Robert packs out box score for Dash

Since signing with the White Sox, Luis Robert's career has moved at a different pace than most Minor Leaguers. The Havana, Cuba, native inked a $26 million deal with the club last May and began to prove he'd be worth the investment after a delayed start to his inaugural campaign. 
A sprained ligament in his left thumb largely derailed an otherwise brilliant season for the third-ranked White Sox prospect, who was sidelined for the first two months of the season and nearly all of July. Robert did not return to form upon his latest reinstatement from the disabled list in early August, but he showed how good he can be Thursday night for Class A Advanced Winston-Salem.

MLB.com's No. 25 overall prospect collected three hits -- including a pair of doubles -- and scored a personal-best four times as the Dash routed Salem, 13-0, at BB&T Ballpark. It marked Robert's first multi-hit performance since Aug. 12 and his second this month. He also stole a base for the first time since Aug. 19, his sixth on the circuit. 
"I just went back to the way I was hitting in Spring Training," Robert said through interpreter and Latin cultural development coordinator Anthony Santiago, insisting his thumb has felt much better in recent weeks. "I guess I've been standing a little bit taller lately, and I've been getting off balance on some swings. So, I try to stay a little more into my legs and just have a better balance."
Gameday box score
The Dash got off to a quick start against Salem right-hander Kevin McAvoy as No. 4 White Sox prospect Nick Madrigal opened the game with a double ahead of Robert's infield single to shortstop -- No. 8 Red Sox prospect -- C.J. Chatham. An RBI double to right by No. 14 White Sox prospect Luis González pushed Robert to third before Yermin Mercedes knocked in another run before an out was recorded.
"It definitely feels good to be on a team like this with a lot of prospects," Robert said. "We all have the same goal and that's just to go out and get better every day. Work just to keep getting better at the things we need to get better at."
The top of the Winston-Salem lineup pounced on McAvoy again in the third, beginning with Robert's double to center on an 0-2 pitch. He then created a run with his speed as he swiped third and then took home after third baseman Josh Tobias was unable to handle the throw from catcher Nick Sciortino. A pair of walks and a hit batsman loaded the bases for 28th-ranked White Sox prospect Laz Rivera, who unloaded a grand slam over the left-field fence.
Robert went to the same direction for his second double off McAvoy in the fourth before scoring on Gonzalez's triple to right. Gonzalez, who also had three hits and four runs scored, kept the line moving with a base hit to right after Robert was hit by a pitch with one out in the sixth. Successive singles from Mercedes and No. 15 White Sox prospect Gavin Sheets pushed Robert home.
The 21-year-old went down swinging on six pitches in his final at-bat in the seventh.
After moving up to Winston-Salem on June 21 following an impressive start to his season with Class A Kannapolis, Robert went 11-for-33 (.333) at the plate with six RBIs and six runs scored in nine games before being shut down. His effort Thursday night improved his August average to .219 (16-for-73) -- a 31-point boost in one game.

In order to buck the slump, Robert said he absorbed the sage wisdom of his closest and most valuable resource, Winston-Salem manager Omar Vizquel, a 24-year Major League shortstop.
"His advice was just to not take my bad at-bats out into the field," Robert said. "Keep playing and take it day by day. And just to keep working every day."
He took up residency in Haiti after defecting from Cuba in November 2016 and batted .312/.491/.536 with 12 extra-base hits and 12 steals in 28 games in the Rookie-level Dominican Summer League at the end of last year. The 6-foot-3, 185-pound center fielder batted .289/.360/.400 with four extra-base hits, five runs and four RBIs in 13 games after the Spring Training injury pushed back his debut with the Intimidators.
Gonzalez also added a walk and a pair of RBIs while improving his Carolina League slash line to .316/.378/.511 with 31 extra-base hits and 45 RBIs through 58 games.