Wire Taps: Washington Nationals/Tuesday AFL Wrap.

Last night in Scottsdale, Arizona, the Scottsdale Scorpions welcomed the Surprise Rafters to Scottsdale Stadium with Nats' prospects Stephen Lombardozzi (leading off and playing second), Derek Norris (in the cleanup spot and behind the plate), Mike Burgess (batting seventh and playing right) in the starting lineup and RHP's Brad Peacock and Cole Kimball on the mound.

After Derek Norris hit a two-out RBI triple in the first to put Scottsdale up 1-0 early, and Mike Burgess reached on a fielder's choice, took third on a hit with an error and scored on an RBI single for the Scorpions' second run in the second, Stephen Lombardozzi walked in his second at bat, advanced two bases on two Rafters' errors and scored the Scorpions' third run in the third. 3-1 Scorpions. Michael Burgess singled to start the fourth and scored on a two-run HR by Rockies' '08 2nd Round pick Charles Blackmon for a 5-1 Scottsdale lead a half-inning after the Nats' '06 41st Round pick, Brad Peacock, struck out two and picked a batter he'd walked off first in the top of the frame. Peacock returned for the fifth and retired the Rafters in order. 

The Rafters pulled within one with a 3-run sixth, but the Scorpions held the lead through the seventh and eighth to set the Nats' '06 12th Round pick Cole Kimball up for his first AFL save. Kimball gave up a leadoff single and threw a wild pitch in the second at bat, but then settled down to get back-to-back groundouts and a game-ending backwards K to earn the save and close out the 5-4 Scorpions' win. Scottsdale's 5-2 after the win. The scoreless ninth gives Kimball 4.0 scoreless so far in the AFL in which he's K'd five and allowed just one hit. Brad Peacock's three K's last night give him 10 strikeouts in 5.0 IP this Fall in which he's walked just one batter, and given up three hits and one earned run.

Lombardozzi was 0 for 3 with a walk and a run scored, leaving the 22-year-old infielder 4 for 17 (.235 AVG) in four Fall games in which he's hit two doubles. Derek Norris was 1 for 4 with the RBI triple and an un-Norris-like 3 K's. In 4 games the 21-year-old '07 4th Round pick is hitting .385 (5 for 13) with a double, triple, HR, 4 RBI's and four walks. Mike Burgess, in 5 games, is now 4 for 16 after going 1 for 3 with two runs scored in last night's win...and he turns 22 today. Happy Birthday, Burgess.