Washington Nationals: AFL/Winter League Update/Bryce Harper Thread.

Game 7 of Bryce Harper's AFL experience is scheduled for 12:35 pm MST this afternoon (2:35 pm EST in D.C.) when the Scottsdale Scorpions travel to Peoria, Arizona to take on Peoria's second-favorite AFL team, the Saguaros. Last night in Phoenix, the Desert Dogs and Harper's Scorpions met in Phoenix Municipal Stadium with the 2010 no.1 overall pick watching from the bench. The Nats' '07 1st Round pick Michael Burgess was in right field for Scottsdale in the loss to Phoenix, but it wasn't due to any lack of effort on his part. The 22-year-old Tampa, Florida-born Burgess hit his first AFL HR off Marlins' prospect Peter Andrelczyk, a two-run blast in the sixth inning, after he'd doubled and scored the Scorpions' first run of the night in the fourth inning of what ends up a 7-4 game. Burgess ends the evening 2 for 4 with 2 runs scored, a HR and a double (his 3rd in 14 games), leaving him 13 for 53 (.245 AVG) with a .281 OBP and a .396 SLG so far this fall. 

Nats' pitching prospects Adam Carr and Cole Kimball got work last night with Carr throwing 2.0 scoreless in which he walked one batter and Kimball giving up a hit but striking out two in his own scoreless frame. Carr, the 26-year-old right-hander who spent the 2010 season in Double-A Harrisburg and Triple-A Syracuse, has now allowed 5 hits, 3 ER and 3 walks in 11.0 IP in which he's struck out 6 batters. The 24-year-old Kimball has given up just 1 ER in 9 games and 10.0 IP for the Scorpions, striking out 13 and walking just 1 batter so far, holding opponents to a .194 AVG in the hitter-friendly Fall League. 

18-year-old Bryce Harper's hit in all but one AFL outing thus far, and he enters play Wednesday with a .348/.423/.565 slash line, 2 doubles, 1 HR, 4 RBI's, 3 walks and 8 K's in his first taste of elite-level competition. Game 7 for Harper in the AFL gets underway today at 2:35 pm in the East.

• Liga de Beisbol Profesional de Puerto Rico Update...

The Leones de Ponce had their game postponed Tuesday night. Monday night, Nats' '06 1st Round pick Chris Marrero was 1 for 2 with a run scored and 2 walks and '08 3rd Round pick and presumptive starting second baseman in 2011 Danny Espinosa was 2 for 5 with a double against the Senadores de San Juan. In 11 games and 45 at bats, Marrero's now hitting .356 with a .412 OBP, .422 SLG, 3 doubles, 8 RBI's, 5 BB's and 1 SB. Espinosa, who made his MLB debut last September and is adjusting his approach at the plate in an attempt to raise his OBP, is now 12 for 49 (.245) with a .283 OBP and a .306 SLG in 11 games in the Liga de Beisbol Profesional de Puerto Rico. 

Jeff Mandel, the Nats' '07 19th Round pick, has given up just 1 ER in 6.1 IP in which he's given up 4 hits and 1 walk while striking out 4. Hassan Pena, a 13th Round pick in '06 who spent the 2010 season at Double-A Harrisburg, has given up 9 hits and 3 ER in 11.1 IP in which he's walked just 1 while striking out 12. Cory VanAllen, a left-hander who pitched for Potomac and Harrisburg in 2010, has allowed 4 hits and 2 ER in 5.1 IP. Patrick McCoy, a lefty taken in the 10th Round in 2007, is (1-0) with 8 hits and 3 ER surrendered in 8.2 IP for the Leones, who play the Indios de Mayaguez tonight.