Red-hot Rosario cracks three hits for 51s

Triple-A Las Vegas manager Pedro Lopez has worked to keep Amed Rosario "grounded," even as he continues to torch Pacific Coast League pitching.
MLB.com's No. 3 overall prospect collected three hits -- a double and two singles -- to raise his average to .387 as the 51s edged Sacramento, 3-2, on Saturday night at Raley Field.

Rosario came into the evening with hits in seven straight games. The Mets' top prospect immediately extended the streak with a two-out single to right field in the first inning. He singled up the middle in the third, then doubled to left leading off the fifth. Each hit came early in the count, befitting the 6-foot-2, 190-pound infielder's aggressive approach.
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"The one thing that we're trying to preach to him -- and everybody here -- is that it's an aggressive but at the same time passive approach," Lopez said. "That's what I mean by trying to keep him grounded. He's off to a good start and we just want to make sure he doesn't get too happy going out there and swinging at everything. Right now, he's doing a good job. He's staying in the middle of the field and hitting line drives left and right."

With his second three-hit game of the season, Rosario lifted his average to .387 through 16 games. Having watched as the 21-year-old compiled a .341/.392/.481 slash line in 54 games with Double-A Binghamton after a midseason promotion in 2016, Lopez said his hot start has come as little surprise.
"I saw what he did last year," the skipper said. "My hat goes off to the front office. They kept him in [Class A Advanced] St. Lucie for the first half and then when they felt like the time was right they called him up and he picked it up where he left off.
"When we're going over the scouting reports and so forth, he's the one guy that's asking questions. When a new pitcher comes in, he's always asking us what that guy has, what type of pitches. I think that's what makes him special. He listens and he tries to apply it, too."
Lopez noticed Rosario's drive before the season even began.
"He took the winter to work on his craft and on his body but also on his baseball skills, and it's showing," he said. "He's ready to go. That's a kid on a mission and he wants to be in the big leagues."

Travis Taijeron doubled twice and plated a run for Las Vegas, while Mets No. 30 prospect Phillip Evans went 2-for-3 with two RBIs.
51s starter Ricky Knapp (1-1) gave up two runs on six hits and a walk while fanning five over seven innings for the win. Paul Sewald struck out the side in the ninth to pick up his third save.
River Cats reliever Chase Johnson the Giants' No. 24 prospect, fell to 0-2 after surrendering one run on one hit while recording two outs.