Puk posts professional-best 13 punchouts

A.J. Puk has begun to show Texas League hitters the elite stuff that made him the sixth overall pick in last year's Draft.
Oakland's top pitching prospect posted a career-high 13 strikeouts Thursday while allowing three runs on three hits and a pair of walks over 6 2/3 frames as Double-A Midland fell to San Antonio, 5-3, at Security Bank Ballpark.

Puk retired the first 14 Missions he faced before surrendering a single to River Stevens in the fifth inning. The left-hander set down the next four batters in a row, and entered the seventh having faced one over the minimum.
"I was able to get ahead of hitters and my changeup was really good," Puk said. "All my pitches were working. ... My command was really good and I was able to go out there and challenge hitters."
The 22-year-old ran into trouble in the seventh. After walking Javier Guerra to open the frame, he fanned Stephen McGee, but yielded a double to Franmil Reyes. Guerra came across to score on a groundout by Ty France, and Stevens singled home Reyes to chase Puk from the game. He was charged with one more run in the inning when Webster Rivas plated Stevens with a single off reliever Carlos Navas (2-4).
Gameday box score
"It feels like I haven't gone for seven innings in a while. I felt good, strong," the Iowa native said of his final frame. "I just fell behind a couple hitters and they got a couple hits and then I was out of the game."
Puk, who didn't factor into the decision, eclipsed his previous high of 12 strikeouts set on June 3 with Class A Advanced Stockton in a 9-3 victory over Lancaster. He finished Thursday's outing in 85 pitches, 58 of which were strikes.
MLB.com's No. 39 overall prospect said the continued development of his two-seam fastball helped him to work more efficiently, while also giving hitters a different look early in counts.

"I definitely threw [my two-seamer] a good amount," Puk said. "I think it helps out a lot with my changeup because I can go two-seam, changeup. I think to the hitter's eye, it's tough for them to pick out which one it's going to be."
Through eight starts with the RockHounds since his promotion from the California League on June 16, Puk has gone 1-3 with a 5.66 ERA, 45 strikeouts and 19 walks in 35 innings. Over his last three outings, however, he has given up just seven runs on 10 hits while racking up 25 punchouts over 15 2/3 frames.
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"I think I've been throwing the ball pretty well of late," the 6-foot-7, 220-pound southpaw said. "There might be one inning here or there I struggle with. I've tried to minimize that as much as I can. It just kind of came together tonight."
Oakland's 19th-ranked prospect Max Schrock finished 2-for-3 with a home run, two RBIs and two runs scored for Midland. Newly acquired No. 5 Jorge Mateo plated a run on one hit.
Padres No. 2 prospectCal Quantrill -- taken two picks after Puk in the 2016 Draft -- surrendered three runs on seven hits with two walks and three strikeouts over six innings for the Missions. Trey Wingenter tossed a perfect ninth to notch his 15th save.