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06/01/2008 12:31 AM ET
Barons' Richard blanks Braves
By Steve Conley
Birmingham's Clayton Richard is sixth in the Southern League with a 2.64 ERA. (John M. Setzler Jr./MLB.com)

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Clayton Richard has made strides each year since he was drafted in 2005. He took another big step forward on Saturday.

Richard hurled his first career shutout and ran his scoreless streak to 18 innings as the Birmingham Barons blanked the Mississippi Braves, 6-0, at Trustmark Park.

Richard (5-6) allowed leadoff singles in the first and second innings and a two-out base hit in the fourth before retiring 16 of the final 17 batters. He struck out two, walked one, won his second straight start and lowered his ERA to 2.64.

"I felt pretty good early in the game," Richard said. "My sinker was working well and [catcher] Cole [Armstrong] and I got on the same page right away."

The 24-year-old left-hander tossed seven shutout innings in his last start on Monday against Jacksonville and his scoreless streak dates to his May 21 start against Huntsville. The University of Michigan product has gone at least six innings in nine of 12 starts this season, pitching at least seven in six of his last seven outings.

"I've just been consistently in the [strike] zone and getting ahead of batters more than anything else," he explained. "I try not to overcomplicate things and leave the work up the fielders."

Selected by the White Sox in the eighth round of the 2005 Draft, Richard's other complete games were a six-inning loss for Class A Advanced Winston-Salem on Aug. 21, 2007 and a seven-inning victory on Sept. 3, 2006.

After going 8-12 with a 3.63 ERA in 27 starts with Winston-Salem, Richard earned a promotion to Double-A Birmingham, where he has continued to impress. He said he learned a few important things early on in his professional career.

"The first few years, you realize the best way to get through innings is to throw strikes early in the count and have them hit the ball on the ground," Richard said.

After starting his career with Rookie-level Great Falls, Richard has moved up a level each year. But he's kept things in perspective.

"It's definitely a goal to keep moving along. You don't want to return to any place," he said. "You just do what you can and control the things you can on the field. That's the life of a Minor Leaguer."

Stefan Gartrell went 2-for-4 with a two-run single in the first and Victor Mercedes had three hits, including a two-run single, for the Barons (33-23).

Braves starter Dan Smith (1-7) gave up six runs on nine hits and three walks over 2 2/3 innings.

Greg Creek went 2-for-3 for Mississippi (26-30).

Steve Conley is a contributor to MLB.com. This story was not subject to the approval of the National Association of Professional Baseball Leagues or its clubs.