DANVILLE, Va. — Atlanta Braves minor-leaguer Ross Francis struck out 16 batters in six hitless innings for his Appalachian League club last night.

In one inning, he got four. In the fourth, Pulaski's Juan Fuentes swung at strike three, but Francis was charged with a wild pitch, allowing him to take second with one out. The next two batters went down looking.

Francis also hit a batter with a pitch and walked two others in Danville's 1-0 rain-shortened win over the Mariners.

Only three Pulaski players managed to put the ball in play in six innings. Jose Rivero flied out to center in the second, and Jonathan Arias laid down a sacrifice bunt in the fifth followed by Gabriel Noriega's groundout.