Shrimp's Miller notches first five-hit game
Brian Miller likely did not want Saturday's game to end.The Marlins' No. 14 prospect fell a homer short of the cycle, collecting a career-high five hits, driving in two runs and scoring twice as Double-A Jacksonville dropped a 12-7 decision to Biloxi at MGM Park.
The Marlins' No. 14 prospect fell a homer short of the cycle, collecting a career-high five hits, driving in two runs and scoring twice as Double-A Jacksonville dropped a 12-7 decision to Biloxi at MGM Park.
The last time Miller collected five hits in a game?
"I believe it was in college my junior year against Virginia Tech," he said.
Miller's hit parade started with a single to left-center field in the first inning. A one-out triple to left by the left-handed hitter followed in the third, but he was stranded after a strikeout and groundout.
Gameday box score
In the fifth, Miller singled to right-center and scored on a double by
Miller finished the night with a double to right in the eighth, driving in
Was accomplishing the cycle even in the left-fielder's head going into the at-bat?
"It definitely crossed my mind, I'd be lying if I say it didn't," Miller said laughing. "But we were down, had a runner on second base against a tough lefty, so I was just trying to get that guy home."
Despite hitting just .208 entering Saturday, Miller felt good in the batter's box, stating that things eventually would bounce his way.
"I guess it was a slow start results-wise, but I was hitting balls hard, squaring them up and having competitive at-bats," he said. "The game of baseball comes back around, usually one way or the other, if you go into each at-bat with a clean mind and compete."
The University of North Carolina product was a competitive balance pick in the 2017 Draft. With Class A Advanced Jupiter and Jacksonville a year ago, he batted .295/.338/.355 with five triples, 21 doubles, 57 runs scored, 43 RBIs and 40 stolen bases.
Those stolen bases are not an outlier. In 201 Minor League games, Miller has swiped 64; his speed being an advantage that he says makes him an even more dangerous player.
"That's got to be a part of my game," he said. "There are a lot of ways speed can affect the game so I'm really trying to keep my speed and work on it. I think speed is something that, in a way, is going away from the game and it is such an asset. Especially with two strikes, I try to put something in play and put pressure on the defense."
Biloxi's Wilson was 4-for-5 with a pair of solo homers, four runs and two RBIs. Needing a triple for the cycle in the eighth, the Brewers farmhand completed his second career two-homer game.
Marlins No. 24 prospect
Brian Stultz is a contributor to MiLB.com. Follow him on Twitter @brianjstultz.