Rosario leads way as Rafters win AFL title

The Salt River Rafters looked like champions throughout the Arizona Fall League season. On Saturday afternoon, they made it official, thanks in large part to the bat of Eddie Rosario.

The Twins' No. 10 prospect went 4-for-5, drove in two runs, scored twice and fell a triple shy of the cycle as the Rafters outslugged Peoria, 14-7, in the title game.

Rosario batted .330 during the AFL regular season but went 1-for-8 in his final two games and finished second in the batting race. Reds No. 2 prospect Jesse Winker hit .338 for Surprise.

Rosario rebounded from that disappointment by smacking a first-inning solo homer off fifth-ranked Royals prospect Miguel Almonte, then delivered an RBI single off Almonte in the third.

"I was trying to win the game," Rosario told MLB.com. "I didn't care about the numbers and going [4-for-5]. If the team wins, then I'm happy."

The 23-year-old outfielder singled again in the fifth, then sparked a seven-run seventh inning with a double off Braves right-hander Nate Hyatt.

"He's some kind of hitter. He's special to watch," Salt River manager Andy Haines said. "I saw him on the other side of the field in the Florida State League two years ago -- he just tore us up. I was anxious to see him as a manager, and he might be better than I already thought he was. And my opinion was pretty high.

"Great players seem to rise to the occasion. I know a lot people in the sabermetrics world like to say there's no such thing as a clutch hitter, but you just see him kind of rise to the occasion."

Salt River went 17-11 during the Fall League campaign and led the AFL with a .272 batting average and 3.10 ERA. After jumping to a 3-0 lead on Saturday, they watched as Rays No. 16 prospect Justin O'Conner homered in consecutive innings for the Javelinas. Ryan Casteel (Rockies) pulled the Rafters even again in the sixth with a two-run blast.

"The feeling of the game was that it's not over yet, there's going to be a little back and forth," Salt River manager Andy Haines said. "I don't care if you're coaching or managing or playing, you've just got to keep your head down and keep going and know that there's a lot of game left. We did that and it worked out. We had a lot of guys step up with good at-bats and it was exciting. ... But in these games, you take nothing for granted."

Casteel finished 2-for-4 with three RBIs and two runs scored, while fellow Rockies prospect Taylor Featherston doubled, singled, drove in three runs and scored once.

"This group of guys is real special, top to bottom," Featherston said. "With the way the Fall League works, you've got a couple guys playing every day and a couple guys who don't. We came together and the chemistry was just off the charts. Today, we didn't treat it like anything different. We knew it was only a matter of time before we got it rolling, and every day is usually someone else."

Marlins prospect Reid Redman worked a scoreless inning for the win, Astros left-hander Mitch Lambson retired all three batters he faced and Enrique Burgos (D-backs) struck out Patrick Leonard (Rays) to end the game.

Salt River allowed eight home runs during the regular season, but Kes Carter (Rays) and Royals prospects Bubba Starling and Hunter Dozier all went yard for Peoria.