Lookouts' Romero rebounds with stellar start

Even without his best stuff, Fernando Romero did more than enough to get the job done.
The Twins' No. 4 prospect allowed three hits and three walks while striking out five over six innings on Wednesday as Double-A Chattanooga blanked Montgomery, 2-0, at AT&T Field.

Romero (3-5) came in after surrendering six runs over 4 1/3 innings in his previous start against Biloxi, raising his ERA nearly a full run to 4.73. Despite the hiccup, Lookouts pitching coach Ivan Arteaga had confidence in the right-hander.
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"He's a competitor. He's got a great work ethic," Arteaga said. "What we worked on this week was just to make sure he was finishing his pitches, especially the fastball, to be able to have some command on it and throw his changeup more."
Romero put at least one runner on base in four of six innings against the Biscuits but consistently worked his way out of trouble.
"His command wasn't great, but at the same time he was able to throw some sliders behind in the count and locate his fastball when he needed it, and it played for him," Arteaga said. "His fastball was 96, 97, up to 99 [mph]. He's got the ability to go in and out."
The Biscuits' biggest threat came in the fifth. With the game scoreless, Romero walked Joe McCarthy and gave up a single to Michael Russell with one out. After fanning Riley Unroe, he allowed both runners to move up on a wild pitch. But the 22-year-old struck out Braxton Lee on five pitches.
"The one thing with Fernando Romero is that he's focused on the task," Arteaga said. "He's got velo, but he's not a thrower, he's a pitcher. He was able to throw a slider behind in the count to get the guy out."
Big innings have been a problem for Romero this season. With Biscuits starter Hunter Wood also putting up zeros for much of Wednesday night, avoiding rallies became an important focus for the 2011 international free agent.
"For the most part this season, it's been one bad inning at a time," Arteaga said. "Tonight he was able to match zeros with [Wood]. It was one of those games where any mistake could cost you the game, and he was able to stay poised and make the pitches like he always does."

Luke Bard followed Romero and worked around a pair of hits by striking out four over two innings. John Curtiss gave up a hit and fanned two in the ninth to earn his eighth save.
Edgar Corcino plated both Lookouts runs with a sixth-inning single.
Wood (3-3) didn't give up a hit until the sixth but ended up allowing two runs on four hits and a pair of walks while striking out 10 over 7 2/3 frames.