Berrios bears down again for Red Wings

José Berríos issued a five-pitch walk to the first batter he faced on Sunday afternoon. It turned out to be the final time the Twins right-hander faltered.
"He bounced back real good," Triple-A Rochester pitching coach Stu Cliburn said.

Box score
Berrios (2-0) gave up two hits and struck out seven over eight scoreless innings as the Red Wings shut down Louisville, 5-1, at Frontier Field.
Following the free pass, the 22-year-old needed only eight pitches to get two fly outs and a popup to end the first. Berrios worked around a leadoff single by Tony Renda in the second and a walk to Reds No. 3 prospect Jesse Winker in the fourth as he settled into a groove.
"That's what he's got to do when he loses a little feel of pitch, he's got to get back and make a pitch and make adjustments and get back in the zone," Cliburn said. "We've tweaked a few things in his delivery. We've tried to get him more in line with his catcher on his target, staying in the 'hallway,' we like to call it, staying in his lane and finishing everything towards the glove. And he's certainly worked hard on that."

Berrios retired 13 straight as he pitched into the eighth for the second time this season. Hernan Iribarren knocked a two-out single in the Puerto Rico native's final frame, but Berrios got Juan Perez to ground out and end the threat. He earned his first win since his season debut on April 8.
"He just seemed to get better and stronger as the game went on," Cliburn said. "Ninety-eight pitches is good. He wanted to know why we took him out and I said, 'Pitch count for one, manager's decision for two and your future is in the Major Leagues, not Triple-A.'"
With his latest gem, Berrios lowered his ERA to 1.09. He's tied for second in the International League with 35 strikeouts against eight walks over 33 innings. According to Cliburn, the key for the right-hander is to execute with runners on base.
"He's found a way to leave them out there and make pitches when guys are in scoring position and be able to come up with double play balls with a man on first," the veteran coach said. "I think there's been times when he has a man on third, less than two outs and he's been able to go for the strikeout. On top of all that, he's just on top of his game right now."
With his strong start the season, Twins fans may be wondering when Berrios will return to Minnesota and what kind of pitcher he'll be when he gets there. In his big league debut last season, he posted an 8.02 ERA in 14 starts.
"When he's in a hitter's count, he has to be able to pull the ball back with his changeup and put a curveball in there for a strike," Cliburn said. "I don't think he did that well last year, but I think what we're seeing right now, he's able to do that a little bit better. When he can show consistently doing that, then he's a Major League pitcher."
Drew Rucinski lost the shutout bid in the ninth when he gave up an RBI single to Winker. 
Niko Goodrum homered and drove in three runs for Rochester, which got solo shots from Matt Hague and John Ryan Murphy.