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Top prospect Heaney tosses gem for Jacksonville

Marlins No. 1 prospect Andrew Heaney allowed just one hit in six shutout innings Tuesday night, helping Double-A Jacksonville to a 4-0 victory at Chattanooga.

Heaney, ranked No. 28 on MLB.com's Top 100 Prospect list, struck out five batters as he extended his scoreless innings streak to 12. He generated nine groundouts and pitched efficiently, needing 84 pitches to beat the Dodgers affiliate.

Heaney has breezed through the Minor Leagues since the Marlins picked him ninth overall in the 2012 First-Year Player Draft out of Oklahoma State. He threw 33 consecutive scoreless innings last season between Class A Advanced Jupiter and Jacksonville and is once again at peak form to start this year. In 17 innings over three starts this season, the left-hander has a 1.56 ERA and a 16-to-3 strikeout-to-walk ratio.

Relievers Grant Dayton and James Nygren combined for three shutout innings to close out the one-hitter Tuesday. Catcher J.T. Realmuto, the Marlins No. 9 prospect, led the Suns offense. He went 3-for-5 with a double and a run. Heaney even helped his own cause at the plate, driving in a run with a sacrifice bunt.

Teddy Cahill is a reporter for MLB.com. Follow him on Twitter at @tedcahill.
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