Taijuan Walker's Impressive Outing Not Enough in Arizona Fall League Opener; Surprise Fall to Peoria 5-4

W - Brandon Cundiff (1-0, 0.00 ERA)

L - Steven Landazuri (0-1, 27.00 ERA)

S - Sam Tuivailala (1)

The Peoria Javelinas used a three-run eighth inning rally to beat the Surprise Saguaros by a score of 5-4. Kansas City Royals' infielder Hunter Dozier laced the go-ahead two-run double into right field with two outs in the top of the eighth inning and gave the Javelinas the 5-4 victory.

Seattle Mariners' pitching prospect Taijuan Walker got the start for Surprise on Tuesday. The 22-year-old right-hander found himself in a jam in his first inning of work. He surrendered a single to Cleveland Indians' shortstop Francisco Lindor to lead off the top of the first inning. Lindor advanced to second base on a ground out by fellow Indians' prospect Jordan Smith. That was followed by a fielding error committed by 17-year-old Texas Rangers' shortstop Michael De Leon as he couldn't cleanly field a ground ball off the bat of Hunter Dozier and it allowed Lindor to advance to third base. Atlanta Braves' outfielder Edward Salcedo hit a single to center field that scored Lindor and put Peoria up 1-0. Walker bounced back after surrendering the run as he struck out Tampa Bay Rays' catcher Justin O'Connor and picked off Salcedo at first base to escape the top of the first inning with limited damage. Walker's next three frames were scoreless and he departed from the game after four innings of work. He allowed a run on five hits and did not allow a walk while striking out five batters.

Peoria also sent a top pitching prospect to the mound to start the game for them. Kansas City Royals' 23-year-old right-hander Kyle Zimmer got the start for the Javelinas on Tuesday. His start didn't go as smoothly as Walker's did. Zimmer gave up an RBI-double to San Diego Padres' outfielder Hunter Renfroe in the bottom of the second inning and then allowed another run to score in the inning on a wild pitch. In the bottom of the third inning, Zimmer surrendered a solo homer to Seattle Mariners' first baseman Patrick Kivlehan and Surprise was up by a score of 3-1 after three innings of play.

The score would remain the same until the top of the sixth inning when St. Louis Cardinals' outfielder C.J. Ellroy hit an RBI-single to pull the Javelinas within one run. However, the Saguaros answered right back in the bottom half of the inning as Seattle Mariners' infielder D.J. Peterson hit a two-out RBI-double to extend Surprise's lead to 4-2.

The Saguaros could not hold on to the late lead as Seattle Mariners' right-hander Steven Landazuri gave up three two-out runs in the top of the eighth inning. Jordan Smith singled home a run and Hunter Dozier hit the go-ahead two-RBI double to put Peoria on top 5-4. 

St. Louis Cardinals' right-hander Sam Tuivianlala tossed a perfect bottom of the ninth inning for the Javelinas and picked up the save.

Peoria and Surprise will play against each other again on Wednesday as Peoria will send Tampa Bay Rays' right-hander Jamie Schultz to the mound to oppose Boston Red Sox right-hander Keith Couch. First pitch for Wednesday's game is scheduled for 2:35 pm EST.