Storm's Lamet extends stingy stretch

Dinelson Lamet is steadily learning how to maximize his fastball as a weapon. The California League is quickly learning what happens when he's effective with it.

The Padres' 11th-ranked prospect allowed four hits and a walk over six scoreless innings to lower his ERA to 1.18 in the hitter-friendly Cal League as Class A Advanced Lake Elsinore beat Inland Empire, 6-1. 

Lamet (5-1), who struck out seven, has given up one run over his last 32 innings. He's second in the league in ERA, trailing only Tyler Carpenter (0.82), who was promoted to Double-A last week.

"It all starts with fastball command and confidence," Storm pitching coach Glendon Rusch said. "When [Lamet] combines those two on the mental side of things, it opens up opportunities for other pitches like his sharp slider and a changeup he's working on as a third weapon. This year, he's really done a pretty good job of constantly trusting his fastball, pitching with it and pitching off it.

"He had big life on his fastball today and pitched ahead for most parts. He had a real sharp slider for his out pitch and he just kind of had all the things you need to do in a winning formula."

Despite recording just one 1-2-3 inning -- the second -- Lamet was never in serious danger. Michael Strentz hit a one-out double in the fifth but was picked off by catcher Jose Ruiz. An inning later, the 23-year-old right-hander worked around Tim Arakawa's leadoff single and a stolen base. 

"Those plays are always huge," Rusch said of the pickoff, "because you're turning an inning that could have 10 more pitches to only a couple, and Ruiz has done a tremenodus job at throwing runner outs and keeping them honest."

Lamet threw 54 of 82 pitches for strikes and induced a season-high eight ground-ball outs.

"Anytime you have ground balls that are hit with medium to weak contact, you're gonna get quick outs," Rusch said. "He did that very well today by making quality pitches down in the zone."

After posting a 2.99 ERA in 26 appearances, including 24 starts, last year with Class A Fort Wayne, Lamet has made a smooth transition with improved game management by working with Rusch.

"We worked on selection, using what he uses within at-bats against hitters, whether he pitches in on the hands or up or out on the plate. These are just all the aspects he'll learn more at this level that'll make him better as he moves up," the former Major Leaguer said.

Taylor Cox followed Lamet with a scoreless seventh and T.J. Weir allowed an unearned run in the eighth before Jose Torres closed out the win.

Franmil Reyes helped jump-start the Storm with a two-run homer in the first, while Padres No. 27 prospect Luis Urias and Josh VanMeter both had two hits and combined to drive in three runs.