Hours after the Florida Complex League came to a close, the Arizona Complex League capped its 2024 season as well, with the Rookie-level Dodgers sweeping their way to the championship.
The Dodgers entered the postseason with the best record on the circuit (40-20), earning the top seed in the postseason and promptly won the next three games en route to the crown. The club defeated the ACL D-backs, 7-6, in Game 2 of the ACL Finals on Monday at Camelback Ranch Complex.
The 2024 title marked Los Angeles’ third at the level and its first since 2018, when the AZL Dodgers defeated the AZL Cubs 1.
The ACL Dodgers ranked in the top five among multiple offensive categories, leading the league in on-base percentage (.395). That offense put the Dodgers out in front easily in their first two postseason games, defeating the ACL Giants, 7-1, in the semifinals and the D-backs, 8-1, in the Finals opener.
After falling behind, 2-0, through the first three innings Monday, the ACL Dodgers put up three runs in the bottom half of the third. The club got back-to-back solo home runs by Mairoshendrick Martinus and Joendry Vargas, the Dodgers’ No. 11 prospect. Eduardo Quintero (LAD No. 20) reached on a walk and crossed the plate on a fielding error later in the frame for the lead.
The D-backs knotted the game back up in the fourth, but designated hitter Roger Lasso singled up the middle to score a run in the fifth to give the Dodgers the lead once again.
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Arizona prospect Abdias De La Cruz slugged a solo homer in the seventh to cut the deficit, but the Dodgers responded with a two-run double from Lasso, who went 2-for-4 with four RBIs, to build a three-run lead after seven.
The D-backs attempted a late comeback in the ninth on a two-RBI double by Alexander Benua, but fell a run short. Earning the win after 2 2/3 scoreless innings of relief, 21-year-old right-hander Dilan Figueredo was the only pitcher to not allow a run in the contest and struck out three batters.
