Lux sets career high with five RBIs
Gavin Lux hadn't driven in a run in his previous five games for Class A Advanced Rancho Cucamonga.On Friday, the Dodgers' No. 13 prospect plated one run for each one of those games on a career night, going 3-for-5 with a homer and a double as the Quakes outslugged the JetHawks,
On Friday, the Dodgers' No. 13 prospect plated one run for each one of those games on a career night, going 3-for-5 with a homer and a double as the Quakes outslugged the JetHawks, 14-9, at The Hangar.
"Just kind of stuck with my plan and approach that I set before the game and stuck to it," Lux said. "Got some opportunities to get some RBIs, some other teammates getting hits and getting on base. Overall, it was a good night."
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After striking out in his first at-bat, Lux yanked a double to right field off Lancaster starter
"It's always good to get that [first home run] out of the way," he said. "It felt good. Lancaster's always a little friendly, too."
Lux capitalized on a middle-in fastball, which was exactly the pitch he was looking for when he went up to the plate.
"They were kind of pounding me in all night," the Kenosha, Wisconsin, native said. "Going up there, I was just thinking about cheating to a first-pitch fastball in and I got it. It was just sticking to the plan and approach, and it paid off."
An inning later, the 2016 first-round pick stepped to the plate with the bases loaded and watched all four pitches go by to add an RBI. Lux reached the career high with a two-run single on a line drive up the middle off
A 1-for-20 start at the plate marred the early going for Lux, who has turned it around and is batting .286 with an .807 OPS. Lux said he's been consistent with his routine and video work throughout the season, save for a couple of adjustments he and hitting coach Justin Viele made during pregame drills in the cage. The shortstop may not produce at the level he did Friday every night, but achieving consistency is a goal.
"Just pretty much staying consistent and trying to be the same person every night," he said.
The shortstop sparked an explosive offense as the Quakes racked up 16 hits, despite striking out 17 times. Dodgers No. 14 prospect
"Hitting's contagious," Lux said. "There's a lot of guys on our team who can really hit. It makes my job easier when you got guys on second and third and less than two outs. It makes it a lot easier and it makes it fun."
Despite hitting leadoff, the 6-foot-2, 190-pound prospect wants to keep driving in his teammates.
"Like I said before, pretty much 1-9, everybody on this team can hit," Lux said. "So if guys are getting on ... the only thought I got, really, is just trying to get them in any way I can."
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Chris Bumbaca is a contributor for MiLB.com based in New York. Follow him on Twitter @BOOMbaca.