Spangenberg shines in Javs' loss

Cory Spangenberg has appeared in just half of his Peoria team's games, but he's been making the most of his Arizona Fall League opportunities.

The 22-year-old second baseman collected three hits -- one of them a homer -- for the second straight game in the Javelinas' 7-4, 10-inning loss to visiting Scottsdale on Monday afternoon.

"I've been getting some good pitches to hit the last couple games," Spangenberg said. "I'm trying to focus on swinging at strikes and not trying to do too much."

The 10th overall pick in the 2011 Draft, Spangenberg batted .292/.346/.407 in 130 games split between Class A Advanced Lake Elsinore and Double-A San Antonio during the regular season. After some big games for Peoria, he's now hitting .366 in the AFL.

"I was out here last year as a member of the taxi squad, so I knew what to expect as far as playing every few days," he said.

The Padres prospect capped a three-hit day last Thursday with a two-run homer in the eighth inning of Peoria's 10-2 loss to Glendale. On Monday, Spangenberg went 3-for-5 with a two-run blast and a double, giving him six hits and four RBIs in the two games.

Spangenberg seems to enjoy facing the Scorpions: in four games against Scottsdale, he's 9-for-16 with five runs scored.

After leadoff man Delino DeShields (Astros) grounded out in the first inning, Spangenberg ripped a ground-rule double to right field. He added a homer, also off Scottsdale starter Adalberto Mejia (Giants), in the third, before adding a single in the seventh.

"[Mejia] had been coming in to me, so I was looking for something middle-in," Spangenberg said of his homer. "It was a slider he hung a little bit and I got good wood on it."

Down 3-0 after two frames, Peoria rallied to tie the game at 4-4 with a pair of runs in the eighth. Scottsdale, which had lost eight in a row heading into the contest, scored three times in the top of the 10th to end its skid.

Robbie Hefflinger led off the 10th with a triple for Scottsdale, which also got a pair of singles each from Addison Maruszak (Yankees), Tommy La Stella (Braves) and Cam Maron (Mets).

Shortstop Chris Taylor (Mariners) and first baseman Japhet Amador (Astros) both singled twice for Peoria.

Neither starter fared well, with Mejia allowing two runs (on Spangenberg's homer) in three innings and Javs hurler Matt Heidenreich (Astros) giving up three runs over four frames. Heidenreich had not allowed a run in his first three AFL outings covering nine innings.

Chasen Bradford (Mets) earned his second win for Scottsdale after pitching a scoreless ninth and 10th. The right-hander extended his scoreless streak to nine innings with the effort.

The loss went to Phillies prospect Mike Nesseth, who gave up three runs on two hits and two walks in 1 2/3 innings. It was his second straight tough AFL outing after surrendering five runs over two innings last Thursday.