Tuesday's best: Ferguson turns it up to 11 for Quakes

August 2nd, 2017

One start after notching double-digit strikeouts for the first time, Caleb Ferguson did it again.
The Dodgers' No. 21 prospect set a career high with 11 strikeouts just five days after he fanned 10 for Class A Advanced Rancho Cucamonga.
Ferguson was stuck with a no-decision, but the Quakes ultimately came through with a win, topping Modesto 2-1 in 12 innings on Tuesday.
Not only did Ferguson pile up the strikeouts, but he also put together a dominant all-around game, throwing 66 of his 95 pitches for strikes across seven scoreless frames. He also issued two walks and yielded four hits.
The 21-year-old lefty has now given up two earned runs or fewer in 11 straight starts and has seen his ERA plummet from 3.73 to 2.72 over that stretch.
Ferguson, a 38th-round selection from the 2014 Draft, put together a solid season in 2016 as he posted a 2.68 ERA across 10 starts with Class A Great Lakes. Ferguson then got off to a shaky start this season, but he has come on strong recently and is 8-4 with a 2.72 ERA through 21 games (20 starts).
Other top prospect performances from Tuesday's action:
No. 16 overall prospect (Indians No. 1) drove in two runs and scored another in Double-A Akron's 5-2 win over Hartford. Mejia, hitting .322 through 69 games this season, finished 2-for-3 with a double and was also hit by a pitch.

MILB Video - Title: Watch: Mejia singles in a run - Url: http://www.milb.com/r/video?content_id=1679591183

No. 26 overall prospect Luis Robert (White Sox No. 4) hit his second professional homer as part of a 2-for-3, two-RBI effort with the DSL White Sox. Robert was appearing in his first game since July 4 as he had been out with a knee injury.
No. 30 overall prospect Bo Bichette (Blue Jays No. 2) is hitting .410 after putting up his fifth multi-hit effort over his past six games with Class A Advanced Dunedin. Bichette went 2-for-3 with a double and an RBI a day after going a perfect 4-for-4 at the plate.
No. 37 overall prospect (Athletics No. 1) put together his third straight multi-hit game as he went 3-for-4 with a double and an RBI for Triple-A Nashville. Barreto, batting .277 through 87 games with the Sounds, is on a tear recently, going 7-for-11 (.636) over his past three games.
No. 46 overall prospect Blake Rutherford (White Sox No. 5) put together his third straight multi-hit game for Class A Kannapolis. Rutherford went 3-for-4 with an RBI in the game and is batting .625 (8-for-13) over the past three games.
"I'm just looking for good pitches to hit and trying to help the team," Rutherford told MiLB.com. "It all starts with the guys hitting around me. They do a great job with taking pitches, which allows me the chance to be more comfortable when I step into the box. I've already seen a lot of what the pitcher has to offer as well as the swings my teammates take, which is always beneficial."
No. 61 overall prospect Chance Adams (Yankees No. 3) led Triple-A Scranton/Wilkes-Barre to a win with six innings of one-run ball. Adams, who improved to 7-3 through 15 starts at the Triple-A level, walked four, but was able to limit the damage to just the one run. The 22-year-old has now given up two earned runs or fewer in nine consecutive starts.
• Red Sox No. 3 prospect Michael Chavis extended his hitting streak to nine in Double-A Portland's 4-3 win over Richmond. Chavis, who finished 3-for-4, hit his 26th homer of the season in the sixth inning. The 21-year-old is batting .298 with Portland after hitting .318 with Class A Advanced Salem to being the season.

MILB Video - Title: Chavis dials long distance - Url: http://www.milb.com/r/video?content_id=1678184183

• Giants No. 11 prospect Andrew Suarez spun seven strong innings once again for Triple-A Sacramento. After giving up one run on four hits in his last start, Suarez was even better this time around as he didn't allow a run. The lefty gave up five hits and struck out six.
• Rockies No. 13 prospect went 2-for-5 with four RBIs, including a walk-off sacrifice fly in Triple-A Albuquerque's win over Iowa. Patterson provided the Isotopes with a three-run homer in the sixth inning and then ended the game with a sacrifice fly in the 12th.

MILB Video - Title: Patterson homers to right-center - Url: http://www.milb.com/r/video?content_id=1679370883

Brewers No. 14 prospect Monte Harrison homered twice, but it wasn't enough as Class A Advanced Carolina came up short against Down East. Harrison, who has a career-high 18 homers across two levels this season, finished 3-for-5 with three RBIs after hitting a solo blast in the fourth inning and a two-run shot in the seventh.

MILB Video - Title: Harrison's second homer of game - Url: http://www.milb.com/r/video?content_id=1679017883

Indians No. 22 prospect spun another quality start for Triple-A Columbus. Merritt has posted seven quality starts in his last eight turns after giving up just two hits in six scoreless innings. The 25-year-old threw 53 of his 88 pitches for strikes, didn't issue a walk and lowered his ERA to 3.14.
Rays No. 23 prospect threw 48 of his 72 pitches for strikes in a win for Triple-A Durham. Yarbrough seemingly had everything working as he gave up just one hit across six scoreless frames. The outing was a solid bounceback effort from the lefty who gave up five runs (four earned) in his last start.
• Blue Jays No. 24 prospect Patrick Murphy extended his scoreless streak with five more scoreless frames for Class A Lansing. The 22-year-old has now thrown 27 consecutive innings without allowing an earned run. Murphy, who last gave up an earned run on May 23, struck out six and gave up five hits in a no-decision for the Lugnuts.