Burnes fans career-high 13 for Sky Sox
When Corbin Burnes' curveball is working, watch out.The Brewers' second-ranked prospect struck out a career-high 13 while allowing one run on four hits over seven innings in Triple-A Colorado Springs' 3-2 loss to Oklahoma City on Sunday at Chickasaw Bricktown Ballpark. He did not issue a walk and threw 69
When Corbin Burnes' curveball is working, watch out.
The Brewers' second-ranked prospect struck out a career-high 13 while allowing one run on four hits over seven innings in Triple-A Colorado Springs' 3-2 loss to Oklahoma City on Sunday at Chickasaw Bricktown Ballpark. He did not issue a walk and threw 69 of 92 pitches for strikes.
Gameday box score
Burnes attributes his ability to spin his breaking ball successfully for the high strikeout total, which surpassed his previous best of 10, set last May 21 for Class A Advanced Carolina.
"Today was the first day we've used the curveball a lot," he said. "That's probably the most I've ever thrown my curveball and the best I've ever thrown my curveball as well.
"Usually, I use the curveball as an off-speed pitch that can steal a strike early in the count. But today, I had a lot of sharp action on it and I actually used it as an out-pitch. I was able to flip it in early for a strike and when it was 1-2 or 0-2, bury it in the dirt and trust [catcher Jacob] Nottingham back there to block it and keep it in front, especially with runners on."
After surrendering a leadoff homer to Jake Peter on his first offering of the game, Burnes cruised through the Dodgers lineup, working around a two-out single in the first and two-out doubles in the third and fifth.
The 2016 fourth-round pick struck out the side in his final frame, freezing Cael Brockmeyer to conclude the stellar outing. Burnes said the use of his curveball increased the effectiveness of his other pitches and enabled him to mix his sequences, putting the Dodgers off-balance.
"Being able to throw the curveball like that really helped me mix speeds. I was able to go to it pretty early, change the eye level with the fastball and later in the game utilize the slider a little more," he explained. "It probably made the slider more effective than it usually is because we didn't throw it as much early in the game."
The outing lowered the Saint Mary's College product's ERA to 4.55 in his first season in Triple-A. Burnes breezed through his first two seasons in pro ball, reaching Double-A in 2017 and compiling a 2.10 ERA in 16 starts for Biloxi.
Although he's on the precipice of the Major Leagues, he's not fixated on leaving Colorado Springs.
"When it comes down to game time, it's get on the mound and it's just like any other game, whether it's Double-A or Triple-A," Burnes said. "Once I get out and step on the rubber, it's me versus whoever steps in to the box. I try not to make the game bigger than it is. I just try to take some deep breaths, slow the game down and stay within myself and let the game take care of itself.
"When it's my time, it's going to be my time. But until then, I'm trying to just keep myself in the present and not look too far into the future."
The Sky Sox plated a run in the second on Ji-Man Choi's second homer of the season and took a 2-1 lead on Tyrone Taylor's RBI single in the third.
Oklahoma City capitalized once Burnes exited, as Peter plated Mike Ahmed with a groundout in the eighth and Donovan Solano singled in Rob Segedin with the go-ahead run.
Ahmed roped two doubles, Peters drove in two runs and Solano finished with a double and an RBI for Oklahoma City, which improved to 15-0 at home.
Choi finished 3-for-4 for the Sky Sox.
Josh Horton is a contributor to MiLB.com. Follow him on Twitter @joshhortonMiLB
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