He is the Real Deal.
Alex Real, the sturdy 215-pound wide-bodied draft pick of the Atlanta Braves, continued bringing West Coast League pitching to its knees.
The University of New Mexico Lobos catcher/first-baseman had two hits, three RBIs and a run as the Victoria HarbourCats (6-1) defeated the Kelowna Falcons, now winless in seven games, 7-2 in the first road game in Victoria franchise history.
Real began his HarbourCats career last week with three home games against the Medford Rogues, going a combined seven-for-11 with two doubles, a homer, five runs, four RBIs and three walks.
This guy can play.
鈥淣ow the grind really starts,鈥� Real said before the HarbourCats departed for the Okanagan.
Victoria and Kelowna meet again tonight and Monday before the HarbourCats continue the swing with three games in Bellingham starting Tuesday against the Bells (6-3).
鈥淩oad trips are about trying to keep your energy up,鈥� Real said.
Dylan Lavelle鈥檚 brief tenure with the HarbourCats also continued to be productive as the Detroit Tigers draft pick had two hits and an RBI Saturday night. It was just his second game with the team after the touted infield prospect out of Everett Community College made his Victoria debut Thursday night with a dramatic two-run, two-out walk-off double in the bottom of the ninth to give the H-Cats a come-from-behind 12-11 victory over Medford at Royal Athletic Park.
Pitcher Scott Kuzminsky, a junior out of the University of Hawaii, one of the few American schools whose teams perform the Haka before games, started for Victoria and had his warrior face on. The six-foot-two native of Puyallup, Wash., pitched seven strong innings with five hits and one run allowed with six strikeouts to take his second win of the season against no losses.
As the Victoria roster continues to evolve, only one Island product started Saturday. The first six home games featured as many as four Island starters, several on temporary 10-day contracts, as roster players were slowly dribbling into town after their collegiate commitments.
But that lone homeboy Saturday, Austin Russell, has been a good one. The Victoria Mariners junior graduate continued his stellar play with two hits, two RBIs and a run.
Another Island player showing well in the early season, Victoria native and Vancouver Island University Mariners pitcher Connor Russell, gets the start on the mound tonight for the HarbourCats.
