Mahoning Valley's Freeman scrappy at plate

It hasn't taken the 71st overall pick in the 2017 First-Year Player Draft long to show his consistency. Earlier this season, Tyler Freeman rattled off a 13-game hit streak. On Wednesday, the Indians No. 19 prospect extended his second run to 14 games with a career night at the plate.
Freeman collected four hits -- including a triple and a double -- while racking up four RBIs, both professional bests, to lead Class A Short Season Mahoning Valley beat Williamsport, 6-5, at Eastwood Field.

Gameday box score
The Etiwanda High School (California) product began his first run of the season on June 17, his third game. His average climbed to .453 as he hit safely in every game through July 2. Freeman started another tear July 17 and hasn't let up yet.
"These last couple weeks, obviously I've been working hard and locking in more than usual," he said. "But I still try to treat every single at bat as a new one. I'm just trying to do anything that can help the team."
Freeman delivered in big moments Wednesday. After grounding out in the first inning, he lined an RBI triple to left field to get the Scrappers on the board in the third. With two outs in the fourth, the 19-year-old cleared the bases with a double to left, scoring Henry Pujols, Michael Tinsley and Jose Fermin to cap a five-run frame.
"I was super confident coming up there," Freeman said. "Knowing the situation with two outs, I'm just doing my best to put the ball in play, and luckily I found a spot to land it. That was a great at-bat and it gave me a great feeling to help my team out there."
In the sixth, the shortstop lined a single to right. Two innings later, he lined another single to left to cap his career night. 
Freeman credits his maturation in the mental side of the game for giving him the ability to be consistent over two spans this season. He's learned to treat each plate appearance individually and not get too high or too low about previous performances.

"Before during high school ball, there wasn't a whole lot of failure, but in the [Rookie-level Arizona League] last year, I found some of that failure and that stuck," he said. "Whether I go 4-for-5 or 0-for-5, I have to have a strong mind either way and treat every day like a new one. With that, I feel like I've been able to block all this out pretty well. I couldn't tell you what I'm batting right now and that truly helps me because if I treat every at bat as a new one, there's no stats, no homers, no RBIs."
Pujols knocked three hits, including a pair of doubles, with two RBIs and a run scored.
Indians No. 10 prospect Luis Oviedo (4-2) gave up two runs on three hits while striking out six over six frames for the win.