Hinze busts out in a big way

Kody Hinze entered Friday's game with a .190 batting average, no homers and four RBIs. When the dust settled, his average was up to .280 with two homers and 10 RBI.

Hinze went 3-for-4 with a pair of home runs, including a grand slam, and six RBIs to power the Lexington Legends to a rain-shortened 12-8 victory over the Greenville Drive.

The 22-year-old first baseman was hitless in seven at-bats over his previous two games before connecting off Drive starter Roman Mendez for a grand slam with one out in the bottom of the first inning. In the third, Hinze drilled a two-run shot to left off Mendez that got the Legends within 7-6. He also singled in the fifth for his second three-hit game of the season.

Hinze was selected by the Pirates in the 46th round of the 2005 Draft and joined the Houston organization in 2008. He spent last season with Lexington and the Rookie-level Gulf Coast League Astros, combining to hit .224 with five homers and 28 RBIs in 59 games.

Hinze is a patient hitter whose on-base percentage was .339 last season.