masn-baseballs-orioles.jpgI still see “AFL” and think “American Football League,” though I’m much too young to have followed the sport before the merger.

Anyway …

Only one Orioles farmhand, Xavier Avery, had gotten into a game for the Mesa Solar Sox before today, but five of them can be found in this afternoon’s boxscore.

Steve Johnson, making his first AFL appearance, tossed three scoreless innings against Surprise, allowing one hit, walking two and striking out four. He threw 38 pitches, 25 for strikes.

As…I still see “AFL” and think “American Football League,” though I’m much too young to have followed the sport before the merger.

Anyway …

Only one Orioles farmhand, Xavier Avery, had gotten into a game for the Mesa Solar Sox before today, but five of them can be found in this afternoon’s boxscore.

Steve Johnson, making his first AFL appearance, tossed three scoreless innings against Surprise, allowing one hit, walking two and striking out four. He threw 38 pitches, 25 for strikes.

As I mentioned a few weeks ago, Johnson signed another minor league deal with the Orioles and will be invited to spring training. He could have become a free agent, and there were a handful of teams that expressed interest in him.

Casey Lambert replaced Johnson and allowed four runs and three hits, with two walks, in one inning. Sean Gleason allowed one hit and struck out one in 1 2/3 scoreless innings.

Catcher Brian Ward went 1-for-3 with an RBI, walk and run scored. Avery went 0-for-3 with a walk.

Mesa lost to Surprise, 8-7.

I hear it was a dry heat.