Glasnow starts another scoreless streak

In his last start, Tyler Glasnow saw an 18-inning scoreless streak come to an end. On Sunday afternoon, he started another.

The Pirates top prospect allowed two hits and recorded eight strikeouts over seven innings, pitching Class A Advanced Bradenton to a 3-0 blanking of visiting St. Lucie.

"These past few starts, I think I've done a better job of being more consistent with my routine before a game and, after that fifth day, getting ready and preparing throughout the week," Glasnow said after issuing one walk. "The consistency has been there, and when I do fall out of feeling good, I know a way to get back into it."

The 20-year-old right-hander gave up singles in the first and fourth innings and walked Gilbert Gomez in the third. Other than that, he was perfect. He retired the final 10 Mets he faced on the way to matching his longest outing of the season.

"The goal is really just to do well every time and be consistently good," said Glasnow, who lowered his ERA to a Florida State League-leading 1.43. "The walks have gone down a good amount. That's really not something that I've focused on. The more I've gone out and not worried about walks, it's gone better for me. I feel like experience is going to help me with control."

In his previous start on Tuesday at Jupiter, Glasnow (11-5) had an 18-inning scoreless streak stopped in a 6-1 victory. Prior to that outing, the 2011 fifth-round pick hadn't given up a run since July 27. He's won seven of his last eight starts and hasn't yielded an earned run in six of them.

"I think I've done a pretty good job separating the emotional part of it," Glasnow said. "Like, 'Oh, this batter felt good,' or 'This other day, this felt better.' I don't really think about that. But definitely from inning to inning, sometimes you feel better. Sometimes you get ahead of hitters better. The games that I'm good, the focus comes quick. You know what you do with a situation faster."

After going 3-0 with a 0.70 ERA in five June starts, Glasnow's numbers were elevated a bit in July, when he was 3-2 with a 1.82 ERA. Sunday's start continued his best month of the season as he improved to 4-0 with a 0.36 ERA, 34 strikeouts against 10 walks and a .122 opponents' average in August.

"That was something that the Pirates always talked about -- it's not how you start, it's how you finish," Glasnow said. "I think the first half, the first month wasn't that great for me. I feel like the second half has been the best I've ever felt. These last couple starts have been the hardest I've ever thrown."

Justin Howard led off the Marauders' second inning with his second homer to give Glasnow all the support he needed. Jose Osuna added a two-out solo shot in the sixth.

St. Lucie starter Seth Lugo (7-2) took the loss after giving up two runs on five hits and three walks while striking out four across seven innings.