Biscuits' Pruitt like butter in three-hitter

Austin Pruitt issued himself a challenge on Wednesday.

"I was actually thinking to myself, 'I haven't had any games where I haven't walked anybody. Let's try to go a game without giving up any walks,'" said the 25-year-old Tampa Bay right-hander.

Pruitt met his goal. He scattered three hits while striking out five over nine innings to log his first career complete-game shutout as Double-A Montgomery beat visiting Biloxi, 1-0. He improved to 5-4 with a 2.99 ERA.

"I feel like it was kind of my night. The game [catcher Jake] DePew called was fantastic, the defense was fantastic and everything worked out," he said. "I had pretty good control of all three of my pitches and I felt like I could throw any pitch in any count."

The game lasted two hours and four minutes, thanks in no small part to Pruitt's speedy work. 

"I try to keep everyhing moving and keep the infielders on their toes," the 2013 ninth-rounder said, adding that Shuckers starter and No. 11 Brewers prospect Jorge Lopez kept the pace. "The other pitcher works pretty quick and he has real good stuff."

Pruitt threw 67 of 90 pitches for strikes and got 16 outs on the ground. The lone extra-base hit Biloxi managed off him came in the second inning, when left-handed batter Nick Ramirez pulled a 1-2 pitch into right field for a double. Pruitt responded by inducing a couple of ground balls.

"They made me work pretty hard in that inning, so I was happy to get out of it," he said, adding that he felt more comfortable as the game wore on. "Actually, the bullpen before the game was one of my worst ones. It's a good thing that it didn't translate into the game. But I did feel like I got better throughout."

Beginning with the second out of the second, Pruitt set down 11 straight. Parker Berberet led off the sixth with a single and Nick Shaw pushed him to second with a sacrifice bunt, but Pruitt got a strikeout and another grounder to move onto the seventh. Michael Reed, the Brewers' No. 17 prospect, lined a single with one out in that frame, but that would be it for the Shuckers.

Pruitt, who threw eight shutout innings against Biloxi on June 20, wasn't surprised manager Brady Williams and pitching coach R.C. Lichtenstein let him go the distance.

"I didn't know exactly what my pitch count was, but I had a feeling it was low," he said. "I was cruising pretty good, so I figured they'd let me have a chance in the ninth."

DePew hit a solo homer in the seventh, breaking through against Lopez.

"It was pretty awesome," Pruitt said. "I didn't know how we were going to get that one run, because Lopez was throwing the ball so well, but then with that one swing, we had the lead."

Lopez (7-4) was chased from the game on DePew's dinger. He allowed one run on five hits and two walks while striking out seven over 6 2/3 innings. He sports a 2.54 ERA.