Playing with new teams, a clear mindset and special guests in town, Spencer torkelson I was ready for the doubleheader on Thursday. He proved it with one of the best days of his young professional career.
Baseball’s No. 2 prospect (and No. 1 for the Detroit Tigers) combined 7 of 7 with three homers and a double, while the outfielder Riley Greene (No. 13) added two explosions of his own when Erie Double-A swept his double game to Altoona with 15-1 and 6-0 wins at UPMC Park:
“Very good” is certainly a modest description. The 2020 No. 1 overall pick saw Erie’s day begin in the first inning of Thursday’s first game with a two-run homer, the 17th of the season and the 12th in 47 games since moving up to Double-A midway through. of June.
Torkelson then hit two singles in a 10-run outburst in the third inning, while Greene hit the frame’s biggest hit with a grand slam to right field. It was the 13th home run in 80 Double-A games this season for Greene, the fifth overall pick in 2019.
Torkelson added a two-run double in the sixth to end Thursday’s first game 4 of 4 with three runs scored and four RBIs, increasing his Double-A OPS to .915. Greene was 2-for-4 with two runs and four RBIs, raising his mark to .869.
In the second game, Torkelson did not calm down, prompted in part by some comments he received earlier in the week. In addition to Earley’s emphasis on eating well and sleeping well, Torkelson took his guidance at the front of the team:
The top third of Erie’s order hit back-to-back home runs to open the bottom of the first in Game 2. Greene started the bombardment with an initial blast from left to center, and Tigers No. 19 prospect Ryan Kriedler followed with one of his own to a similar spot. Torkelson completed it with his thirteenth homer of the year (at Double-A) with a shot to the center, putting Erie in a 3-0 lead.
Torkelson singled on a line to right field in the fourth inning and then finished off his monster doubleheader with a Solitaire HR left in the fifth. In total, Arizona State’s product was 7 of 7 with three homers, a double, six RBIs and five runs scored.
Since joining the SeaWolves on June 15, Torkelson has hit .271 / .384 / .584 in 48 games. So far, August has been his most impressive stage. After Thursday’s games, the corner infielder has a .342 / .444 / .737 slash line in 10 games this month and has multiple hits in three of his last four games.
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Thursday’s performance had another funny story for Torkelson: He performed in front of his parents, Rick and Lori, who saw their son in person for the first time since mid-June when he was in High-A, though not for a long time.
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