Storm's Nix notches first career shutout

In Spring Training, the Padres challenged Jacob Nix to go deeper into games this season. It took him barely a month to prove he was up to the task.
San Diego's No. 5 prospect spun the first shutout of his career Wednesday to lead Class A Advanced Lake Elsinore to a 2-0 win over Rancho Cucamonga at The Diamond. Nix allowed two hits and struck out a career-high 11 without walking a batter.

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"I had a conversation with [our pitching] coordinator Mark Prior, and one of their big things for this year was that I wasn't going to really be on a leash like I was last year; they wanted to see how deep I could go into a game," Nix said. "They challenged me to throw seven, eight, nine innings in 100 pitches or so, and I've been trying to go as deep into games as possible. I've got to make up some innings here -- I'm a little behind my friends."
The 21-year-old right-hander started the campaign in extended spring training due to a right groin strain, missing all of April and most of May before debuting May 26 against Visalia, when he allowed two runs over five innings.
"My injury only bothered me when I pitched in games; once I got up to game intensity it would flare up," Nix said. "We tried a bunch of rehab that didn't seem to do much, then we decided to get a cortisone shot. I took a couple days off, came back and I was still feeling it ... after a week went by the pain and tightness was gone. I think the cortisone just took a while to kick in."
Nix (2-1) started his outing perfect through 5 2/3 innings before Victor Roache singled to left to give the Quakes their first baserunner. but catcher Kyle Overstreet caught Roache trying to steal second to end the frame. Rancho Cucamonga's next baserunner came in the eighth inning on Dodgers No. 18 prospectDJ Peters' leadoff double, but Nix induced a popout to short from Omar Estevez before Edwin Moreno threw out Peters at third trying to advance on a flyout to right.
"When it comes down to that situation, my focus increases and I lock in more," Nix said. "Not to say I'm not in the other situations, but those there's a little something extra."
San Diego's third-round pick in the 2015 Draft faced the minimum through 8 2/3 and struck out Roache with two outs, but a wild pitch allowed him to reach first before Errol Robinson flew out to Moreno to end the game. That strikeout of Roache gave Nix his career best in the category against a team prone to whiffs -- the Quakes are tied for for the California League lead with the Storm with 766 strikeouts in 77 games.
"Last game I faced them I went seven and had seven strikeouts, but I don't usually punch out of a ton of guys -- I don't nibble corners," Nix said. "I'm going to throw it to my spots without trying to be too fine. I hate walking guys; that's one of my biggest pet peeves. I cant stand it, it makes my blood boil."
Nix's hatred of walks has shown this season -- he's issued just four free passes over 38 innings after walking 20 batters in 105 1/3 innings for Class A Fort Wayne in 2016. The California native has had little trouble adjusting to the hitter-friendly Cal League, as his numbers are up across the board through six appearances, five of which have been starts.

"I know my abilities and what I can do out there," Nix said. "In the Cal League everyone says its hitter-friendly and the wind blows out at some places, but I grew up playing here. To me it's really not that different."
Edwin Moreno and Carlos Beren each drove in a run in the win. Moreno singled to center to plate Michael Gettys and open the scoring in the first, and Beren blooped a single over first base to score Javier Guerra in the seventh.
Devin Smeltzer (1-2) pitched well in defeat for the Quakes, allowing two runs on six hits and one walk while striking out eight over seven innings.