitching prospect Dylan Covey earned the win with five innings of one-run ball on the mound. Covey was perfect through four innings, before issuing a walk to start off the fifth inning. He only allowed one hit and struck out three with the Saguaros' lone run scoring before the completion of a double play in the fifth inning.
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SIGN UP HERE After Covey exited, in came A's flamethrower Frankie Montas. Sitting at 98-100 miles per hour, Montas, who finished the AFL with a 0.53 ERA, continued to be nearly unhittable.
Montas retired seven straight hitters before allowing a single in the eighth inning to Rangers prospect Jose Trevino. And that would be the only hit the Saguaros would muster off Montas with only one more runner reaching base on a walk. The 23-year-old finished with five strikeouts in three scoreless innings.
At the plate, Franklin Barreto was the lone A's position player to find his name in the lineup.
Usually a shortstop, Barreto was slotted in at second base and batted leadoff for the Solar Sox. Barreto, bringing a hot bat into the finale, went 1-for-3 with a run scored. With his lone base hit, Barreto faced a 3-2 count and smacked a line shot to right field.
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He was also hit by a pitch and then jogged into home plate on Ian Happ's first of two home runs.
Seven A's in all were crowned AFL champions. Aside from Barreto, Covey and Montas, relievers Sam Bragg and Trey Cochran-Gill, and infielders Yairo Munoz and Max Shrock, are also A's victors of the AFL.