Wilson stays hot on hill for Mississippi

It's taken some time for Bryse Wilson to get settled in the Southern League, but with the continued development of his off-speed stuff, he's found a groove in July. Back on the bump and continually mixing speeds on Thursday, he turned in another stellar effort. 
The Braves' No. 12 prospect matched his longest start of the season, allowing three hits and a walk while fanning nine over seven innings, as Double-A Mississippi blanked Montgomery, 2-0, at Montgomery Riverwalk Stadium. He dueled Biscuits starter J.D. Martin, who put up eight zeros.

"The changeup was really good today," Wilson said. "It was a big, lefty-heavy lineup, so the changeup worked well. I was able to throw my fastball off of my changeup and throw some sliders to the right-handed hitters. So it helped a lot."
Wilson started the season in the Florida State League, where he went 2-0 with a 0.34 ERA and 0.86 WHIP in five starts. But after a promotion to the M-Braves on May 8, the 2016 fourth-round pick didn't experience the same success initially. Through two months and 44 2/3 innings, he had a 6.24 ERA. 
The 20-year-old has righted the ship in July, yielding two earned runs through 27 1/3 frames. After consecutive scoreless starts to begin the month, Wilson gave up his first two runs while going seven innings on Friday against Pensacola. The right-hander kept the Biscuits out of the run column Thursday, throwing 64 of 99 pitches for strikes. He totaled 85 pitches through five frames but needed only 14 to get through the sixth and seventh unscathed. 
Gameday box score
It was a sizable improvement over his last start against the Biscuits on June 5, when he allowed seven runs on six hits in 2 1/3 innings. Being able to deploy the changeup when he needed to allowed Wilson to pitch backwards at times later in the game. 
"Especially the second and third time through the lineup, being able to go through and show them fastball in the first at-bat and the next two at-bats go first-pitch off-speed or first-pitch fastball -- whatever needs to be done," the hurler said. "[The changeup] helps a lot, for sure. ... I think it was more of a feel thing. Being able to throw some good ones in moments that I needed them and go from there. It was a good pitch for me tonight and I executed really well."
Montgomery put the pressure on in the first, however, when No. 14 Rays prospectNathaniel Lowe walked and Dalton Kelly reached on an infield single with two outs. Wilson didn't let things get out of hand as he induced an inning-ending groundout from Michael Russell. 
Rays No. 10 prospect Nick Solak singled in the third and Brett Sullivan followed suit in the fifth, but they were the only other baserunners the North Carolina native allowed the rest of the night. 
With his pitch count high after five innings, Wilson effectively pitched to contact in the sixth and seventh, recording three outs on the ground and three through the air. He didn't set down anyone on strikes over those two frames, but getting deep into the start was more than satisfying enough. In all, Wilson faced four over the minimum and pitched four perfect frames in his third start of seven innings this month. 
"The development of the changeup has helped a lot and the fastball has been really good lately and keeping the walks down," he said. "Everything is kind of coming together and I'm getting used to pitching at this level. I'm getting the confidence back with all my pitches, so that's been a big thing as well." 

With the string of solid outings this month, Wilson sports a 4.13 ERA and 1.32 WHIP in 14 Southern League starts. In seven of his last eight appearances, the 6-foot-1, 225-pound starter has allowed two earned runs or fewer. 
"I think for me it was about trusting my stuff and knowing my stuff was good enough to succeed and not second-guess when I throw pitches," Wilson said. "I think it's about the consistency of the off-speed pitches and developing those. It's just keep rolling with that and keep putting up good outings and pitching well."

With the game still scoreless in the ninth, 10th-ranked Braves prospect Travis Demeritte blasted a two-run homer.
Corbin Clouse (4-1) and Chad Sobotka each pitched a scoreless inning as Mississippi recorded its seventh shutout of the season. Sobotka fanned one in nailing down his fifth save.