JetHawks' Tucker posts first four-hit game

Just a dozen games into his California League career, Kyle Tucker is already making some serious noise.

The Astros' second-ranked prospect collected a career-high four hits, including three doubles, and drove in three runs to lead Class A Advanced Lancaster to a 15-1 romp over Rancho Cucamonga on Wednesday night at The Hangar. 

Tucker put the JetHawks on the board in the first inning with an RBI double to left field. The 2015 first-round pick made it two run-scoring doubles in as many at-bats in the third when he roped another shot to left. 

"I've been trying to control the strike zone better," Tucker said. "In the beginning of the season, I kind of went in and just tried to play baseball. As the season went along, I started to pick up on some things and tried to develop my strike zone approach. Controlling the zone and looking for pitches in certain locations has really helped me out big-time, and I'm feeling good about where it's at right now."

After singling to right in the fifth and grounding out in the sixth, Tucker completed the doubles hat trick with a blast to deep right in the eighth.

"The first two at-bats, I noticed they started to pitch away from me," MLB.com's No. 54 overall prospect said. "I figured after the second at-bat they'd want to come in, so I started looking inside the rest of the game and I got some good pitches in that location and it worked out for me."

Tucker, who slashed .276/.348/.402 with six homers and 56 RBIs in 101 games for Class A Quad Cities, was promoted to Lancaster on Aug. 17. In 12 California League games, the Tampa native is slashing .326/.415/.565 with a homer and nine RBIs. 

"It's just confidence. Getting the opportunity to be called up, you feel good about yourself. Having that confidence-boost helps you perform at the next level," he said. "One of my goals at the beginning of the season was to play well, learn as much as I can and move up. I did that this year and, hopefully, next year I can come back strong in Spring Training and work on things to help me get more comfortable at the higher level."

Astros No. 29 prospect Jason Martin fell a triple short of the cycle and drove in four runs for Lancaster, while Aaron Mizell tripled, singled and chipped in three RBIs.

"Our whole team was hitting real well and it's that whole thing that hitting like that is contagious," Tucker said. "Once you see guys hitting the ball hard, it starts to boost confidence for the whole team and you feel better in your at-bats."

Lancaster totaled 16 hits in support of starter Brock Dykxhoorn (10-4), who gave up three hits and a pair of walks while striking out eight over seven scoreless innings.

Rehabbing Major Leaguer Andre Ethier went 2-for-4 with a double and an RBI for the Quakes. First-round pick Will Smith was 2-for-2 throwing out basestealers, making the Dodgers' No. 11 prospect 4-for-4 in the past two games.

Rancho Cucamonga starter Felipe Gonzalez (3-7) surrendered four runs -- three earned -- on five hits in four innings. He walked three and fanned three.