Storm's Patiño brilliant in longest start
Luis Patiño already was working on a career night and one of the best outings of his professional life. Then he got one more out for good measure.MLB.com's No. 33 overall prospect dazzled over 8 1/3 innings, allowing three hits and striking out nine without issuing a walk, and Padres
MLB.com's No. 33 overall prospect dazzled over 8 1/3 innings, allowing three hits and striking out nine without issuing a walk, and Padres No. 6 prospect
Storm pitching coach Pete Zamora credited Patiño's success to attacking with his fastball, which rates a 65 on the 20-to-80 scouting scale, according to MLB Pipeline.
"We all know what kind of fastball he has, but his ability to sync up tonight, get into a good rhythm with [catcher
Patiño (6-8) started his night by retiring the first 15 batters, striking out six -- all swinging. The right-hander needed only 11 pitches to retire the side in order in the first inning, 10 in the second and nine in each frame from the third through the fifth.
After
"I think the most important part is he pumps up our team," Zamora said. "We are talking about a team game and that kind of result there, keeping the shutout intact and keeping us in the lead, really pumps up and motivates the team. He's a big-time team ballplayer. He's one of the most unselfish kids I've ever coached, so it was just really good to see the team rally behind him after that kind of effort."
Gameday box score
Ranked fourth among Padres prospects, Patino faced one more jam in the eighth. After setting down the first two batters on grounders to first, he surrendered a double to
At 90 pitches, he took the mound to start the ninth and needed only four pitches to get
"It's just staying within yourself. Do everything you can to prepare yourself for that start, and when you get on a roll, don't try to think about it too much. Just keep going," Zamora said. "I thought he really put the blinders on and just kept to his game plan and kept going. He didn't get too high or too low, even after the hit in the sixth; he just kept going. For a 19-year-old to do that, to not get involved in the hoopla of a perfect game or anything like that, he wasn't fazed. That was huge for us to see."
Patiño has taken his game to another level following an appearance in the Futures Game on July 7 in Cleveland. He got the National League out of a jam and went on to retire all five batters he faced in the nationally televised showcase, striking out three. In three starts since rejoining the Storm, he's yielded one earned run on 11 hits over 20 2/3 innings with 25 strikeouts against three walks.
"For me, it's Luis coming together, coming into his own here and dominating with the stuff he has without going outside of himself," Zamora said. "He looked like a veteran tonight, and that's tough to say for a 19-year-old, but he had his plan of attack and never left it. He showed some veteran feel by not getting too excited. He just kept on going."
In Cleveland, top Twins prospect
Edwards helped supply pop at the plate for Lake Elsinore. The 38th overall pick in last year's Draft singled to right in the first inning, to center in the third, to left in the fifth and again to right in the sixth. He's recorded four hits five times this season, including a five-hit performance on May 1.
"He's been great since he's been with us," Zamora said. "He just brings energy. A lot of these young kids, they need that good, positive energy. If they have a little swag with each other, a little relationship with each other, one doesn't let the other one get too low or too high. It makes everybody accountable, and Xavier has been great for a young guy. You would think he's a veteran, but he's brought great excitement. He's getting on base and he's making plays."
Campusano chipped in three hits and two RBIs, while
Tyler Maun is a contributor to MiLB.com. Follow him on Twitter @TylerMaun.