As calendar turns, Gyorko gets hot

The last eight games for Double-A San Antonio have seen one of San Diego's biggest prospects breaking out.

Since April 26, No. 5 Padres prospect Jedd Gyorko has hit two of his four home runs, two of his four doubles, picked up seven of his 15 RBIs and collected nearly as many hits (13) as in his previous 19 games combined (15).

The latest display of Gyorko's tear came Thursday with a flawless day at the plate. The infielder went 3-for-3 with a home run, three RBIs, two runs and a walk as the Missions beat the Frisco RoughRiders, 4-2.

Gyorko's homer came with one on in the third inning. He also singled in San Antonio's last run in the fifth.

MLB.com's No. 71 prospect has hit .419 (13-for-31) during the eight-game stretch with a .486 on-base percentage. In the process, Gyorko has raised his overall batting average to .272, his OBP to .380 and his slugging percentage to .427.

In turn, the 23-year-old has been looking more like the hitter who earned much hype last year with a mighty bat in the Class A Advanced California League.

The 2010 second-round Draft pick out of West Virginia University started last season with Class A Advanced Lake Elsinore, where he hit .365 in 81 games and added 18 home runs and 74 RBIs before moving up to the Texas League. He hit .288 with seven homers and 40 RBIs in 59 games with San Antonio. Between the two stops, he hit for a combined .333 with 25 homers and 114 RBIs in 140 games.

On Thursday, the Missions also were aided by starting pitcher Keyvius Sampson (2-1), who scattered one run on three hits and one walk over 5 2/3 innings for his second win. San Diego's No. 9 prospect also struck out five in the effort. First baseman Nathan Freiman doubled and drove in Gyorko for the Missions' first run in the first.