Shuckers' Woodruff keeps putting up zeros

One earned run. That's all Brandon Woodruff allowed in July.

He yielded that run on July 3 against Birmingham and gave up an unearned run in the first inning of his July 8 start against Jacksonville, but it's been all zeros since.

The Brewers' No. 22 prospect allowed three hits and two walks while striking out 10 over seven frames to run his scoreless streak to 24 1/3 innings on Friday before Double-A Biloxi lost to visiting Mobile, 1-0

"I think the big thing is he's just comfortable in his delivery right now and trusting his stuff," Shuckers pitching coach Chris Hook said. "He is in sync with his delivery now and all he has to do is attack the hitters, and that's what he's doing. He feels comfortable with all of his pitches, and with the kind of stuff he's got and he's on the attack, good things are going to happen."

The 23-year-old right-hander tallied two punchouts in three of the first four innings before striking out the side in the seventh for his second seven-inning, three-hit, 10-strikeout performance in three starts.

"Brandon, for the past month, has done a really good job of commanding his fastball," Hook said. "And for him, his fastball being anywhere from 95 and 97 [mph] is a comfort thing. When he can command that, it's tough to hit.

"He's got a three-pitch mix that he can throw in any count, which I think that's hard to do. He's got the plus-fastball, but then he's mixing in now with the changeup he can throw for strikes, and his slider tonight had some really good depth to it and was a really effective pitch; it helped him get through that seventh inning with three strikeouts."

Woodruff would've had a chance to pick up his 10th victory of the season had D-backs No. 26 prospect Josh Taylor not matched him with seven scoreless innings. But being locked in a pitchers' duel didn't affect the Mississippi State product's psyche at all, according to Hook.

"He kind of keeps the same look," the pitching coach said. "He never wavers, and it doesn't really matter as far as the scores go. He'll take a little break in between innings but he'll be looking to the next batter already. He does an extremely good job of keeping his poise and staying calm and locked in."

Off the field, Woodruff has had to deal with the death of his older brother, Blake, who was killed on July 15 in an ATV accident in northeast Mississippi. The pitcher showed his grit and focus in his previous start on July 24, when he tossed six one-hit innings and also hit his first career homer.

Tayler Scott took over for Woodruff and pitched a scoreless eighth, but Tristan Archer (3-4) gave up the lone run on two hits in the ninth. Pinch-runner Todd Glaesmann came home on a forceout by D-backs No. 11 prospect Dawel Lugo. 

Mobile's Daniel Gibson (4-1) got the final out of the eighth before Matt Stites allowed two walks and struck out one in the ninth to record his 10th save.