Washington Nationals' pitching prospect Jeff Mandel threw 2.0 scoreless today in the Phoenix Desert Dogs' 5-4 loss to the Scottsdale Scorpions.

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AFL:

In a 5-4 Phoenix Desert Dogs' loss to the Scottsdale Scorpions, Washington Nationals' '07 19th Round pick, pitcher Jeff Mandel, a soon-to-be 25-year-old right-hander who split his '09 campaign between Class-A Potomac and Double-A Harrisburg, threw 2.0 scoreless frames, allowing 3 hits and collecting 3 K's while lowering his ERA to 1.88 in 10 games and 14.1 AFL IP in which he's allowed 14 hits and 3 ER with 10 K's total and not a single walk surrendered...Mandel was the only Nationals' prospect in action today in Arizona...NOTES: Washington Post writer Dave Sheinin notes, in an article entitled, "Nats Nuggets: bench coach, Guzman, Flores et al", that, "First base prospect Chris Marrero has missed the past few AFL games with the flu, but is expected back any day now," so hopefully Marrero will be available for Saturday's AFL Championship game against Peoria, Arizona's second-favorite team, the Javelinas. 

• Final Score - Scorpions 5, Desert Dogs 4 - MLB.com Gameday.

Desert Dogs now 18-12.

(ed. note - "DWL: Elijah Dukes was out in right and batting sixth tonight for the Tigres del Licey as they welcomed the Gigantes del Cibao to Estadio Quisqueya for a game that was called due to rain.")