Cotton brothers square off in Lancaster

Baseball has been a part of Jharel and Jamaine Cotton's relationship for most of their lives, but for the first time, the brothers faced each other in a game that counted for more than just bragging rights.

Right-handed Dodgers prospect Jharel Cotton fanned a career-high 10 en route to Class A Advanced Rancho Cucamonga's 17-4 rout over his brother's Lancaster squad.

When the Astros righty prospect, Jamaine Cotton, entered the game in the seventh inning for the JetHawks, it meant both the top and the bottom halves of the frame featured a Cotton on the mound.

"I love my brother to death. I want to see him do well and I know he feels the same, but of course, it is a competition and a rivalry," the younger Cotton said. "The outcome wasn't so good for [Jamaine], but it was fun to see him pitch."

The Rancho Cucamonga starter allowed two unearned runs on four hits and one walk over 6 2/3 frames to pick up the victory, while the Lancaster reliever yielded four runs on six hits and struck out three over two frames.

"We just push for each other, we want to see the other go far and do big things," the Quakes hurler said. "We talk not too much about pitching, but we talk about our games. [After the game,] I told him some things that he was doing. We just talk about the game, he told me I did a good job and I told him he did a good job.

"Outside of baseball, we still have a great relationship -- I love my brother -- but baseball makes it stronger."

The brothers grew up in St. Thomas, Virgin Islands. The elder Cotton attended Western Oklahoma State Community College and was drafted by Houston in 2010, while his younger brother followed two years later, first attending East Carolina and then getting picked by Los Angeles in the 2012 Draft.

"It's pretty exciting. [Our family] wants to see us both do well. My uncle, he's a big part of our lives. He told us that if we make it to the Majors, he's going to quit his job and follow us around the world. My dad would probably do the same thing," he said. "They are back in the Islands and have jobs. They just look it up on the Internet."

When his relatives look up Sunday's box score, they will see a 23-hit night for the Quakes backed up a strong outing for Jharel Cotton (3-5).

Top Dodgers prospect Corey Seager blasted two homers and tied a season high with six RBIs. The shortstop, knows a thing or two about sibling rivalry with older brothers Kyle and Justin in the Mariners organization, also had a two-homer, six-RBI game for Class A Great Lakes on June 21, 2013.

Jeremy Rathjen had a big night for Rancho as well, recording his first career five-hit night with a roundtripper, four doubles and three RBIs.

"Seager and Rath, they did a pretty good job. They were swinging the bat and they really gave me a boost on the mound," the starting pitcher said. "Tyler Ogle did a great job catching. Our team is a great team, I just hope we can keep doing well."