Coleman breaks out for RiverDogs

Kendall Coleman's ability to shrug off an 0-for-3 outing in the first game of Monday's doubleheader against Delmarva turned out to be a key factor in his big showing in the nightcap.

The Yankees prospect went 2-for-2 with two homers and five RBIs as Class A Charleston beat the Shorebirds, 7-2, to salvage a split of the twinbill.

"[Even though] I was 0-for-3 in the first game, I was seeing the ball pretty well," the 20-year-old left fielder said. "So I was excited when I saw my name in the Game 2 lineup and was ready to get back out there. To be successful in this game, you can't think about the past, whether it's game to game or even at-bat to at-bat. The first game did not affect me. I'm always focused on the next at-bat."

After Chris Gittens drew a leadoff walk in the second inning, Coleman belted his first homer of the season over the right-field fence. 

"The first one is always the hardest to get," he said. "I'm just happy to contribute to a great team win and end this long road trip strong."

The Yankees selected Coleman out of high school in the 11th round of the 2013 Draft. The left-handed-hitting prospect batted .236 with five homers and 24 RBIs in 58 games for Rookie-level Pulaski in 2015. The Texas native said he's excited to take on the challenges that await him in his first season at Class A. 

"It's my first year playing with a full-season club, so I'm looking forward to the grind of the next four months," said Coleman, who established single-game bests in homers and RBIs. "I am trying to let the game come to me. Baseball is already fast, so I understand speeding it up, and putting pressure on myself will only make it that much more challenging."

After working a walk in his next plate appearance in the fourth, Coleman turned on the first pitch he saw in the sixth and launched it over the right-field fence to accomplish a career first.

"It's my first multi-home run game at any level," he said. "It's a great feeling to finally get that done."

Coleman's career day is a sign that hard work to refine an opportunistic approach is paying off.

"[I need to] continue to be aggressive to not miss my pitch," he said. "[I'm working on] getting my body in the right position to hit."

The win wrapped up a week-long road trip for Charleston. While his team has been busy with a full slate of games, Coleman always keeps an eye on his beloved Dallas Stars, who are in the second round of the Stanley Cup playoffs.

"I think our chances are pretty good," he said. "You can mark my words, if Tyler Seguin gets healthy and is able to play, we will bring the Cup back to Dallas."

Gittens doubled, walked twice and scored three runs for Charleston. 

Cedric Mullins went 3-for-3 with a triple, two doubles and two RBIs in the opener to pace Delmarva to a 5-0 victory.