Thursday's best: Burger cycles in big game for Kannapolis

August 25th, 2017

Everything went right for Jake Burger on Thursday as he hit for the cycle and matched his career high with five hits in Class A Kannapolis' 6-5 win over Greensboro in 11 innings.
The White Sox No. 12 prospect singled in the second, homered in the third, tripled in the fifth and, after drawing a walk in the seventh, completed the fourth cycle in the history of the Kannapolis franchise with a ninth-inning double.

"He left a fastball belt-high and I took it to right," Burger told MiLB.com. "It was one of those that was kind of in between, could I have got a triple? I don't know. I don't think so, but it was placed perfectly and I was happy I was standing on second because it was the first time I hit for the cycle. Everyone was pumped up. There were a lot of hugs going around and a lot of congratulations, from both our guys and the Greensboro players."

MILB Video - Title: Watch: Burger rips triple - Url: http://www.milb.com/r/video?content_id=1767316683

Then, just for good measure, Burger added on another hit, a single, in the 11th when he reached on what was intended to be a sacrifice bunt.
"I can't even recall the last time I bunted for a base hit," Burger said. "It was just my night. It was supposed to be a sacrifice bunt, but I placed it in the right spot. It's funny how the baseball gods work sometimes."
When it was all said and done, Burger, whom the White Sox selected out of Missouri State with the 11th overall pick in the 2017 Draft, had reached base in all six of his plate appearances and was 5-for-5 with three RBIs and a run scored.

The 21-year-old has already put together two 5-for-5 games in his brief career and is batting .293 with three homers and 24 RBIs through 39 games with Kannapolis.
Other top prospect performances from Thursday's action:
No. 26 overall prospect Luis Robert (White Sox No. 4) drove in a pair of runs and collected a couple of extra-base hits in his second game back from the disabled list with the DSL White Sox. Robert, who finished 2-for-4 with a double and a triple, is hitting .280 through the first 26 games of his professional career.
D-backs No. 2 prospect Jon Duplantier matched his career high with nine strikeouts over five dominant innings for Class A Advanced Visalia. Duplantier lowered his ERA to 1.69 through 10 starts with the Rawhide after posting a 1.34 ERA in 13 games with Class A Kane County. Duplantier walked three but gave up just one hit in the scoreless outing.
Angels No. 3 prospect Matt Thaiss put Double-A Mobile on the board with a solo homer in the first inning of the club's win over Biloxi. The homer was Thaiss' ninth this season, but his first at the Double-A level. After finishing 2-for-3, Thaiss is batting .324 through 38 games with Mobile.

MILB Video - Title: Thaiss hits first Double-A homer - Url: http://www.milb.com/r/video?content_id=1768277883

Marlins No. 7 prospect Brian Miller has multiple hits in four of his past five games after going 3-for-5 with two doubles for Class A Greensboro. Miller, who is 11-for-23 (.478) over the past five games, is hitting .337 through 47 games this season.
Angels No. 8 prospect Jaime Barria picked up the win after firing five scoreless frames in his debut with Triple-A Salt Lake. Barria, 21, threw 38 of his 55 pitches for strikes, struck out two, gave up three hits and didn't issue a walk. The right-hander has had an impressive season thus far, pitching across three levels. Barria posted a 2.48 ERA (11 starts) with Class A Advanced Inland Empire and a 3.21 ERA in 12 starts with Double-A Mobile.
Phillies No. 10 prospect put together his third two-homer game of the season in Triple-A Lehigh Valley's win over Syracuse. Cozens, who has 25 homers this season, hadn't homered since July 22nd before hitting a solo blast in the fourth. Cozens later added a two-run homer in the seventh before finishing 2-for-4.

MILB Video - Title: Cozens homers again - Url: http://www.milb.com/r/video?content_id=1767795483

Red Sox No. 12 prospect Bobby Dalbec collected four hits for the first time this year and matched his season high with four RBIs for Class A Greenville. Dalbec, who finished 4-for-5 and is 6-for-10 over the past two games, highlighted a four-run third with a two-run homer, his 10th this season.

MILB Video - Title: Watch: Dalbec swats homer - Url: http://www.milb.com/r/video?content_id=1769012883

Brewers No. 14 prospect Monte Harrison posted a season-high four hits in Class A Advanced Carolina's win over Winston-Salem. Harrison got off to a fast start as he hit a two-run homer, his 21st, in the first inning en route to a 4-for-6, three-RBI performance.

MILB Video - Title: Harrison homers to left-center - Url: http://www.milb.com/r/video?content_id=1768313983

Twins No. 14 prospect Brent Rooker hit his 16th homer of the season and his seventh blast of the month in Class A Advanced Fort Myers' loss to Clearwater. Rooker, the No. 35 overall pick from the 2017 Draft, doubled in a run in the first and then hit a two-run homer in the third as he finished 2-for-4 with three RBIs.
Pirates No. 19 prospect fired 48 of his 76 pitches for strikes as he spun six scoreless innings for Triple-A Indianapolis. Holmes, who struck out five and gave up just two hits, hasn't allowed a run in three of his past five starts.
Rangers No. 19 prospect A.J. Alexy kept his opponent scoreless for the second time in his past three starts with Class A Hickory. The 19-year-old, whom the Rangers acquired in the trade, yielded two hits over six innings while walking one and striking out eight.
Orioles No. 25 prospect led Triple-A Norfolk to a win with six scoreless innings on the mound. Ynoa, who gave up just two hits and fired 57 of his 87 pitches for strikes, has a 5.38 ERA through 20 starts with the Tides, but he has thrown the ball well lately. The righty has a 2.67 ERA through five starts in August and has posted a quality start in four of his past five outings.
Rockies No. 29 prospect Chad Spanberger extended his hitting streak to eight games with the first two-homer game of his career in Rookie-level Grand Junction's win over Orem. Spanberger, hitting .303 through the first 46 games of his career, went deep in both the second and fourth innings in his 2-for-4, three-RBI performance.

MILB Video - Title: Watch: Spanberger hits second homer - Url: http://www.milb.com/r/video?content_id=1769015083