Colorado Rockies: Zach Jemiola continues dominance in Salt River’s win

Colorado Rockies pitchers Zach Jemiola and Yency Almonte took center stage in Salt River’s fourth Fall League win.

In his second start for the Arizona Fall League’s Salt River Rafters, Rockies’ pitching prospect Zach Jemiola pitched five scoreless innings in his team’s 5-1 victory over the Glendale Desert Dogs.

The Rockies’ #10 overall prospect according to MLBPipeline.com, Yency Almonte, also made an appearance in a shaky ninth inning for the Rafters.

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Jemiola (2-0) turned in a scoreless appearance en route to his second AFL win. He scattered five hits and struck out four. In two starts, he has struck out nine and allowed seven hits and two walks, leading to a 1.13 WHIP and a 0.00 ERA through 8.0 total innings.

Almonte has not fared well in the 2017 Fall League overall. Through four games, he’s pitched 5.0 total innings, given up four runs (all earned) on nine hits, walked three and struck out four.

Called upon to close the game for Salt River Thursday night, he gave up two straight hits and a walk to load the bases with nobody out.

Keeping his wits about him, however, he induced a double play off the bat of Danny Mendick, followed by another groundout from Tito Polo to escape the threat unscathed.

Some of the early struggles for Almonte can be attributed to a change of workload and preparation for and during games as he is pitching exclusively out of the bullpen.

Traditionally a starting pitcher, Almonte will pitch as a reliever during the fall in effort to limit his innings before returning to the starting rotation in the spring.

Other notables in the game Thursday night, designated hitter Yonathan Daza stayed hot at the plate, going 2-for-4 with a run scored. He is now slashing .381/.391/.524 through seven games.

Brian Mundell, the Rockies’ #14 overall prospect according to MLBPipeline.com, went 0-for-2 with two walks.

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The Rockies’ #15 overall prospect according to MLBPipeline.com, Dom Nunez, is still searching for his first hit of the fall, going 0-for-3 with a run scored. Nunez is now 0-for-10 through five games for the Rafters.