Cage work pays off for Hernandez, Tapia

Working together in the batting cages in the Arizona Fall League, Oscar Hernandez and Raimel Tapia talked about being patient at the plate. On Wednesday, they turned the talk into results.

The D-backs catching prospect drove in four runs, while the Rockies' No. 8 prospect collected four hits to propel Salt River to a 12-6 win at Mesa.

"We're working on being short, be on time with the pitches, so that's helping me right now," Hernandez said. "Before, I was a little bit late with the pitcher and right now, I'm feeling a little more comfortable. So comfortable today, patient, waiting for my pitch, making great swings, I feel like that helped today."

After hitting .167 in his first nine AFL games, Hernandez worked with batting coach Jason Camilli. Feeling more comfortable at the plate, the 22-year-old went 3-for-5 with a double and pushed his fall total to six RBIs. 

Also coming off a tough stretch, Tapia went 4-for-4 with a homer, double and two RBIs.

"He's really healthy right now. He was working with me in the cage, too, trying to be short and be more comfortable," Hernandez said. "I feel like it's helping him right now. I mean, he got four hits and almost a cycle, so I bet he's happy right now. When he's waiting for his pitch, he can make good contact. And that's what happened."

One of Tapia's hits was an inside-the-park homer that left Hernandez in awe.

"Oh, my gosh, he can run. I was trying to get to third and I was out, but I was like, 'Hey, Tapia, you're not the only guy who can run,'" Hernandez said with a laugh. "I mean, I was out, but he was laughing."

Hernandez said he's enjoying playing alongside big hitters like D-backs No. 14 prospect Gabby Guerrero and Blue Jays No. 7 prospect Rowdy Tellez.

"We were talking about it. We have a good team -- we play hard, we hustle and I feel like we can win the championship, so I hope we can keep it up," the native of Venezuela said. "We will keep working and playing hard and hustling. Honestly I'm having fun with those guys. They have good talent, they play hard and I really like them."

In other AFL action:

Surprise 9, Glendale 8

The Saguaros shocked the visiting Desert Dogs with a six-run ninth, capped by Patrick Wisdom's walk-off single. The 12th-ranked Cardinals prospect also walked twice and scored twice. Yankees No. 18 prospect Dustin Fowler got Surprise on the board with a three-run homer in the seventh and added an RBI single in the ninth. He finished 3-for-4 with a stolen base, three runs scored. J.D. Davis, Houston's No. 12 prospect, went 3-for-5 with two doubles and three runs scored for Glendale, while Desert Dogs second baseman Brandon Trinkwon (Dodgers) contributed three hits and two RBIs. Derek Fisher, who's ranked four spots ahead of Davis in the Astros system, hit a three-run homer for his first AFL dinger. Gameday box score

Scottsdale 8, Peoria 2

No. 10 Twins prospect Adam Brett Walker II homered, tripled, drove in two runs and scored twice for the Scorpions. Red-hot Sam Travis -- Boston's 11th-ranked prospect -- went 2-for-4 with an RBI and a steal, extending his hitting streak to eight games and boosting his batting average to .327. Tigers No. 8 prospect Austin Kubitza (1-1) worked around four walks over four hitless innings for the win. Mariners shortstop Tyler Smith chipped in two hits for the Javelinas. Gameday box score