Addison Russell wasn't in Friday's game for very long, but it only took three innings to put together a solid performance.

MLB.com's No. 12 overall prospect hit a two-run homer in the first inning and singled in the third before exiting with a right hamstring cramp as Double-A Midland rolled to a 6-0 win over visiting Arkansas.

The 20-year-old shortstop said he felt fine by the late innings, but the cramp was of concern because he missed more than a week of Spring Training after straining the same muscle.

"It caught me off-guard, so I told [RockHounds manager Aaron Nieckula] I didn't want to risk it. He said, 'All right, I believe you,' and took me out of the game," Russell said. "It's feeling good now. It's frustrating, but you've got to play it safe."

The A's top prospect added that the cramp wasn't similar in feeling or location to the earlier injury.

"It's not as low as the strain. This was close to my butt," he said. "It's feeling better right now. It really happened so recently, but we're going to take a close look at it with the trainers after the game and we'll see how it feels [Saturday]."

The RockHounds and A's have plenty of reason to hope Russell returns sooner than later. After two games in the Texas League, he's 5-for-7 with a homer, double, stolen base, two RBIs and two runs scored. His first Double-A long ball came on the first pitch he saw Friday night, a fastball from Travelers starter Michael Roth (0-1).

"I'm feeling good up there. I really wanted to be aggressive in my first at-bat, especially on a fastball," Russell said. "He gave me what I wanted, so I put a good swing on it. I was hoping that it would get out, especially with that wind blowing. I was lucky to have a runner on and get a couple RBIs, too."

The wind also was a factor in Midland's 20-7 Opening Night loss to the Arkansas on Thursday. Russell admitted his homer in the three-run first was important in changing the tone of the series.

"The team needed something to get us going today, whether it was going to be on defense or offense, whoever came through and delivered," he said. "At the end of the night, we just don't want to be thinking about last night and have that still on our minds."

In the third, Roth went up on Russell, 0-2, before Russell worked the count full and lined a sixth-pitch slider into left field. Standing on first base, Russell -- who has stolen 38 bases in 44 attempts in the Minor Leagues -- liked his odds at swiping second.

"I thought I read [Roth] well and initially I did get a good jump and felt like I was going to be there, but then I felt that little cramp," he said. "I slowed up a little bit and the throw was right on the money. My hat's off to [Travs catcher Jett] Bandy."

The torrid start represents a change for Russell, who batted .171 through mid-May a year ago with Class A Advanced Stockton. He turned things around in the second half and finished with a .275/.377/.508 slash line, earning a promotion to Triple-A Sacramento at the end of August.

Billy Burns, Oakland's ninth-ranked prospect, was 2-for-3 with a double and a walk. The speedster stole second on a pitchout in the fourth inning.

RockHounds starter Zach Neal (1-0) allowed three hits over five innings for the win, striking out six without walking a batter.