Mets' Mazzilli gets on track for Scorpions

With six games under his belt in the Arizona Fall League, Mets prospect L.J. Mazzilli is still fine-tuning his identity on the showcase circuit. As it turns out, it looks a lot like the one that made him successful in Class A this year.

Mazzilli laced a second-inning triple and scored two runs as Scottsdale coasted to a 7-3 victory over Glendale on Monday night.

"It was a good win," he said after the Scorpions snapped a four-game losing streak. "Everybody plays hard every day, and today we had more results. I think everyone did a really good job tonight all around."

The second baseman helped jump-start his club when he followed No. 11 Yankees prospect Greg Bird's leadoff homer with a two-out triple in the second. It was Bird's AFL-leading fourth long ball of the season.

"That's far out there," he said of the center-field confines at Scottsdale Stadium. "That's 'big boy' status. As soon as I hit it, I knew it was going to be in the gap. I just put my head down and I was running as hard as I could, trying to get a triple."

Mazzilli scored on a wild pitch one batter later.

The Scorpions added a run on No. 3 Mets prospect Brandon Nimmo's RBI single in the third, and Mazzilli walked and scored as part of a two-run fourth.

"I'm still trying to get in that groove offensively," said Mazzilli, who batted .301/.361/.440 in 131 games between Class A, Advanced A and Triple-A this season. "But you've also got to give credit to the pitching, because everybody out here is really good. The way I'm playing, I'm taking it day by day and I feel good, so that's what matters the most. 

"I feel I did well this year. I learned a lot in the first month-and-a-half of the season when I was struggling a little bit. I figured out what it takes for me to be the best I possibly can be, and I stuck with that plan and approach."

Every member of Scottsdale's lineup had at least one hit with No. 5 Phillies prospect Roman Quinn leading the way with two singles. Mazzilli's triple was one of five extra-base hits for the Scorpions.

"Everyone's different," he said. "Everyone's got their own game, and you can't try to be someone you're not. I think I figured out who I was about a month-and-a-half into the season, and then I stuck with it. I realized that whatever I have to do for myself to be as good as I can possibly be is good enough. Hopefully, that will take me all the way."

Pirates southpaw Joely Rodriguez (2-0) struck out five while walking one and allowing three hits over four shutout innings.