Hurst, Cardinals break out for 12-run inning
The Cardinals sent 15 batters to the plate, collected nine hits and scored 12 times. And that was just the second inning.Scott Hurst led the offensive barrage -- accounting for a pair of hits, RBIs, and runs in the second and finishing 4-for-5 with a walk and another run scored
The Cardinals sent 15 batters to the plate, collected nine hits and scored 12 times. And that was just the second inning.
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The 16 runs were a new season high for the Cardinals -- topping their previous mark of 14 -- and the 17 hits equaled the squad's season best.
"It was a good time. It was fun," Hurst said with a chuckle. "Our game plan was to be aggressive and to be able to come out like that was kind of ridiculous. We were just getting good pitches to hit and not missing them."
The four-hit effort by Hurst is his first of the season. The third-round pick in last year's Draft was promoted from Class A Peoria on Aug. 1 and went 0-for-20 through his first five games with Palm Beach, but has rebounded to go 10-for-12 with four doubles and seven runs scored in his last three contests.
"It took me a few days to get used to it here, but I'm doing great now," he said. "I came in struggling a little, but I didn't change too much. My swing felt good, I think it was just a matter of getting my timing back and waiting for pitches that you wanna hit, and I'm doing that again and good things are happening right now."
After
Hurst stepped to the plate again after an infield pop up by O'Keefe, and laced a 3-2 offering from southpaw
"The old saying is, 'hitting is contagious.' Well, I think we just proved it right there," said Hurst.
The 22-year-old right fielder led off the fourth and hit a ground ball the other way for a single into right. He was later stranded at third. After grounding into a fielder's choice to end the next inning, Hurst drew a six-pitch walk off
"I put myself into hitters counts and capitalized on pitcher's mistakes today," Hurst said. "I didn't chase, and I got some great pitches to hit and didn't miss them."
Hurst picked up his fourth hit off the fourth different pitcher he faced,
"A day like today definitely helps. But, I would still say my confidence now is the same as it was when I was struggling, and that's because you have to stay positive in this game," he said. "When things are going bad, you have to know it's going to turn around and just keep playing hard. It's such a big thing to keep a good mindset and trust the process because good things are going to happen."
Pinder, Capel and
The Fire Frogs did not go down without a fight, and closed the gap to 12-9 after the seventh. 2014 first-rounder
Rob Terranova is a contributor to MiLB.com. Follow him on Twitter @RobTnova24.