Burnes puts up eight zeros for Shuckers

In what has already been a stellar full-season debut, Corbin Burnes put together arguably the best start of his career Wednesday night.
Milwaukee's No. 7 prospect turned in a career-high eight innings in Double-A Biloxi's 1-0 loss in 12 innings to Mobile at MGM Park. The right-hander allowed two hits and two walks while striking out eight. 

Burnes was unhittable through the first three frames. In the second, the 22-year-old walked Zach Gibbons and Forrestt Allday reached on a fielding error by third baseman Jake Gatewood, the No. 18 Brewers prospect, before Tim Arakawa grounded out to end the inning. In the third, Angels No. 3 prospect Matt Thaiss drew a two-out walk, but was stranded when Zach Houchins flied out. 
"We had a good plan of attack," Burnes said. "Dustin Houle did a great job behind the plate. We knew their lineup pretty well and we knew their tendencies, so we just went out there and attacked the hitters. We tried to get ahead in the count and went to the off-speed stuff when needed, but credit goes to our pitching coach, Chris Hook, and Dustin Houle behind the plate calling the pitches."
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In the sixth, Angels No. 19 prospect Brennon Lund ended Burnes' no-hit bid with a leadoff single to left field. 
"I just fell behind in the count," the Bakersfield, California native said. "Lund is a good hitter and he's going to hit mistakes. I went behind 3-0 in the count, worked it back, but left a fastball in the middle of the plate and he got a good barrel on it."
Burnes only got better from there. He picked off Lund at first base before retiring eight of the final nine batters, including three punchouts in his final inning around a single by Alberto Triunfel.

"In the seventh and eighth innings, that's when things started to really click," said Burnes, who threw 60 of 94 pitches for strikes. "My command was good and I had extra life on the fastball, so those last few innings definitely had a little second wind to me."
The 2016 fourth-round pick said he enjoyed every scoreless frame he traded with Mobile's staff, led by Angels No. 15 prospect Jesus Castillo, who scattered five hits and a walk with two whiffs over four innings.
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"Those are the games you live for," the St. Mary's College product said. "You live for the pitchers' duels, whether it'd be one guy or the way they combined the three guys tonight to keep it scoreless. Those are the games that you want." 
The outing lowered Burnes' season ERA to 1.57, second throughout all the Minor Leagues behind the 1.49 sported by Arizona's No. 2 prospectJon Duplantier, currently with Class A Advanced Visalia in the California League. Burnes was named by the Brewers as a Pitcher of the Month for June, when he went 2-1 with a 1.53 ERA in five starts.  

"It's a big honor," said Burnes, who has no decisions and a 1.16 ERA through four starts in August. "Not only is this for me, but it's for the team. I've had great defense the whole season to back me up and I got some great run support early. It kind of shows what we can do as a team. I'm just lucky to have them behind me."
Despite outhitting the BayBears, 12-2, the Shuckers committed three errors in the 12th that turned the tide of the game. 
Blake Allemand, Clint Coulter, Angel Ortega and Javier Betancourt had two hits apiece for Biloxi, while Nick Ramirez tossed three perfect innings with three strikeouts in relief of Burnes.
Mobile's Damien Magnifico (1-0) surrendered two hits and fanned three in three frames and Adam Hofacket worked around a two-out double by Johnny Davis to notch his sixth save of the season.