The Fall Stars Game ended with a play you don’t usually see in an all-star setting: a squeeze bunt that flipped the night.
Justin DeCriscio of the San Diego Padres dropped down the bunt that broke a tie and sparked a three-run bottom of the eighth, pushing the NL past the AL 7-4 on Sunday at Salt River Fields at Talking Stick in Scottsdale, Ariz. The NL was managed by the Brewers’ Rafael Neda, which made the small-ball finish feel a little less surprising.
Right fielder Yerlin Confidan of the Cincinnati Reds took home Fall Stars MVP honors after coming off the bench and delivering a double and a bases-loaded walk two batters after DeCriscio’s go-ahead bunt single. Between them, DeCriscio and Confidan drove in two of the NL’s three RBIs, even though the club scored seven runs with help from three AL errors.
This isn’t your standard all-star exhibition. 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. Even so, the roster had plenty of high-end talent, including several top-100 prospects and a bunch more ranked among their teams’ top 10.
The box score had its own quirks. NL hitters struck out only six times, while NL pitchers racked up 18 strikeouts. The game also included a bottom of the ninth even though the home team was ahead, all so pitchers could get work and hitters could keep getting at-bats.
Aidan Miller, the Phillies’ DH, chipped in with a productive groundout in the first that helped bring home an NL run, then followed with a leadoff single and a run scored in the fourth before adding a soft infield single in the fifth.
Tai Peete, the Cardinals’ 21-year-old center fielder, made noise without recording a hit. He walked, stole a base and was thrown out trying to steal again on a strong throw from catcher Nathan Flewelling of the Rays, but that sequence still helped set up the NL’s first-inning run. Peete then struck out and popped out in his next two trips.
Jarlin Susana was one of the headliners, and the Nationals right-hander showed why. One of the pieces Washington got from San Diego in the Juan Soto trade, the 22-year-old retired the first two hitters he faced before allowing a walk, a single and a wild pitch. He still reached 103.1 mph in his long inning and finished it with his second strikeout.
Luke Fox was the only pitcher to fan three in an inning. The Dodgers left-hander, back after missing a good chunk of the season with an injury, worked through a tough top of the fifth after allowing a leadoff double and a stolen base to Kyle DeBarge of the Twins. Fox then struck out Antonio Anderson, Vance Honeycutt and Home Run Derby champion Aaron Parker in order.
DeBarge was a force for the AL, going 2-for-2 with a walk and two runs scored. He sparked a two-run third with a single, a stolen base in a double steal and a run scored on a ground single by Ike Irish of the Orioles. He later doubled to lead off the fifth, stole third and scored when the throw sailed past the third baseman.
Paxton Kling, the Rangers’ center fielder and one of the best hitters in the Arizona Fall League this season, helped the AL make one last push. Kling, who entered the game hitting .361/.473/.443 in 16 games, lined an RBI single in the ninth to cut the deficit to 6-4, but that was as close as the AL would get.
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