Reyes registers best pro start for P-Nats

Luis Reyes checked off a box that was important to him during the best outing of his five-year pro career.
The right-handed Washington prospect lasted a career-high eight innings, giving up two hits and tying a season high with 10 strikeouts as Class A Advanced Potomac ripped Down East, 10-0, on Thursday. 

"[Reyes] shared with me that in his career he'd never been [past] seven innings," Potomac pitching coach Franklin Bravo said. "So today he broke his record. He was very excited and that was very important to Luis."
Gameday box score
Reyes (5-5) was focused right from the start. The 22-year-old struck out five of the first six hitters en route to retiring 10 in a row.
"He was on from the first inning," Bravo said. "Everything started from the first batter. He was striking out guys with both his fastball and his breaking ball, and he was mixing his pitches well down in the zone. He didn't do anything differently that inning. He stayed aggressive and was attacking everyone.
"He doesn't worry about striking hitters out. He just concentrates on attacking hitters and letting them put the ball in play. He's just been executing his pitches very well, and when he does that, the hitter is going to strike himself out."
Down East had a runner on second with one out in the fourth, but Reyes escaped the jam and began a stretch in which he retired 14 in a row to get through the eighth.
"He was strong in the last inning. As the game went on, he was more impressive. He was lights-out all night long," Bravo said. "The key for him is to repeat his delivery. He's been focused this year because he had trouble doing that last year. He's been working so hard on not flying open, and this year, he's been working on staying closed longer down the mound."
Reyes, who ranks second on the circuit this year with 72 strikeouts and 68 2/3 innings pitched, sports a 4.06 ERA and a 1.25 WHIP in 12 starts. He also struck out 10 over six innings in a May 21 win over Lynchburg.
Over his last two outings, Reyes has hurled 14 scoreless innings with 17 strikeouts and no walks. 

"His stuff is getting better every day," Bravo said. "It's putting him ahead of the hitter and that's what's helping through these last few outings. I can see the improvements he's making. He knows how to handle himself on the mound much better than he did last year. I think he's going to be much more consistent as this year goes on."
Tyler Skulina worked a perfect ninth of relief.
Second baseman Austin Davidson fell a homer short of the cycle and first baseman Ian Sagdal went 4-for-4 with a pair of doubles and three RBIs for Potomac.