Generals even series behind Miroglio's bat

Some players thrive on the increased pressure of postseason baseball. Dominic Miroglio seems to fall neatly into that category although he's focused on one thing -- winning.
Arizona's No. 30 prospect snapped a third-inning tie and finished with a triple, three hits and two RBIs as Double-A Jackson defeated Biloxi, 7-3, on Wednesday night at The Ballpark at Jackson. The win evened the best-of-5 Southern League Championship Series at 1-1.

The Shuckers took the first game, 7-0, behind six-plus innings from Braden Webb, so the Generals felt it was imperative to bounce back in Game 2.
"I felt great out there, but it's also a team-first mentality at this point," Miroglio said. "The numbers stop counting for us and that's a good thing in many ways. It's all about the wins and losses now. So in essence, you're up there wanting to contribute and not worrying about your personal stuff. It's a weight off your shoulders."
Jackson fell behind by three runs in the first inning as Arizona's top prospect Jon Duplantier failed to escape the frame. The club scratched out a run in the bottom of the first on Marty Herum's RBI single and added another in the second. Miroglio stroked a leadoff triple to right field on a ball that deflected off Biloxi center fielder Corey Ray, Milwaukee's No. 2 prospect, and scored on Galli Cribbs Jr.' groundout to second. Jay Gonzalez's RBI double tied the game in the third and Miroglio followed with a two-run single to center to put the Generals ahead to stay.
Gameday box score
The 23-year-old added an infield single in the fifth and flied out to center in the seventh for his fourth multi-hit effort in the playoffs and third in four games. Rudy Flores pushed across two insurance runs with a single in the seventh for Jackson, which is aiming for its second championship in three years.
"It's the same thing as it always is when you get guys in scoring position," Miroglio said. "You try and attack the balls that come over the heart of the plate. One of the adjustments you need to make at this level is going after that pitch because if you miss it, you may not get another one. Tonight, I was able to do that, and we reaped the benefits."
Arizona's 20th-round pick out of the University of San Francisco in 2017 earned midseason and postseason All-Star nods for his performance in the Class A Advanced California League this season. Miroglio batted .327/.394/.460 with 28 extra-base hits and 42 RBIs in 76 games for Visalia prior to his promotion.
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The catcher's numbers took a dip when he hit .231/.259/.308 in 21 Double-A games, but he's found a second wind during the Generals' postseason run. Following his three-hit night, the Oakland, California, native has compiled a slash line of .500/.560/.727 with four extra-base hits, eight runs scored and six RBIs in seven playoff games.
"I think most of it is simply adjusting to the game," Miroglio said. "I went through same thing early on with Visalia. Once I got comfortable, it got a lot easier. That's easier said than done, especially at this level, but I saw some success early [with Jackson] and then hit a stretch of difficulty. The game is a bit different [at Double-A]. It's a little bit quicker and the pitching is tougher, but I've been fortunate that the adjustments I made have led into the playoffs rather than the offseason or fall ball."
Ben DeLuzio went 2-for-3 with two walks, two runs scored and a stolen base for Jackson.
Duplantier, MLB.com's No. 67 overall prospect, allowed three runs on one hit and tied a career high with five walks while retiring two batters in the opening frame. Ryan Atkinson (1-0), Miguel Aguilar, Michael Blazek and Kevin Ginkel combined to strike out 12 over 8 1/3 scoreless innings of relief for the Generals.

"He is one of the most competitive people I've ever been around," Miroglio said of Duplantier. "He didn't have it tonight, but that competitiveness never left. He could have gone for his workouts, but he stayed in the dugout the entire game cheering us on. That's a great attitude and it was a real help having him there for us."
Top Brewers prospect Keston Hiura delivered an RBI single and No. 4 Lucas Erceg had a bases-loaded walk during the Shuckers' three-run first.
Starter Zack Brown (0-1) -- Milwaukee's eighth-ranked prospect -- allowed five runs on six hits and a walk in 2 1/3 innings.
The series shifts to MGM Park in Biloxi for Game 3 at 7:35 p.m. on Friday.