Phillies right-handed prospect Julio Rodriguez is having a career year. As the season enters its final few weeks, his performance Thursday night implies he doesn't plan on slowing down.

The Florida State League Midseason All-Star allowed two hits and a walk while striking out eight batters over seven innings in Class A Advanced Clearwater's 2-0 shutout of Brevard County. It marked his 16th win of the year, two more than any other pitcher in the Minors.

Rodriguez was perfect the first time through the lineup, but he ran into trouble in the fourth inning -- the only time he allowed an opposing hitter to reach base.

Scooter Gennett broke up his no-hit bid with a single to center field and D'Vontrey Richardson drew a two-out walk. Hunter Morris then slapped a base hit to right field, but Richardson was thrown out at third base.

Selected by the Phillies in the eighth round of the 2008 Draft, the Puerto Rican native settled down immediately. He struck out Kentrail Davis to leave runners on the corners, and he was perfect over his final three innings before turning over a 1-0 lead to the bullpen in the eighth.

Rodriguez, the reigning Florida State League Pitcher of the Week, has been dominant for long stretches of 2011. He was 5-0 with a 1.67 ERA over his first six starts, and he was victorious in seven consecutive outings between July 4 and Aug. 6.

He has surrendered three or fewer hits in 12 of his 25 appearances, and on seven occasions this year, he has not allowed a run. He is holding hitters to a .191 batting average -- the lowest in the FSL -- and he ranks second with 150 strikeouts and sixth with a 2.84 ERA.

Rodriguez was a combined 7-3 with a 1.89 ERA in short-season Williamsport and Class A Lakewood last year, and he posted a 1-3 record over 18 appearances for the Phillies' Gulf Coast affiliate between 2008 and '09.

On Thursday, Jiwan James drove home Cesar Hernandez with a two-out single to left field in the third, and Troy Hanzawa added an insurance run in the eighth with a run-scoring groundout.

Juan Sosa struck out two batters in retiring the side in order in the eighth, and Jordan Whatcott started a 1-6-3 double play to work around Juan Sanchez's leadoff single in the ninth to earn his ninth save. Tyler Thornburg (3-5) took the loss for the Manatees, despite striking out 10 batters over seven innings. He allowed one run on three hits and a walk.