Toussaint does it all for Mississippi

Touki Toussaint did it all on Friday.
The Braves' No. 11 prospect struck out 10 over six scoreless innings and went 2-for-3 with a pair of RBIs to lead Double-A Mississippi to a 9-2 romp over Pensacola at Blue Wahoos Stadium.

Gameday box score
Toussaint (2-1) fanned three of the last four batters he faced, falling one shy of the career high he set last July 21 in his next-to-last start before being promoted from Class A Advanced Florida. He gave up a leadoff double in the third to C.J. McElroy and a leadoff single in the fourth to Josh VanMeter to go with a pair of walks.
"He was able to throw his fastball on both sides of the plate," said Mississippi pitching coach Dennis Lewallyn. "He could elevate it for effect when he needed to. He had a really good curveball, didn't throw a lot of changeups tonight, but when he did they were effective as well. His command was great on three plus pitches."

Since posting a 6.57 ERA in his first three starts of the season, the 2014 first-round pick has allowed three runs on nine hits over 18 innings.
Toussaint raised his batting average to .500 with the first two run-scoring hits of his career. In the fourth, he singled on a ground ball to left field to score Braves No. 20 prospect Travis Demeritte, then sent a soft line drive to left in the sixth to plate Tyler Marlette.
"It's always a bonus, they can help themselves out," Lewallyn said. "He's bragging now that he's a very good hitter. You put the ball in play, and good things can happen. We were happy for him, he's pitched really well so two hits and two RBI on top of it made it extra special."

Toussaint's 89 pitches were the most he's thrown this season, two more than his last time out when he went seven innings. Lewallyn said the 21-year-old could have gone another frame, but with other pitchers needing work, six innings was enough.
"He's been able to throw fewer pitches and got more outs. Getting three outs each inning on fewer pitches, that's allowed him to go deeper into the ball game," the former Major Leaguer said. "He did better at throwing first-pitch strikes tonight. He's not walking as many people, he's throwing all his pitches over the plate. Those things together combine to help you pitch deeper into the ballgame."
Citing steadily improved command since Toussaint made his Southern League debut at the end of last season, Lewallyn said his focus is continuing to build up the right-hander's confidence that can only come with experience. Pitching around McElroy's leadoff double in the third, he came back and struck out two batters, a marker of progress.
"He's maturing. Everybody matures at their own pace," Lewallyn said. "In the past, when things started going south on him, he couldn't slow the game now. When he gets in trouble, he's able to slow it down and take it one pitch at a time. It's helped him pitch into games."
Elian Leyva followed Toussaint and gave up two runs on three hits in 1 1/3 innings before Josh Graham pitched 1 2/3 scoreless frames.
Demeritte drove in two runs with a triple in the fourth, while Luis Valenzuela went 2-for-5 with an RBI and a run scored for Mississippi.