Glasnow gets comfortable, stays scoreless

At 20 years old, Tyler Glasnow is growing into the player he was projected to be.

Feeling comfortable on the mound, the Pirates' second-ranked prospect recorded 11 strikeouts and allowed four hits over six innings Tuesday night as Class A Advanced Bradenton edged Dunedin, 1-0.

Glasnow (7-4) gave up two hits in the top of the first before settling down. Peter Mooney and Shane Opitz started the Blue Jays' fifth with singles and Gustavo Pierre reached on a sacrifice to load the bases with nobody out.

The 20-year-old right-hander struck out Ian Parmley, retired Nick Baligod on a foul pop-up and fanned Emilio Guerrero to preserve a 1-0 lead.

"I knew that even with the bases loaded, I still had to go about the hitters the same way. I just had to lock down and find my best self. I knew I had to get a strikeout and I was able to get two and a pop-up," Glasnow said. "[Getting out of the jam was] one of the better feelings I've had in pro ball. I had lots of adrenaline after that."

After averaging 5.2 walks per nine innings in his first 12 starts, MLB.com's No. 22 overall prospect issued two free passes on Tuesday and threw 67 of 96 pitches for strikes.

"I was feeling pretty good command-wise the past two starts. I feel like I'm starting to figure myself out, I'm not really trying to overthrow," Glasnow said. "I'm just getting aggressive when I get in iffy situations. I'm not going into survival mode when I get into trouble."

In his second full Minor League season, the 6-foot-7 California native ranks second in the Florida State League with a 1.64 ERA and fourth with 97 strikeouts. He said he's learning what it takes to be successful on the mound.

"I'm just growing into myself, I'm knowing who I am now. It's starting to get easier -- it's not easy by any means, but it's easier," Glasnow added. "I'm handling myself better emotionally, just growing up. Last year, I used to be really nervous before starts, I used to just overthrow because that's all I knew what to do. But now I've settled down.

"Nerves are going to be a little different for every game, but you can go out and have a game plan and not be so amped out and freaked out. You can stop and slow everything down and pitch well."

Since going 0-3 with a 3.71 ERA in his first four starts, Glasnow is 7-1 with a 1.10 ERA in his 12. He turned the ball over Jhondaniel Medina, who escaped the seventh when Pierre was thrown out at the plate trying to score on Parmley's double. Yhonathan Barrios worked a 1-2-3 ninth for his third save.

The Marauders scored the only run their starter needed in the first, when Adam Frazier led off with a single, moved up on a sacrifice by Walker Gourley and came home on a two-out base hit by Jordan Steranka.