Bulls' Velazquez makes it four times two

Andrew Velazquez is no stranger to getting on base, but even he couldn't have asked for a better start to 2019.
The Rays prospect doubled twice, drove in two runs and scored another during his second straight four-hit game in Triple-A Durham's 10-6 loss to Charlotte on Friday at BB&T Ballpark. Velazquez opened the season by going 4-for-6 with a homer, a double and a career-high five RBIs on Thursday.

Gameday box score
"It's nice to get ahead of things out of the gate," Velazquez said. "I've started 0-fer before and you always feel like you're chasing after that average. It would be even better to win, so hopefully some of my offense can start helping us get some W's." 
The 24-year-old struck out to begin Friday's game but doubled to center field and scored in the third inning and stroked an RBI single up the middle in the fourth. Velazquez drove in his second run with a bloop double to left in the sixth before grounding a single to center to start the eighth. It was his fourth career four-hit performance and his first since Aug. 23, 2014.
Through two games, the Bronx, New York, native is 8-for-11 (.727) with a homer, three doubles, seven RBIs and two runs scored.

"I just want to ride the wave as long as it lasts," he said. "Whether it's winning games or hitting ... you just want to keep it going. Baseball is such an up-and-down sport. For me, I'm feeling good and that's what is most important. I can't control what happens with the ball, but I can focus on hitting it hard and hopefully they keep falling. I don't want to jinx anything." 
Drafted by the D-backs in seventh round in 2012, Velazquez established a Minor League record by reaching base in 72 consecutive games in the Class A Midwest League in 2014. Unsurprisingly, that turned out to be the best season to date for the shortstop/center fielder, who batted .290/.367/.428 with 42 extra-base hits, including 15 triples, and 50 stolen bases in 134 games with the former D-backs affiliate in South Bend.
Velazquez was traded to Tampa Bay in November 2014 in a deal that sent Jeremy Hellickson to Arizona. He reached Triple-A for the first time last season and finished with a .255/.313/.417 slash line, a career-high 14 homers and 31 stolen bases in 34 attempts with Double-A Montgomery and Durham. The former Fordham Prep standout is a .268/.332/.389 hitter in more than 2,000 Minor League at-bats and made his Major League debut last year, going 3-for-10 in 13 games.
"I was thinking about the big leagues the whole offseason," Velazquez said. "You get a taste of that lifestyle, the food, the hotels ... it's great. It's the best competition in the world and that's where you want to be. I don't want to be content where I'm at. I'm happy to be off to a good start but now I have to keep it going and hopefully get my opportunity.
"The main thing is not to get too high or too low. This game will and has humbled me. It's important to stay even-keeled and know that the game can bite you at any time."

Jake Cronenworth, who logged three hits Thursday, matched Velazquez's four on Friday, scoring twice and stealing a base for the two-time defending Governors' Cup champions. Jake Smolinski went deep and drove in three runs, and No. 8 Rays prospectNate Lowe doubled and scored twice.
Seventeenth-ranked Tampa Bay prospect Colin Poche fanned one and surrendered a solo homer in 1 2/3 innings in relief of starter Andrew Moore (0-1), who allowed seven runs on seven hits, a walk and a hit batter with two strikeouts in 3 1/3 innings.
Matt Skole and D.J. Peterson went deep for Charlotte, which has scored 22 runs in its first two games. The duo combined for four hits and six RBIs. Danny Mendick slugged a two-run homer, his second roundtripper in as many games.
Evan Marshall (1-0) earned the win with a scoreless frame out of the bullpen. The 28-year-old right-hander worked around a hit while striking out two. Knights starter Jordan Guerrero was touched for four runs on nine hits and two walks while punching out seven in 3 2/3 innings.