Braves prospect Tommy Hanson is quickly making a name for himself in the Carolina League. Dan Trudeau shared the following:
Tommy Hanson said he didn't have his best stuff Saturday night. Try telling that to the Kinston Indians.
Hanson struck out six and gave up one hit over six innings to continue his near-flawless season as the Myrtle Beach Pelicans coasted to an 8-0 victory over the Indians.
In four starts, the 21-year-old right-hander has yielded just one unearned run on five hits while striking out 32 over 22 innings.
"I feel really good," Hanson said. "I think the reason I've been getting guys out is I've been able to command all my pitches and get them in the zone. All three of them feel pretty good."
Kinston's Brian Juhl doubled with two outs in the third and Adam Davis walked, but Hanson ended the threat by getting John Drennan to line out to second base. The Indians managed just one more baserunner until Kelvin Villa came on in relief in the seventh.
"My fastball, I was trying to get ahead [with it] and mix in my breaking ball," explained Hanson, the Braves' 22nd-round pick in 2005. "The second time around, I was throwing the changeup to lefties. It worked well."
The Pelicans staked Hanson to a big lead with five runs in the top of the first. Midwest League Player of the Year Gorkys Hernandez led off with his second homer of the season and Jon Owings added a two-run shot.
Myrtle Beach added single runs in the fifth, seventh and ninth, when Ernesto Meija hit his first Carolina League homer.
Thomas, the reigning Carolina League Pitcher of the Week, said the Pelicans' potent offense allowed him to relax and take an aggressive approach to the Kinston lineup.
"It's a little bit easier if you have a five-run lead after the first," he said. "My catcher, [Tyler] Flowers, is doing a great job behind the plate calling games. We're on the same page every game."
Willie Cabrera contributed a two-run double for Myrtle Beach (8-8).
Carlton Smith (0-1) lasted 6 1/3 innings for the Indians (3-9) and was reached for seven runs -- five earned -- on seven hits. He walked one and struck out two.
Dan Trudeau is a contributor to MLB.com. This story was not subject to the approval of the National Association of Professional Baseball Leagues or its clubs.
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