Bichette gets back in the swing of things

In the midst of a minor skid at the plate, Bo Bichette was back to vintage form Thursday.
Toronto's top prospect looked like his old self after collecting three knocks -- including a three-run homer and a double -- setting a season high with five RBIs and scoring twice to power Triple-A Buffalo past Indianapolis, 11-8, at Sahlen Field. The Bisons finished with 12 hits in the game and the teams combined for 23 knocks.

The 21-year-old entered the afternoon with one hit over his previous 12 at-bats -- a span of three games -- and reached base once over that time as his International League slash line dipped to .227/.289/.387.
However, MLB.com's No. 8 overall prospect wasted no time finding his rhythm again against the Indians.
Bichette led off the opening frame with a booming double deep into center field off a 1-2 fastball from right-hander Dario Agrazal. The Florida native's time on the basepaths didn't last long as Sócrates Brito hammered a dinger well beyond the fence in right-center five pitches later.
Gameday box score
After grounding out to short in the third, Bichette stepped in against Agrazal with two on and no out in the fifth. The 2016 second-rounder made quick work of a first-pitch heater as he launched a go-ahead moonshot to right-center that gave the Bisons a 5-3 lead.
Bichette batted for a second time in the fifth and capped off an eight-run frame for Buffalo with a two-out, two-RBI single to left. The knock came on the first offering he saw from No. 7 Pirates prospectLuis Escobar. The 6-foot, 185-pound shortstop needed a triple for a cycle, but fell short of the milestone after losing an eight-pitch battle against righty Jesus Liranzo by striking out swinging in the seventh
The five RBIs tied a career high for Bichette, who drove in five runs last year on July 28 with Double-A New Hampshire and also in the Rookie-level Gulf Coast League on July 1, 2016.
The two-time MiLB.com Organization All-Star has five multi-hit efforts through through 21 International League games this season and is sporting a .250/.307/.450 slash line with nine extra-base hits, 15 RBIs and 12 runs scored in that span.
The two-time All-Star Futures Game selection suffered a broken hand after being hit by a pitch on April 22 and missed six weeks of action before beginning a rehab assignment with Class A Advanced Dunedin on June 7. After appearing in four Florida State League games -- and breaking out with a 4-for-5 performance on June 11 -- Bichette rejoined the Bisons on June 12.

Left-hander Ryan Feierabend (4-2) notched the victory after allowing three runs on four hits and a walk while whiffing seven over six innings. Southpaw Matt Dermody worked around a hit while fanning two in a scoreless frame of relief.
Jordan Patterson went yard, doubled and scored twice for Buffalo, while Richard Ureña finished with a triple, a single, two RBIs and a run.
Agrazal (4-3) allowed seven runs on eight hits and a walk while striking out four over 4 2/3 frames.
Cole Tucker went yard twice and finished with three RBIs. Pittsburgh's fifth-ranked prospect Kevin Kramer, No. 8 Jason Martin and Eric Wood collected a pair of hits apiece for the Indians. Martin and Wood both doubled, drove in a run and scored. Darnell Sweeney contributed a two-RBI single and Logan Hill added a solo shot.