Travs' Cowart hits first Double-A homer

Kaleb Cowart has had a rough introduction to the Texas League, but he showed signs Saturday that he's getting better acquainted.

The Angels' top prospect hit his first Double-A homer in the eighth inning of Arkansas's 9-3 win over Springfield. He finished 2-for-5 with his first two RBIs of the season and is batting .187 with four extra-base hits, eight walks and 22 strikeouts through 21 games with the Travelers.

Angels No. 8 prospect Travis Witherspoon also had two hits, including his first homer of the season. Matt Long went 2-for-4 with a triple, three runs scored, an RBI and a walk in support of Matt Oye who allowed one run on four hits and three walks over six innings for the win.

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Astros No. 3 prospect George Springer hit his Texas League-leading seventh homer to power Corpus Christi to an 11-0 romp over Frisco. The center fielder finished 2-for-4 and scored twice. Second baseman Enrique Hernandez tripled, drove in three runs and scored twice as part of a 3-for-5 night, while DH Michael Burgess doubled, singled, drove in two runs and scored once.

Bobby Doran improved to 3-0 after striking out four and allowing four hits and three walks over five innings. Under the organization's piggybacking system, Nick Tropeano -- Houston's No. 9 prospect -- earned the save by fanning seven and yielding three hits over four innings.

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Jameson Taillon may have been the more prominent prospect on the mound, but it was Kyle Lobstein who stood out in Erie's 3-1 win over Altoona. The SeaWolves starter struck out eight and allowed one run on seven hits and a walk in seven innings. He's 2-2 with a 3.56 ERA in five starts.

Taillon, the Pirates' No. 2 prospect, dropped to 2-2 with a 3.03 ERA after giving up three runs on five hits and two walks in 5 2/3 innings. He fanned seven, giving him 30 strikeouts through 29 2/3 innings.

Jamie Johnson tripled and drove in two runs for Erie.

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It's not often that a 14-run offensive output can be overshadowed, but Alex Wood managed to do that. The Braves' No. 6 prospect struck out six and allowed five hits and a walk over five innings in Mississippi's 14-0 rout of Huntsville. The strong outing extended his scoreless streak to a team-record 18 2/3 innings. He also contributed an RBI groundout in a six-run second inning.

Barrett Kleinknecht homered, doubled and drove in three runs for the M-Braves, who also got longballs from Christian Marrero and Edward Salcedo. Mycal Jones and Emerson Landoni both contributed two RBIs.