PEORIA, Ariz. -- On a 94-degree day at Peoria Sports Complex on Friday, it was a pair of catchers who were heating up as the Peoria Javelinas defeated the Glendale Desert Dogs, 8-2.
Nick Ciuffo, Tampa Bay's 25th ranked prospect, and Tyler Marlette of the Seattle Mariners combined to drive in six runs to fuel the Javelinas. Marlette went 2-for-4 with a home run and drove in three. Ciuffo, who was in the lineup as the designated hitter, doubled, singled and drove in three as well.
Marlette got things started in the second inning. After Dodgers prospect Chris Anderson walked Reds first baseman Chad Wallach and surrendered a base hit to Ciuffo, Marlette sent what he described as a "dead red" fastball over the left field wall for a 3-0 Peoria lead.