Perez continues to produce for Crawdads

Yanio Perez has been the right man at the right time for Class A Hickory this week.
After logging back-to-back three-RBI games, the Rangers' No. 15 prospect provided an encore performance on Saturday as he homered twice and drove in four runs in the Crawdads' 9-8, 10-inning win over Columbia at L.P. Frans Stadium.

Box score
"He's been swinging the bat well all year, but the last three games, it's like he found another gear," Crawdads manager Spike Owen said. "What we've been able to do the last three days is string together at-bats, kind of pass the baton so to speak. Guys doing their job of getting on base whether by a hit or a walk, and the next guy comes up and has a quality at-bat. Yanio has been coming up in some big situations and he's delivered. He's got a lot of confidence right now."
Hickory fell behind early, 3-0, but Perez jumped on the first pitch he saw from Fireflies starter Harol Gonzalez and sent it over left-center field for a solo shot in the second inning.
"To play in the big leagues, you have to be able to hit a fastball," Owen said. "That's something he obviously can do, whatever the count is. But we are preaching to them that if the first pitch is the best pitch, then go for it."
The 21-year-old outfielder followed that with a three-run shot over the right-center wall in the fourth that tied the game, 5-5.
"Our hitting coach, Kenny Hook, has been working with him in the cage on his routine," Owen said. "[Hook] has been on him as far as making sure he's not getting too big with his leg kick. Right now, his timing is really good. He's a really strong young man with power to all fields."

After drawing a walk and lining out to shortstop in his next two at-bats, Perez started Hickory's 10th with a leadoff single off reliever Joseph Zanghi. Preston Scott followed with a walk-off double to the gap in left-center.
"He had a tremendous night," Owen said. "He squared up four balls, and every ball he hit was hit hard. He's special. He's got a lot of abilities and he's got a lot of confidence working for him right now."
Rangers top prospect Leody Taveras matched Perez with three hits, while Scott added a solo homer following Perez's blast in the second.
Columbia got a solo shot from Mets No. 8 prospect Andres Gimenez and three RBIs apiece from Gene Cone and No. 20 prospect Ali Sanchez.