Acuna racks up four more hits for M-Braves

You can't stop Ronald Acuña Jr., you can only hope to contain him.
A night after collecting three hits, including two doubles, Atlanta's No. 7 prospect added four more knocks in Double-A Mississippi's 9-3 win over Jackson on Wednesday. Over his last five contests, Acuna has hit .565 (13-for-23) with four doubles and two RBIs. 

"The kid is special overall," Mississippi hitting coach Ivan Cruz said. "Ever since he got here, all he's done is hit. He's got a very advanced approach at the plate for a 19-year-old. He keeps it simple, is always ready to hit, and right now isn't missing much. One thing that jumps out at me is his pitch recognition at such an early age. He's swinging at strikes and he's not missing them."
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Acuna's eight-game hitting streak comes on the heels of a 1-for-19 slump that lasted for five games from May 16-21. Since then, the Venezuela native has gone 17-for-34 with four doubles and three RBIs. 
"Breaking out of a slump like this shows his ability to adjust," Cruz added. "We have to make adjustments every day, not just physically but mentally. He's not only showing us, but himself that he is able to make the adjustments -- not only when he's going well -- but when things aren't going your way, what are you prepared to do? And Ronald is showing everybody he's able to make adjustments pitch by pitch."
The only time Acuna didn't reach in the game was in the first inning, when he lined a ball sharply to short. Even though it went down as a lineout, the hit caught the attention of the dugout.
"Acuna has the ability to drive the baseball and get ahead in the count because of his pitch recognition. So when he's making outs, they're loud outs," Cruz said. 

In the third, Acuna showed off his wheels to beat out a soft ground ball to first base. In his next trip, he singled to right field and then took second for his first of two stolen bases of the game, giving him 12 since joining the M-Braves on May 9.
"He puts pressure on the defense," Cruz added. "Since he can run, as a consequence, the infielders will play a little closer and open up holes. I think that's going to be a major part of his game."
Acuna added a single to center in the sixth, then went to back up the middle again in the eighth.
"He has the ability to drive the baseball," Cruz added. "And if you think about it, the ability to drive the baseball doesn't always translate. If you have the ability to drive the ball but swing at bad pitches, then your swing will not play."
In 21 games since being promoted from Class A Advanced, Acuna has produced a .415/.467/.634 slash line with three long balls and 15 RBIs. If he had enough at-bats to qualify, Acuna's 1.102 OPS would be the best mark in the Southern League. 
"I'm not surprised at all with how he's doing," Cruz said. "All he does is put good swings at strikes. He's not chasing outside the zone, and as a consequence, he's either even or ahead in the count. And he also has a very good two-strike approach, which is also impressive for such a young hitter."

The Braves also received big production from Joey Meneses, who belted two homers and plated four runs. The 26-year-old has five hits and six RBIs in his last two games. 
"Meneses has made some adjustments on balls that are closer to him," Cruz said. "He has big coverage and can hit the ball the other way. I think right now he's getting himself ready a little sooner so he can recognize the pitches that he can put a good swing on. He's coming along really well and putting himself in a good position to hit."

Fourth-ranked Atlanta prospect Mike Soroka (6-3) let up 11 hits, but limited Jackson to three runs. The 2015 first-round pick also helped his own cause with an RBI double in the sixth.
"I can't take credit for that hit," Cruz said with a laugh. "Mike enjoys pitching, playing defense and hitting. He's off the charts in terms of his makeup and his work ethic. He's going to be a front-line Major League starter."