Jason Donald of Phillies Wins Stenson Award

The Arizona Fall League’s 2008 Stenson Award was awarded to Jason Donald of the Philadelphia Phillies Wednesday evening. The Stenson Award is given to the Arizona Fall League player who most exhibits unselfishness, hard work and leadership. The award is named after the Cincinnati Reds’ prospect that was killed in a carjacking incident on November 5th, 2003. Darnell Stenson was playing for the Scottsdale Scorpions at the time and exhibited all-round leadership on and off the field.

Jason Donald not only played well during the 2008 AFL season, he also represented the United States in the 2008 Olympic Games. Additionally Donald has some ties to Arizona in that he played college ball at the University of Arizona. Drafted originally by the Angels out of high school, Donald opted to attend U of A before being drafted again by the Philadelphia Phillies in 2006.

In Wednesday’s baseball action, Mesa reigns victorious against the Peoria Saguaros at they win the game by a score of 7-4. The win would solidify the team’s trip to the championship game on Saturday against the Phoenix Desert Dogs. The tie breaking statistic in the standings is the number of runs scored by the team. Jeremy Slayden’s grand slam home run would be the difference in the tie breaker that would send Mesa to the championship game.

Phoenix continues to struggle despite their recent playoff berth. The Dogs lose, in Phoenix, to the Surprise Rafters by a score of 11-6. Outfielder Brian McFall of the Kansas City Royals contributed with two home runs and four RBIs. Surprise would have big second and third innings scoring a combined 7 runs and never looking back. As the Desert Dogs approach the championship game on Saturday, they will be working hard the next couple of days in order to prepare for their matchup against the 8-game win-streak Solar Sox who have been hot at the end of the season.

In Scottsdale, after recognition was given, the Peoria Javelinas hit the field on a mission. The Javelinas would score two runs right away, in the first inning, and another two in the second. Peoria’s Kevin Russo of the New York Yankees would hit a towering shot to left center field that would drive in two of the runs. It was a great night for Yankees prospects as Phil Hughes throws five scoreless innings, striking out ten and only allowing two hits before being removed from the game. The Scorpions would not go on to score as they drop the game to the Javelinas by a score of 5-0.