The Fall Stars Game in Scottsdale turned on a bunt, and not the kind you usually expect to decide an all-star showcase. Justin DeCriscio of the San Diego Padres laid down the squeeze that broke a tie in the bottom of the eighth, sparking a three-run inning and sending the NL past the AL 7-4 at Salt River Fields at Talking Stick.
That late push came with the NL managed by the Brewers’ Rafael Neda, which made the aggressive call feel a little less surprising. DeCriscio’s bunt single was the key swing in the game, and two batters later Yerlin Confidan of the Cincinnati Reds added to the damage with a bases-loaded walk. Confidan, who came off the bench and finished with a double and that walk, was named Fall Stars MVP.
Even with seven runs on the board, the NL needed help from the other side. Three AL errors played a part in the scoring, and DeCriscio and Confidan accounted for two of the NL’s three RBIs.
This isn’t a standard all-star event, either. The Fall Stars Game comes at the end of the Arizona Fall League season, with only two regular-season games left before the playoffs and Saturday’s championship game. Still, the rosters were packed with talent, including several top-100 prospects and plenty of players ranked among their clubs’ top 10.
The game had a few quirks beyond the bunt heroics. The NL hitters struck out only six times, while NL pitchers piled up 18 strikeouts. There was also a bottom of the ninth even though the home team was already ahead, all in the name of getting pitchers on the mound and hitters more at-bats.
Aidan Miller of the Phillies showed off his bat even while serving as the designated hitter. He started the scoring with a productive groundout in the first, then singled and scored in the fourth before adding a soft infield hit in the fifth.
Tai Peete of the Cardinals made noise early without recording a hit. He walked, stole second, and was thrown out trying to take third on a strong throw from catcher Nathan Flewelling of the Rays, but the sequence helped set up the NL’s first-inning run. Peete then struck out and popped out in his next two trips.
Jarlin Susana of the Nationals was one of the day’s biggest draws, and he brought the velocity. The 22-year-old, acquired from the Padres in the Juan Soto trade, retired the first two hitters he faced before allowing a walk, a single and a wild pitch. He still reached 103.1 mph during his long inning and finished it by striking out his second batter.
Luke Fox of the Dodgers was the only pitcher to fan three in one inning. The 24-year-old, who missed much of the season because of injury, worked through the top of the fifth after giving up a leadoff double and a stolen base to Kyle DeBarge of the Twins. Fox then struck out Antonio Anderson of the Red Sox, Vance Honeycutt of the Orioles and Home Run Derby champion Aaron Parker of the Blue Jays.
DeBarge was one of the AL’s most productive bats, going 2-for-2 with a walk and two runs scored. He singled with one out in the third, stole second as part of a double steal, and scored on a ground single by Ike Irish of the Orioles. In the fifth, he doubled to lead off the inning, stole third and came home when the throw sailed past the third baseman.
Paxton Kling of the Rangers added one last AL push in the top of the ninth. The outfielder, who has been one of the best hitters in the Arizona Fall League this season with a .361/.473/.443 line in 16 games, drove in a run with a single to cut the deficit to 6-4. That was as close as the AL would get.
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