NewsRoyals' Crow up and down in pro debut
Twelfth overall pick retires eight straight before taking loss
By Robert Emrich / Special to MLB.com
10/28/09 8:41 PM ET
It's been a while since Aaron Crow has taken the mound in a game situation. Perhaps as a result, he started strong and then faded off in his professional debut in the Arizona Fall League on Wednesday.The 12th overall pick in this year's Draft by Kansas City, Crow allowed two runs on three hits and struck out two over four innings for the loss as his Surprise Rafters were blanked by the Peoria Saguaros, 9-0.
Crow walked the first batter he faced, Lance Zawadzki, before settling in to retire eight straight. Zawadzki ended the streak with a solo homer with two outs in the third.
"I need to work on getting the ball down and my command of the strike zone," the Kansas native said. "I only walked one guy, but I went to a lot of three ball counts. I just need to work on those things and I think I will be all right."
Crow was originally selected by the Washington Nationals in the first round in 2008, but did not sign. The right-hander spent last year playing in an independent league and he signed with the Royals on Sept. 17. Although he threw regularly and worked out in the instructional league, Crow was happy to be back in a game situation.
"It felt good to get back into the swing of things and it felt really good to get back out there," Crow said. "I don't think I was rusty at all."
Zawadzki, the Padres' fourth-round pick in 2007, also drove in a run with a fifth-inning single and scored twice. Freddie Freeman (Braves) had three hits, including a double, and Yonder Alonso, selected seventh overall by Cincinnati in 2008, drove in two runs and scored twice for the Saguaros (6-8).
Steve Garrison (Padres) limited the Rafters to just three singles in three innings for his first win. Craig Kimbrel (Braves) allowed one hit and struck out two in a scoreless ninth. He has not allowed a run in his five AFL appearances.
Reese Havens (Mets) accounted for two of the Rafters' eight hits. Peoria limited Surprise (7-7) to all singles.
Robert Emrich is a contributor to MLB.com. This story was not subject to the approval of Major League Baseball or its clubs.
