Tarpons' Whitlock fans career-high 11

Garrett Whitlock has been consistently strong on the rubber this season, but he took it to another level on Saturday afternoon. 
The Yankees' No. 26 prospect recorded a career-high 11 strikeouts over seven innings, pitching Class A Advanced Tampa to a 5-0 blanking of Jupiter at George M. Steinbrenner Field. He yielded three hits and a walk in his third win in four starts.

Gameday box score
"I was feeling pretty good," Whitlock said. "Honestly, me and [catcher] Chace Numata were really on the same page. So it was easy for me because I didn't even think, I was just following what he was telling me to do, and he got it done."
The right-hander started the year in the South Atlantic League, going 2-2 with 1.13 ERA and 0.75 WHIP across 40 innings with Class A Charleston. In a string of four starts between April 17-May 5, Whitlock did not allow a run. He earned a mid-May promotion to the Florida State League, where he sported a 2.35 ERA through his first five starts. Despite facing hitters with more advanced approaches, Whitlock hasn't encountered too many difficulties at the higher level. 
"The hitters [in the FSL] are definitely more aware of the zone and have better zone discipline," he said. "I had to pretty much work with [Tampa pitching coach Jose Rosado] a lot about when you want to attack out of the zone, when you want to attack in the zone. It's more of a mentality, not more of a physical difference. It's just more of a mentality difference."
Whitlock (3-1) hit a bit of a bump in his last start, giving up five runs -- four earned -- on nine hits over 4 1/3 innings against Clearwater. But working with Numata and Rosado in side sessions during the week, he felt like he got things back on track. 
"We definitely wanted to get the confidence back up," Whitlock said. "I worked with [Rosado] a lot and even [Numata] -- he caught all of my bullpens. They were both telling me, 'Hey, those outings are going to happen, just move on and go into your next start.' That's what really helped me, that mentality today."
Against the Hammerheads, Whitlock threw 57 of 87 pitches for strikes and recorded four ground-ball outs, compared to two in the air. The Georgia native limited solid contact, allowing only five balls to leave the infield. He said the key was establishing the zone early in each count, setting up chances to put away hitters. 
"It was just the game plan that I always try to do," he said. "It was attacking with the sinker, establish the fastball and go off from there. ... You take it inning by inning, but the arm felt good. Like I said, I was on the same page as [Numata]. That made things a whole lot easier."
Whitlock encountered some trouble in the first inning as Cameron Baranek collected a two-out single before stealing second. But he was stranded as Justin Twine struck out. 
After striking out the side on 14 pitches in the second, Whitlock dealt with another two-out jam in the third when Anfernee Seymour ripped a double to center. The University of Alabama-Birmingham product used the strikeout pitch effectively again, whiffing Aaron Knapp after a six-pitch at-bat. 

From there, Whitlock retired 12 of the final 14 batters he faced, finishing off the start with a 1-2-3 seventh. It was the longest start he's made with the Tarpons and his third outing of seven innings this season. 
"I'm just glad we got the win," he said. "It's good to start off the second half 2-1. I'm just glad I gave the team a chance to get the win."
Trevor Lane pitched two innings to earn his third save and finish off Tampa's league-leading eighth shutout.
On the offensive side, Isiah Gilliam smacked his ninth homer, extending his hitting streak to 16 games.