McBride topping own Sky Sox output

On May 14, Colorado Springs' Matt McBride went yard twice on a five-RBI night in a win over Omaha. For many, it would have stood for a while at or near the top of the season highlights.

For McBride, it lasted just little over a week.

The outfielder homered twice again Wednesday, but this time finished a perfect 5-for-5 this time -- and came a triple shy of a cycle -- plating six runs in the Triple-A Sky Sox's 9-1 win over the Albuquerque Isotopes.

Both the five hits and the six RBIs were career highs for McBride, who turns 28 on Thursday. He explained most of the hot run by attributing it to a relaxed approach at the plate.

"I really just try and not think about it too much, that can only hurt you," he said. "You stay within your routine, go about your business consistently and try and go out there and have good at-bats, not give any away. I think that's a big part of it, not getting caught up in anything."

He did, however, admit that Wednesday's showing was one he'll remember fondly.

"I think whenever anybody has a day like that, it feels good," he noted. "It was good we got the win, we had lost two in a row, so it's nice to get that. I think no matter what, though, you get five hits and it's a pretty satisfying feeling."

It's been something of a banner year for McBride, who has played catcher primarily this season, but was in right field Wednesday. The 2006 second-round pick would be second in the Pacific Coast League with a .388 average if he qualified. His eight home runs would tie him for fourth and his .800 slugging percentage through 23 games would, quite easily, land him atop the circuit.

"Like I said, I just try and keep things the same. It's pretty boring, but I try not to really think about everything. Do the same process and be consistent with that," he said. "Don't give at-bats away, grind them out if you're not feeling great for some reason on a certain day. Just go out there and battle if you have to, get your work in. Once you're out on the field play hard, have fun."

With eight homers in 23 games this year, it probably won't take long for McBride to surpass the total of 10 he supplied for Colorado Springs in 108 games last season. He thrived for the Sky Sox last year as well, hitting .344/.365/.535 with 87 RBIs, earning him a 31-game stint with the Rockies in which he batted .205 with two homers and 11 RBIs.

The possibility of hitting for a cycle did, indeed, cross his mind as he came to the plate for his fifth at-bat Wednesday.

"I mean you know what you've done previously in the other at-bats," he said. "I think anybody in that situation is aware of what they've done, so you just wanna go out and try and do what you did before, not start trying to do too much. When you try to hit a homer or a triple, usually that's when the end result doesn't work out."

Jeff Manship (3-1) yielded a run on five hits and a walk with six strikeouts in 5 2/3 frames to earn the win.