Hamilton goes inside-the-park again

Billy Hamilton's legendary speed has him near the top of the Minor Leagues in stolen bases. It also helped produce his first Midwest League home run.

Hamilton smacked his second career inside-the-park homer Tuesday, putting the finishing touches on the Dayton Dragons' 7-2 victory over the Bowling Green Hot Rods.

The Dragons had a 5-1 lead in the bottom of the seventh when Hamilton hit a drive to the warning track in left-center field. The ball bounced off the fence and Hamilton circled the bases, beating the relay throw to the plate with a head-first slide.

It was the third career homer and the second of the inside-the-park variety for the Reds' second-round pick in the 2009 Draft. His first homer left the park for short-season Billings on Aug. 6.

Considered the Reds' leadoff man of the future, Hamilton earned Pioneer League All-Star honors after hitting .318 with two homers, 24 RBIs and 48 stolen bases in 69 games. The 20-year-old shortstop is batting .269 with five RBIs and 14 steals this season. He trails Emmanuel Burriss of Triple-A Fresno by one for the Minor League stolen base lead.

"Right now he's outrunning the baseball," Dragons manager Delino DeShields told the Cincinnati Enquirer. "He's got game-changing speed."