Pelicans' Hatch strikes out baker's dozen

Thomas Hatch admits he's been on a learning curve over the first two months of his professional career. But he's piling up a lot of experience -- and strikeouts. 
The No. 11 Cubs prospect set a career high with 13 strikeouts Sunday as the Class A Advanced Myrtle Beach Pelicans fell to the Carolina Mudcats, 4-1, at Five County Stadium. Hatch, who has fanned 24 in his last three outings, allowed three runs -- two earned -- on six hits and a walk.

"The ultimate goal is to get zeros on the board," he said. "It's a byproduct of executing pitches. That was my goal coming into tonight, to be more consistent with my fastball. I haven't been throwing as many strikes that I have in the past. That's been one of our things. To be able to go out there and throw as many strikes as I did and execute with my fastball mainly. That's how the strikeouts started to pile up."

Through eight starts, Hatch (0-5) was bogged down with a 6.27 ERA. Over the course of his last two starts, the right-hander has improved to 5.19. 
"I'm starting to hit my stride as far as confidence," he said. "I was coming off a pretty good start in Salem. I've been striking out quite a few guys, but I think now coming into about my 10th start, I'm starting to feel more confident with how this life is like. It's allowing me to execute pitches at a higher level. My fastball command has been good the last two starts, as opposed to being fringy in the other ones before this. And I've got my other pitches and it's allowed me to strike out more hitters." 
In the first inning, the 22-year-old issued a one-out walk to Troy Stokes Jr., who stole second base and advanced to third on a throwing error by catcher P.J. Higgins. With two outs, 25th-ranked Brewers prospectJake Gatewood drove in Stokes with a single to center. Lucas Erceg followed with a single, but Trent Clark grounded to first to end the frame. 
"I felt good about my first inning actually," Hatch said. "I walked the second guy, which is something I've been trying to get away from. But at the end of the night, you end up with one walk, you're not mad about it. I thought I made a pretty good 0-2 pitch to their [No. 4 hitter] and he made a pretty good swing on a pretty good pitch. He hit my pitch and it got through."
Gameday box score
The 2016 third-round pick rebounded to strike out the side in the second and fanned 11 of the next 15 hitters. Hatch effectively deployed most of his four-pitch repertoire, and also gave credit to his catcher. 
"I've had Higgins quite a few times," he said. "Getting that personal connection and knowing what plays to what hitters. It's almost like a telepathic relationship at that point when he puts that pitch down and it's what you were thinking all along. That's when you start rolling. He called a great game tonight, caught a great game. We're starting to get comfortable around each other, which is big. In college, you have the same guy catching you each day and now you have two or three catchers." 
Hatch started the sixth with a strikeout of Isan Díaz, but Gatewood reached on a fielding error by shortstop Trent Giambrone and Erceg doubled him home. Righty Casey Bloomquist relieved Hatch and gave up a two-run homer to Clark.
"I was able to do well until about the sixth," Hatch said. "They put a couple of good swings up there on some good pitches. You can't be mad about when you make a good pitch and they make a good swing. You just tip your cap." 
The 2016 Big 12 Conference Pitcher of the Year amassed 130 1/3 innings during his final season at Oklahoma State and did not see any action after turning pro in 2016. Hatch thinks he's putting things together after 10 starts in the Carolina League.

"Not being able to get my feet wet last year, this was all kind of new to me," he said. "The hitters are a lot better and they're more disciplined. You can get away with a lot more stuff in college. Going from a Division I hitter to a High-A hitter is a big jump. Even in Spring Training, you face guys, but it's a little bit different when you're on the road and it counts. Just getting used to that, I feel good about it and my confidence is growing."
Erceg went 3-for-4 and was the only player in the starting lineup not to strike out.
Milwaukee's No. 18 prospect Kodi Medeiros (3-3) allowed two hits and three walks while striking out seven in 3 1/3 innings of relief.