Springfield's Alvarez drives in career-high six

Eliezer Álvarez hasn't had much of a chance to show off his skills this year, but on Saturday, the Cardinals' No. 19 prospect showed exactly what he's capable of when healthy.
Alvarez drove in a career-high six runs on a three-hit night to propel Double-A Springfield to a 12-5 win over Corpus Christi at Hammons Field. 

Gameday box score
It's been a difficult season for the native of the Dominican Republic. Following a standout 2016 campaign when he batted .323 with 36 doubles and 36 stolen bases for Class A Peoria, Alvarez skipped Class A Advanced. However, he got off to a slow start with Springfield before going on the disabled list on May 16 with a high-ankle sprain that would sideline the second base prospect for just over two months.
"He's just got to worry about the moment, whether it be an at-bat or a defensive play or on the basepaths," Springfield manager Johnny Rodriguez said. "He just needs to forget about what happened over the past few months and build a little bit each day."
After ripping a two-run double to right in the first, Alvarez plated two more runs with a single in the second. The 22-year-walked in the fifth before lacing another two-run double in the eighth. It was the first three-hit game of the season for Alvarez, who also tied a season high with five total bases.
"We're just trying to get him to find his rhythm," Rodriguez said. "He's had good games and then others when his rhythm hasn't been there, but today it was there. A game like this will build confidence. You could tell today, with each at-bat, he was more locked in and tracking the ball well."

Since rejoining the Cardinals on July 31 after a seven-game stint in the Rookie-level Gulf Coast League, Alvarez is hitting .255 with a homer, five doubles and 13 RBIs. He sports a .683 OPS with three homers, nine doubles and 22 RBIs in 42 games with Springfield. 
"His bat has some juice and he can run. The ball comes off his bat well and he can drive the ball to left-center. He can hit the ball a long way and it comes out hot when he gets the ball. He's got a real good hit tool," Springfield's skipper said.
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Jose Adolis Garcia continued his impressive debut season. The 24-year-old Cuban collected three more hits and is batting .297 with 13 homers and 55 RBIs with Springfield and Triple-A Memphis.
"He didn't even play for the first few weeks of Spring Training because he needed to get his visa settled. And he started here and the first few weeks you could tell he had to get used to the fact that everyone here has stuff. You don't face that in the international leagues, so he was trying to catch up," Rodriguez said. "But he started to dial in more and hit .300 in Triple-A and since he got back here, he's been locked in. He has caught up to the level of play."
Garcia also has turned heads with his play in the field.
"He's got a true right fielder's rocket," Rodriguez added. "He can run and has a very strong physique. He's a tremendous athlete and is just going to get better."
Astros No. 15 prospectRamón Laureano collected three hits, including a triple, and drove in two runs for the Hooks.