Riding high with two young stars
Keston Hiura and Mauricio Dubón have long been regarded as two of the best young prospects in the Milwaukee Brewers' minor-league system, and both have lived up to the billing in the early going of the San Antonio Missions' debut season in the Triple-A Pacific Coast League.Dubon stroked the game-winning
Dubon stroked the game-winning hit in the bottom of the ninth for the second night in a row, and Hiura doubled and homered in his last two at-bats, leading the Missions to a 6-5 victory over the Memphis Redbirds Wednesday night in front of 2,532 at Wolff Stadium.
With their second-straight 6-5 win in as many nights, the Missions (5-2) clinched their second straight series to open the season, and they also maintained a hold on first place in the PCL's American Southern Division.
Both Dubon and Hiura said it's not an accident that the team is off to a fast start.
While the Missions seem loaded with talent, the two middle infield standouts credit a solid work ethic for the ball club's early success.
Afternoon drills are rigorous and competitive.
"Good things happen for a reason," Dubon said. "We bust our behinds in the afternoon. Everybody here works hard. Everybody has a great work ethic. That's why we're in the position we're at."
The competitive nature of the players on the Missions is linked with a winning culture within the Brewers, Hiura said.
"It's exciting to be a part of the Brewers' organization right now," he said. "With all the success on the big-league team, it's definitely exciting to be here … We're looking to have success this year, and then build off that."
Hiura, for one, is not looking too far ahead.
He doesn't want to get caught in a mental trap of trying to anticipate a call-up to the big leagues, which, in the big picture, is entirely possible.
It's even possible that he could be in position to play in the major league postseason this year, if everything works out for him.
Hiura brushed off that line of questioning.
"The season just started," he said. "Everyone's just focused on getting off to a good start. Getting back into a rhythm. Playing every single day. Recovering with the body. I think everybody's just focusing on that.
"Of course, people think about the (major league) opportunity, if it does present itself. But for me, at this point, I'm just trying to get as many reps as I can. To be able to see the ball well. Hit the ball well. Make plays on defense, and everything in between.
"That's definitely my mindset right now. I'm excited to be here in Triple-A, in San Antonio. It's a great group of guys."
Leading 5-3 entering the ninth, the Missions could not hold the lead. The Redbirds tied it with two runs off reliever
But, their offense came through when it mattered in the bottom half.
Dubon rapped a ball into left off
It wasn't unlike what happened Tuesday night in the home opener, when the 24-year-old from Honduras singled to drive in two against
"The same guy did it again," one reporter told Missions manager Rick Sweet later.
"Don't see that very often, do you?" Sweet replied. "Two very good at bats (both nights). That was the biggest thing. Really good at bats."
Hiura's at bats in the sixth and eighth innings also were eye-openers for fans who have never seen him play.
The former NCAA batting champion at UC Irvine smashed a ground-rule double to the base of the wall in the sixth, driving in one run, and then clobbered a homer in the same direction in the eighth to score two more.
"He was drafted (in the first round) because he was the best hitter in the country coming out of college," Sweet said. "He has not slowed down since. Nobody has seen him struggle. He struggled the first three or four games here. Two-three games, just getting used to it, getting used to the level.
"But he can hit, and the ball just jumps off his bat."
For the season, Hiura is batting .320, with three doubles and two homers. He struck out 13 times in the first five games in Oklahoma City, but hasn't struck out yet in two games at home.
Dubon is batting .296 and seems to be getting more and more comfortable at the plate as the season progresses.
Hiura is regarded as the No. 1 prospect in the Brewers' minor-league system, followed by Ray at No. 2 and Dubon at No. 5.
Ray, an all-star in the Double-A Southern League last season, is struggling with a .167 batting average and a PCL-high 15 strikeouts.
He is 0-for-9 in the two home games against Memphis, but Sweet didn't seem overly concerned.
"He's just got things … to work on, things he's got to do to get back (in rhythm)," Sweet said. "You look at the numbers, and he had a fantastic year last year. But in this game, especially when you go to a new level, you have to adjust to that level. He's working on getting adjusted to the level here."
Notes
The Missions close out a three-game series with the Redbirds Thursday night at Wolff. The homestand continues Friday with the first of four straight games against the Nashville Sounds.