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Marsh plates three on three-hit night

Angels No. 3 prospect busts out of slump with pair of doubles
Brandon Marsh has posted multiple RBIs in four games this season, three against Pensacola. (Scott Donaldson)
May 17, 2019

With one hit -- and five strikeouts -- in his last 11 at-bats, Brandon Marsh was scuffling heading into Friday's game.The Angels' third-ranked prospect regained his stroke with a 3-for-5 night, doubling twice and driving in a season-high three runs, as Double-A Mobile thumped Pensacola, 8-2, at Blue Wahoos Stadium.

With one hit -- and five strikeouts -- in his last 11 at-bats, Brandon Marsh was scuffling heading into Friday's game.
The Angels' third-ranked prospect regained his stroke with a 3-for-5 night, doubling twice and driving in a season-high three runs, as Double-A Mobile thumped Pensacola, 8-2, at Blue Wahoos Stadium.

Marsh struck out looking to lead off the game against right-hander Sean Poppen. In the third, however, he stroked a one-out double to center field to plate Connor Justus with the game's first run. Marsh scored on a double by Brandon Sandoval as the BayBears opened a 3-0 lead.
Coming off a four-strikeout game Thursday against Jackson, the left-handed-swinging outfielder credited his teammates with helping jump-start his night.
"It was tough -- my last five AB's were K's," he said. "I try to flush it after each at-bat. It's tough being in the moment. You just have to go to the plate each time with no expectations. I learned that from just being around the veterans in Spring Training.
"What got me going was the other guys, they sparked it. In the third, [Poppen] got a heater up, a two-seamer, and I just tried to match the plane and barrel up the ball."
Gameday box score
After grounding out to end the fifth, the 2016 second-round pick laced an RBI single to left off left-handed reliever Sam Clay in the seventh. A throwing error allowed Marsh to score during the three-run frame that pushed Mobile's lead to 6-2.
"There isn't a better feeling, going back to the box after putting the barrel on the ball and getting out of a hole," he said. "I was seeing the ball well today. There was no practice, no BP -- just show-and-go."
Facing right-hander Cody Stashak in the ninth, Marsh ripped another double to right-center that chased home Erick Salcedo with the BayBears' final run.
Marsh noted his approach at the plate has changed this year after he hit .266/.359/.408 with 10 homers, seven triples, 27 doubles and 85 runs scored in 127 games between Class A Burlington and Class A Advanced Inland Empire. 
"I'm more aggressive in the zone. In years prior, I've had a lot of takes in the zone," he said. "My biggest adjustment in the box is swinging at pitches I can do some damage with. It also depends on the situation and the guy on the bump. Anything belt-high -- slider, changeup, heater -- if they put it there, I'm going to put my best swing on it."
Friday was the Buford, Georgia, native's seventh multi-hit game of the season and first with two extra-base hits. He boosted his slash line to .261/.356/.330.

"A lot of guys struggle," Marsh said. "I let my drill work and cage work, the repetitions, take the lead. It's cliche, but if I can get 1 percent better every day ... I'll put myself in a good position in the box. If it looks juicy, I let the drill work take over."
Michael Santos (2-1) gave up one hit over 4 1/3 innings of scoreless relief, striking out three and walking three for the win.
Justus was 2-for-4 with an RBI double and a run scored. Julian Leon also had two hits for Mobile.
Twins No. 2 prospectAlex Kirilloff doubled and walked twice for Pensacola. Poppen (2-3) look the loss, yielding three runs on six hits with six punchouts over 5 2/3 frames.

Duane Cross is a contributor to MiLB.com. Follow him on Twitter @DuaneCrossMiLB.