Seager collects four hits before wild finish

One struggle many hitters face while advancing through the Minor Leagues is adapting to a new batting coach just as they get comfortable with the previous one. Luckily for Corey Seager, he hasn't had to deal with this problem.

Seager has had the luxury of continuing his work with Mike Eylward from Class A Great Lakes to Class A Advanced Rancho Cucamonga. That continuity was evident Sunday when the Dodgers' top prospect when he went 4-for-5 with a homer and a pair of doubles in the Quakes' 9-8, 10-inning win over Lancaster.

"There's a comfort he has with the hitting coach," Quakes manager J.P. Forbes said. "Mike knows him so well as a hitter, having spent last season with him at Great Lakes. Corey, for his age, really knows his swing. He knows when something's not right, and then they work on it."

After Eylward told him to stay back at the plate more, Seager recorded his second four-hit game of the season and drove in three runs. It continued a month in which he has a .393/.464/.639 slash line over 15 games.

"Him and Mike Eylward have a great relationship, they know every day what they're working on, they have a plan every day with the drills they want to do," Forbes said. "This kid is very meticulous and advanced for a [20-year-old], very professional. The conscientiousness he has every night on the field is incredible.

"He's continuing to develop a better understanding of his zone and what he can do damage on. His footing, his timing were really good tonight. When he clicks that together, he can do some damage to the baseball."

Needing a triple to hit for the cycle, Seager struck out looking in the seventh. Lancaster rallied for an 8-7 lead in the eighth, but Rancho Cucamonga tied it in the bottom half, giving Seager another shot in the ninth.

The left-handed hitter took a 94-mph pitch from Astros No. 15 prospect Josh Hader the other way. With the JetHawks outfielders playing deep to avoid any big hits, Seager pulled up at second base.

"It crossed my mind in the last at-bat, but you need speed to get a triple," the 18th overall pick in the 2012 Draft said with a laugh.

Seager took third on a single by Chris Jacobs but was stranded when Hader -- whom Forbes called the best left-hander in the California League -- recorded back-to-back strikeouts.

In the 10th, Leo Rodriguez -- known as "the Amazing Leo" by teammates -- led off the inning with a single and advanced to second on a throwing error by shortstop Carlos Correa. James Baldwin bunted and Rodriguez sprinted home after noticing no one was covering home.

"I don't think I've ever seen an ending like that. That was pretty cool," Seager said. "Everybody went wild."

The Quakes improved to 5-1 in extra-inning games as Rob Rogers (2-1) struck out five over 2 2/3 hitless innings for the win.