News
Latos living up to top billing
Fires seven one-hit innings in second Double-A start
By John Torenli / Special to MLB.com
05/29/09 11:36 PM ET
Mat Latos is doing his best to live up to his reputation as the San Diego Padres' top pitching prospect.The 21-year-old right-hander allowed one hit and struck out seven over seven brilliant innings Friday as the San Antonio Missions rolled to an 8-0 victory over the Springfield Cardinals.
Latos (1-0), who began the year by going 3-0 with an 0.36 ERA in four appearances at Class A Fort Wayne, hasn't missed a beat since his promotion to Double-A.
The Virginia native yielded a run on one hit and three walks with four strikeouts in his San Antonio debut on Saturday at Frisco and backed it up with the best performance of his professional career.
San Diego's 11th-round pick in the 2006 First-Year Player Draft took a no-hitter into the seventh before yielding a two-out single to Tyler Henley. He got Matt Arburr to fly out to center field with his 82nd and final pitch -- 55 of which were strikes -- before walking off to a rousing ovation from the crowd of 4,381.
Brandon Gomes struck out three and allowed two hits over the final two frames to wrap up Latos' first career Double-A win. It ended the Missions' season-high four-game losing streak.
"He doesn't need to change a thing," San Antonio manager Terry Kennedy said. "We needed a stop and he got one."
Fellow prospect Mike Baxter went 4-for-5 with two doubles, a homer, three RBIs and two runs scored for the Missions, who recorded their fourth shutout.
"All year, it's been the Baxter-(Craig) Cooper show," Kennedy said. "We wouldn't be close to where we are without Mike Baxter."
Latos, who went 3-3 with a 2.57 ERA over 15 outings at three levels last season, recently was tabbed as the Padres' top Minor League hurler by Grady Fuson, San Diego's vice president of scouting and player development.
"He's answered the call on everything we've asked him to do," Fuson said after announcing Latos' promotion on May 20. "He's down in the strike zone, his velocity is great, his changeup is great. He's ready to be challenged."
All those elements were in place Friday night as Latos retired the first seven batters before walking Peter Kozma with one out in the third. Daniel Descalso drew another free pass with one out in the fourth before Latos fanned Steven Hill and Henley to end the inning.
Latos, who pitched five hitless frames against the Arizona League Rangers last Aug. 18, mowed down the next five hitters before Henley's base hit.
Tabbed a Baseball America short-season All-Star after going 1-4 with a 3.83 ERA at Eugene in 2007, Latos has been building on that resume the past two seasons.
John Torenli is a contributor to MLB.com. This story was not subject to the approval of Major League Baseball or its clubs.
