Harrington Debut Lasts Two Innings

Matt Harrington of Palmdale High made his professional debut for the independent St. Paul Saints on Friday night.

Harrington’s fastball was clocked between 86 and 92 mph in a two-inning stint before a sellout crowd that included 12 major league scouts who hope he will be available for the June 5 draft.

The Colorado Rockies, who made him the seventh pick last season, retain his rights until Wednesday.

On Friday, he threw 48 pitches, 25 for strikes, but struggled with his curveball and bad weather. He allowed two runs against Fargo-Moorhead in a game that was suspended because of rain.

“The cold conditions, the wet conditions,” Harrington said. “Me, period. It just wasn’t right.”

Harrington, 19, is expected to get two more starts before the draft.

JETHAWKS

The Bakersfield Blaze handed the Lancaster JetHawks their fifth consecutive defeat, 6-4, Saturday night in a California League game at Bakersfield.

Today’s game: Bakersfield at Lancaster, 2 p.m. On the radio: KUTY-AM (1470).

AROUND THE LEAGUES

Josh Goldfield, a catcher from Calabasas High, was called up from rookie-level Missoula to class-A Yakima by the Arizona Diamondbacks.

Scanning the box scores:

Triple A--Chris Sheff (Pepperdine) had two hits for Louisville (Reds) in a 5-3 victory over Syracuse. . . . Reliever Keith Evans (Crespi) improved to 3-0 for Ottawa (Expos), pitching a perfect ninth inning in a 1-0 victory over Durham. . . . Andrew Lorraine (Hart) improved to 2-0, striking out seven in six innings for Calgary (Marlins) in a 10-6 victory at Edmonton.

Double A--J.P. Roberge (St. Francis) hit his first home run for Reading (Phillies) in a 5-4 loss at Trenton. . . . Eric Gillespie (Cal State Northridge) had three hits and drove in two runs for Portland (Marlins) in a 6-4 victory over Altoona. . . . David Lamb (Newbury Park) had two hits for Carolina (Rockies) in a 5-0 victory at Tennessee. . . . Joe Borchard (Camarillo) had two hits for Birmingham (White Sox) in a 7-6 loss at Mobile. . . . Darrell Dent (Montclair Prep) had three hits and his 17th stolen base for Jacksonville (Dodgers) in a 3-2 loss at Greenville.

Class A--Covelli Crisp (Pierce) had three hits, including his third home run, for Potomac (Cardinals) in a 3-2 loss at Frederick. . . . Freddy Sanchez (Burbank) had two hits and Rick Nadeau (Kennedy) had two runs batted in for Sarasota (Red Sox) in an 11-8 loss to Tampa. . . . Ryan Hamill (Chaminade) hit his second home run for Peoria (Cardinals) in a 6-0 victory over Fort Wayne.