Lindor's big day leads way for Javelinas

The "F" in AFL stands for Fall to designate the odd time of year baseball is being played in Arizona, but for Francisco Lindor, it might as well stand for "Fun."

"I've got to have fun," he said. "If I don't have fun, I'm not doing my job."

Consider Thursday a good day at the office.

The Indians' top prospect went 4-for-6 with a homer, a double, three RBIs and two runs scored to lead Peoria to an 11-2 win over visiting Scottsdale.

Batting out of the leadoff spot, the switch-hitting shortstop smacked a two-bagger off an 81 mph curveball from Scorpions right-hander Ryan O'Sullivan (Phillies) to start a fruitful first frame for the Javelinas. Five of the home team's first six batters doubled off O'Sullivan, giving Peoria a 4-0 advantage by the end of the inning.

"He was making good pitches, but his offspeed, he was leaving over the plate," Lindor said. "It wasn't just me. We got five doubles in that inning. It was a very, very productive inning as a team."

Lindor singled and stole a base in the second frame and hit his first home run of the Fall League season -- and first since Aug. 31 with Triple-A Columbus -- off an 88 mph fastball from right-hander Paul Sewald (Mets) an inning later. With his first three hits coming from the left side of the plate, he moved over to the right to knock a bases-loaded single against Mets southpaw Dario Alvarez in the fourth.

"I felt good," he said. "We got the W, and I had very productive at-bats and that's what matters."

Needing just a triple for the cycle, the 2011 first-rounder lined out in the sixth and struck out in the eighth but expressed no disappointment at not being able to turn the trick.

"Nah, it's always fun whenever I get on base and help the team out," he said.

Lindor, who will turn 21 in November, owned a .276/.338/.389 line with 11 homers, four triples, 16 doubles, 62 RBIs and 28 stolen bases during the season between Columbus and Double-A Akron. Ranked as MLB.com's fourth overall prospect, he's received his highest grades for his play in the field (60 arm, 70 glove on the 20-80 scale) but also got a 60 for his hit tool.

With the starting shortstop job in Cleveland open-ended for now -- the team hasn't committed to Jose Ramirez at the position long-term and hasn't made a decision yet on Mike Aviles' $3.5 million option for 2015 -- a strong fall campaign could prove to Lindor's bosses that he's ready to make the jump to the Majors as early as next April.

The talented youngster wasn't the only Peoria player to enjoy the day, as every member of the Javelinas starting lineup collected at least one hit. Rays catching prospect Justin O'Conner went 2-for-3 with a double, a walk, an RBI and two runs scored and is now 5-for-8 through his first two AFL contests.

No. 14 Braves prospect Aaron Northcraft (1-0) earned the win, allowing only one hit and a walk over three scoreless frames while fanning two. Colton Reavis (Rays), Louis Head (Indians) and Chris Perry (Cardinals) turned in zeros out of the bullpen.

"They were very effective, very consistent with strike zone," Lindor said. "They were getting ahead early in count and when you get ahead early, they've got nothing else to do beside put the ball in play. The few times they did it, they hit it right to us."

Yankees prospect Greg Bird went 2-for-4 with a double for the Scorpions.