Geiger continues home run binge

Dustin Geiger can safely say the broken hamate bone in his left hand that kept him out of action until early June isn't sapping him of any power.

The Cubs third base prospect homered for the fourth straight game Saturday, tying a club record and powering the Class A Peoria Chiefs to a 5-3 victory over the Cedar Rapids Kernels.

"I don't think I've ever [played like this]. This is the first time, even in high school," said Geiger, who's gone deep five times during the streak. "I've done back-to-back days with a home run before but never anything like this. It feels great when everything clicks and you can help the team win ballgames."

Jordan Robison (May 9-14, 2002) and Josh Vitters (May 16-19, 2009) also homered in four straight games for the Chiefs.

Geiger didn't make his season debut until June 7 after breaking the bone in his hand during Minor League camp. After going 0-for-11 in his first three games, he's been on a tear, hitting safely in 20 of his last 22 games.

The 2010 24th-round Draft pick chalked up his productive run to the work he put in at extended spring training and with Chiefs hitting coach Barbaro Garbey.

"I'm seeing the ball well, working on my approach with [Garbey] and everything's clicking. Luckily, I've been able to hit this way," Geiger said. "Now I'm just hitting pitches that the pitchers make mistakes with."

Geiger batted .342 in 19 games in the Rookie-level Arizona League last season before a promotion to the Midwest League, where he hit .227 in 43 games with Peoria.

In 25 games with the Chiefs this season, though, the 20-year-old is batting .313 with eight homers, 21 RBIs, a .367 on-base percentage and .586 slugging percentage. He's raised that slugging number 139 points since Tuesday.

Geiger stressed how well the Cubs' training staff in Arizona prepared him for his return.

"Everyone took great care of me and I was able to make a pretty speedy recovery," he said. "Everything's doing fantastic."

A native of Merritt Island, Fla., Geiger said he hopes he can continue to produce at this level and hopefully move up to Class A Advanced Daytona Beach, a 45-minute drive from his hometown.

"You always want to take it one step at a time, not look too far in advance, but obviously the goal is to get to [Class A Advanced]," he said. "It'd be nice to get the parents and friends and family to come see me."

On Saturday, Cubs No. 3 prospect Javier Baez also homered, going 3-for-4 with two runs scored. The ninth overall pick in last year's Draft is hitting .305 with five homers and 13 RBIs in 33 games. The 19-year-old shortstop also sports a .379 OBP and .492 slugging percentage.

Geiger said Baez has been as impressive in person as his numbers suggest.

"While I was rehabbing, he was playing in extended [spring training], demolishing the ball, hitting it out to every part of the field," he said. "The kid has incredible power. He has incredible range on defense, too, just a great player."